Activity Pack Ages 11+
LEARN ABOUT CHOCOLATE AND GET CREATIVE!
WHERE DOES CHOCOLATE COME FROM?
Cacao grows around the equator…we call it the cacao belt.
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It covers an area 20⁰ north and south of the equator.
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The temperature is 20⁰C to 30⁰C all year round.
There’s 45% humidity and 1000—2500mm of rain per year.
THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE
The first documented enjoyment of chocolate was by the Aztecs in the region now known as Mexico. Montezuma, their emperor, gave his guests cups of chocolate with added vanilla.
HernĂĄn CortĂŠs took the secret of cacao with him back to Spain after he conquered Mexico in 1521.
s r a e y 200 When chocolate reached England, the chocolate drink could only be afforded by the wealthy as cacao beans were so expensive. In 1664 the famous writer, Samuel Pepys, wrote about the chocolate drink. Fast-forward 200 years and George Cadbury made chocolate more accessible to everyone!
BU T WHERE DOE S OUR
CHOCOLATE COME FROM TODAY?
Cacao trees can grow up to 10 metres tall. The tree makes fingernail-size flowers. Cacao pods then grow from some of these flowers.
Cacao pods come in many different colours, including purple, yellow, red and green.
The pulp and beans are then either piled up outside in the heat of the day and covered with banana leaves, or they’re stored in boxes. They stay here for a few days, being turned regularly. This process is called fermentation. The heat releases the sugars from the beans. This is where 80% of the chocolate flavours come from.
When the pods are ready to harvest, large knives are used to cut them open. Each pod has around 40 purple beans set in a white pulp.
When the pulp has been drained away, the beans are spread out under the sun. This drying process changes the colour from purple to brown. If it rains, the beans are quickly covered by plastic sheeting to protect them.
Once dried, the cacao beans are bagged up and sent to our factory to be made into chocolate.
ACTIVITY TIME
WHERE DOES CHOCOLATE COME FROM?
T S E V R A H A C C C N A O
C Y C P Y A R D O H E A N P
R C E U R E S A C A E L C B
O B D U U R O Z B E P Y C E
E D O D B B E R C O P A D U
T U C E D L P H R P C E T L
A U S C A T G T O V A A L U
L D Y C C N O A Z T E C S P
O A P N I O C I A S P T U A
C Z C Y R A P O Y Y R U C O
O V R N E L E O S B N C L R
H D C A C A O P D E H A D P
C A O O O A B O A Z P P E D
C A H B C C C U B U Z C C B
Complete the sentences and then find the words! grows around the equator. We call it the cacao belt. When the pods are ready to large knives are used to cut them open. Cacao s come in many different colours. If it rains, the s are quickly covered by plastic sheeting to protect them This process changes the colour from purple to brown Each pod has around 40 purple beans set in a white . In 1664 the famous writer, Samuel Pepys wrote about the drink. The first documented enjoyment of chocolate was by the .
THE SCHOOL OF CHOCOLATE How is chocolate made?
1.
When the cacao arrives to our UK factory it needs to be sorted to make sure that the beans are good ones.
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The beans are roasted in a large rotating oven.
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Once the nibs have been separated from the shells, they go into a grinding mill. This turns them into a thick paste called cacaoa mass. The cacao is still a bit gritty at this stage.
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The mass is put through heavy rollers until it’s smooth. This is called ‘conching’. This is the stage where other ingredients would be added to make up all your favourite types of chocolate.
The winnowing process blows air that lifts the light shells of the beans upwards, while the heavier nibs fall through a sieve. The nibs are what we use to make the chocolate.
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The liquid chocolate is poured into moulds to set.
The beans are broken up to remove the nib (the inside of the bean) from the shell.
TYPES OF CHOCOLATE What ingredients make dark, milk and white chocolate?
DARK
MILK
To make dark chocolate, sugar must be added to the liquid cacao.
Milk chocolate is made by adding sugar and dried milk.
WHITE Rather than using the cacao mass to create white chocolate, the mass is put under a lot of pressure, and cacao butter is squeezed out. This is then added to sugar and milk.
KEY CACAO SUGAR MILK CACAO BUTTER
cacao butdtefrrois extracteo beamn the caca
ACTIVITY TIME
HOW CHOCOLATE IS MADE L K R L I M G M I L K L L N
W G N S N O O L E O R I L M
I G S N S E I G T D A G O D
N T H D U C H N I E D M N K
N I G S G I G R H G L D A G
O W C E A K D I W S C S O N
W L R O R C N M I E K W I T
I D L R N G R I N D I N G R
N L N E I C R O S S A R S O
G E I K H I H E A E U H D S
S R B A G S S I S D L U O M
R T U L G S A R N N N A W L
U I R L A I A G A G D H E N
G I D M D E T S A O R T T I
Complete the sentences and then find the words! Rather than using the cacao mass to create chocolate, the mass is put under a lot of pressure, and cacao butter is squeezed out. The liquid chocolate is then poured into to set. The process then blows air to lift the light shells of the beans out and the heavier nibs fall through a sieve. The nibs go into a grinding mill where it is turned into a thick paste called cacao . The beans are then broken up to remove the nib (inside the bean) from the . To make dark chocolate, must be added to the liquid cacao. The mass is then put through heavy rollers until it’s smooth. This is called . To make chocolate, sugar must be added to the liquid cacao. Once the nibs have been separated from the shells, they go into a mill. The beans are then in a large rotating oven. chocolate is made by adding sugar and dried milk. The beans are then broken up to remove the from the shell.
DESIGN YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE SLAB If you could create your very own version of one of our famous chocolate Slabs, what would it be? Show us how you’d decorate it, what ingredients you’d use and what name you’d choose!
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What would your Slab look like?
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3. share your design with us! Take a picture of the page and email it to Designaslab@hotelchocolat.com
Tell us the name of your Slab:
What ingredients would you use?:
COLOUR IT IN
CHOCOLATE RECIPES
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN
CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD
This is one of our most popular spreads. You can blitz hazelnuts in a food processor to your desired consistency.
CACAO FACTOR: High ORIGIN: Any CACAO%: 70% — 85%
Equipment Electric mixer or whisk 1 microwave-safe mixing bowl Microwave or saucepan Airtight storage container Ingredients Makes 300g 150g hazelnut paste 50g icing sugar 80g dark chocolate 25ml sunflower oil
Method (Ask an adult to help you) 1. In a mixing bowl, mix the hazelnut paste and sugar until smooth. 2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 10-second bursts, on medium power, for 40 — 50 seconds. Alternatively, we prefer the bain marie method: melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water for 2 minutes. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t actually touch the hot water, and stir the chocolate occasionally. 3. Slowly add the oil to the chocolate in a trickle, beating the chocolate all the time to create a smooth emulsion. 4. Now beat in the nut paste mixture and ensure everything is thoroughly combined. 5. Chill in a sealed, airtight storage container for about an hour until set. This can be kept for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
HOW TO MAKE A
DIZZY PRALINE CAKE This hazelnut chocolate cake is inspired by our Dizzy Praline chocolate, a firm favourite ever since the first Hotel Chocolat opened.
CACAO FACTOR: High ORIGIN: Any CACAO%: 70% — 75%
Equipment An oven Electric mixer or whisk 2 microwave-safe mixing bowls Microwave or saucepan 2 round, 18cm cake tins Ingredients Serves 4 185g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 6 large eggs, separated 185g ground hazelnuts 115g caster sugar Filling and decoration 150g any Hotel Chocolat (or other high-quality) chocolate spread 100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 50g white chocolate, broken into pieces 100ml whipping cream
Method (Ask an adult to help you) 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4. 2. Grease 2 round, 18cm cake tins and line with baking parchment. 3. M elt the chocolate in the microwave in 10-second bursts, on medium power, for 40 — 50 seconds. Alternatively, we prefer the bain marie method: melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water for 2 minutes. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t actually touch the hot water, and stir the chocolate occasionally. 4. Using an electric mixer (or whisk), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. 5. Carefully fold the ground hazelnuts into the egg whites. 6. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, then mix in the melted chocolate. 7. Add the egg-white mixture to the chocolate mixture and fold gently to combine. 8. Divide the batter equally between the prepared tins and bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, or until the top is firm to touch. 9. Allow the cakes to cool completely in their tins before turning them out.
Once cooled: 10. Sandwich the cakes together with the chocolate spread. 11. To make it a showstopper, pipe on the spread for a beaded edge and smooth over the middle. 12. Melt the dark chocolate for the topping (follow step 3). Then quickly beat in the cream and whisk until smooth and glossy. 13. Spread over the top of the cake. 14. Melt the white chocolate (follow step 3). 15. Pipe a swirl of the melted white on the top of the cake. 16. Leave to set before serving.
HOW TO MAKE T HE
tip: before start makeyou sure you grated yohuave chocolater 3 s
RABOT MOUSSE COLLECTION Why make one mousse, when you can make 3? This recipe uses a single smooth, creamy custard base to which you can add your preferred types of chocolate. Serve in small glasses for the perfect portion size.
COCOA FACTOR: High ORIGIN: V ietnam / Caribbean Ecuador COCOA%: Dark 80%, Milk 50%
Equipment Mixing bowls Electric mixer or whisk Saucepan Wooden spoon Fine sieve Tablespoon Ingredients Serves 6 2 egg yolks 25g caster sugar 225ml whipping cream 125ml whose milk 3 x 120g of your favourite milk or dark chocolate grated Toppings of your choice
Method (Ask an adult to help you) 1. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl to combine. 2. Bring 125ml of the cream and all of the milk to a boil in a small pan. 3. Remove from the heat and pour one third of the mixture over the egg yolks and beat to combine. 4. Pour back into the pan with the rest of the hot milk and cream mixture and heat gently over a low heat stirring occasionally until it coats the back of the spoon – this is your custard base. It is important not to let the mixture boil or it may split as soon as the consistency is reached. 5. Pass through a fine sieve into a metal bowl and whisk for 3-4 minutes, which will help it cool slightly. 6. Divide the still warm custard evenly between 3 bowls. Beat a different chocolate into each portion of the custard until completely melted to you 3 different mousse bases. 7. Chill in the fridge for 5-8 minutes to cool slightly. 8. Meanwhile, whip the remaining 100ml of cream to soft peak stage in a large bowl. 9. Remove the chocolate custards from the fridge and beat each one for 10 seconds. 10. Fold 1 tablespoon of whipped cream into each one until completely combined. 11. Gently fold one-third of remaining cream into each mix. Do not beat; you want to keep it lovely and airy to avoid a hard mousse. 12. Pour into serving bowls, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours to set. 13. Add your chosen toppings just before serving.
Serve warm. Perhaps with ice cream.
HOW TO MAKE T HE
CROWNIE It’s not quite a cookie and not quite a brownie. It’s a Crownie. A chocolatey, soft, yet crunchy biscuit packed with whole hazelnuts.
COCOA FACTOR: High ORIGIN: Venezuelan / Chuao Ecuador / House Blend COCOA%: 70% - 85%
ed best serv !
warm
Method (Ask an adult to help you) Equipment An oven 2 baking trays Mixing bowl Electric mixer or whisk Ingredients Makes 16 200g butter, at room temperature 50g golden caster sugar 100g soft light brown sugar 1 egg beaten 275g plain flour 25g cocoa powder 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 200g chopped dark chocolate 200g whole roasted hazelnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/gas mark 3 and line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. 2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg. 3. Add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, and stir until combined. 4. Add the chocolate and hazelnuts, then use your hands to bring everything together into a dough. 5. Using your hands, form 16 balls and place them evenly on the prepared baking trays before pressing them down to a thickness of 1.5cm. 6. Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven. 7. They should be cooked but still slightly squidgey in the middle and will smell amazing. Serve warm. Perhaps with ice cream.