Glossary
Cacao : The cacao is a tropical tree grown in a hot and humid climate, mainly in the regions between 20 degrees North and South of the Equator. Its countries of origin are Venezuela and Mexico, but today it grows in many hot countries (Madagascar, Ghana, Java, Trinidad…)
The cacao only flowers after four years. The average lifetime for a tree is fifty years.
There are 3 varieties of cacao:
- The Criollo,
- The Forastero,
- The Trinitario
Pod : Fruit of the cacao. Each pod contains 30 to 50 cocoa beans. The cocoa bean is made up of cocoa paste and cocoa butter.
Cocoa paste : This is the dry matter of chocolate, which gives it the taste.
Cocoa butter : Oily matter extracted by pressing the cocoa paste. It is this that gives chocolate its fluidity and crunch.
Ganache : Blend of ground couverture chocolate and liquid whipping cream brought to the boil. A ganache can be natural or flavoured.
Praline : Blend of dried fruits (almonds, roasted hazelnuts) and sugar, cooked at low heat until caramelised, then cooled and ground more or less fine.
Gianduja : Creamy blend of milk chocolate, with icing sugar and grilled ground hazelnuts, mixed together dry.
Marzipan : Blend of white almonds and ground sugar. It can be flavoured, have alcohol added or associated with pistachio paste.
CHOCOLAT ACCESSORIES
