Day 11Nuts and Seeds

Cocoa and Chocolate Products

Words, Phrases, and Concepts

• Tree nut• Legume• Seed• Shelled• Blanched• Anaphylactic shock• Nut butter• Nut paste• Nut flour

• Gianduja• Hulled (dehulled)• ALA omega-3

IntroductionMost nuts grow on trees.

– Examples of tree nuts: Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts.

Peanuts grow underground.– Are classified as legumes.– Like beans, peas, and other legumes, are

contained in pods.

Seeds are smaller than nuts and are not contained in hard shells.

– Examples: Sesame, poppy, sunflower.

Introduction

Nuts provide:– Flavor.

• Especially when toasted.

– Texture.• Crunchy when toasted.

– Visual appeal.– Nutrients and health benefits.

Most nuts and seeds are interchangeable.– Chestnuts are the exception.

Composition

Nuts are encased in hard shells.– Shelled nut: nut removed from shell.

• Sometimes called kernel or nutmeat.

Thin skin (seed coat) protects kernel.– Skin is brown, astringent, and healthful.

• Darker skin has stronger flavor.

– Blanched nut: nut with skin removed after boiled in hot water or toasted.

Composition

Nuts are a good source of:– Protein, vitamins, minerals.

• Because they contain the plant’s embryo.

– Healthful fiber and polyphenolic compounds.• Especially in the skin.

Nut are high in fats and oils.– 50-65% is typical range.

• Exceptions: macadamia nuts, chestnuts.

– Fatty acids are mostly healthful unsaturated.• Exception: coconuts are high in saturated fat.

Composition

Composition

Some people are allergic to one or more nuts or to sesame seeds.

– Reaction can be mild or severe.• Mild symptoms include red rash, swelling around

mouth, nausea, runny nose, itchy eyes.• Severe reaction is called anaphylactic shock.

– Symptoms include shock and swelling of air passages.– Can lead to death, sometimes within minutes.

– Be sure to inform customers of the presence of nuts in an item.• Also, garnish top of product with nut, as a visual cue.

Cost

Nuts are expensive; price depends on:– Type of nut.

• Pine nuts and macadamia nuts are most expensive, peanuts least expensive.

– Difficulty in processing.• Walnut halves are difficult to remove intact from

shells; more expensive than broken pieces.

– Crop year• Weather affects crop size of natural agricultural

products like nuts.

– Type of packaging and size of purchase.

Cost

Visual impact changes with size and shape.– Get greater coverage and visual impact when

nut or seed is:• Lighter, less dense.• Thinly sliced.

– This affects consumer’s perceived value of product.

Cost

Which appears to have more almonds: – thinly sliced on left or slivered on right?

Nut Butters, Flours, and PastesNut butter:

– Does not contain butter.– Often called nut paste when sugar is added.– Made by grinding toasted nuts until smooth.

• Use food processor; can add oil, salt, syrup.• Most common nut butters: peanut and almond.

Nut flour:• Also made in food processor.• To prevent release of oils and formation of paste:

– Pulse food processor.– Chill nuts– Add granulated sugar.- measure amount if used

• Use in pastry doughs and flourless cake batters.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Almonds– Bitter almonds.

• Used for flavoring only.• In almond extract, amaretto liqueur, almond paste.

– Sweet almonds.• Most common nut in bakeshop.• California is larger producer.• Mild-flavored, but toasting develops flavor.• Natural (with brown skin) or blanched (skin removed).

– Brown skin provides color contrast, slight astringency.

– Almond paste: Blanched almonds finely ground to paste with sugar, flavored with almond extract.

– Marzipan: Almond paste and sugar, mixed into a pliable dough.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Cashews– Kidney-shaped ivory-white nut; mild and sweet. – Produced in Vietnam, Brazil, India, and other tropical

climates.– Traditionally eaten as a snack.– Use in confections, especially brittles, and baked

goods, such as cookies, is growing.– Difficult to remove from shell, so historically an

expensive nut.• Low labor costs in Vietnam and other producing countries

has kept prices down.

– Cashews soaked in water and blended into smooth cream can be used as a mild-tasting replacement for dairy cream in vegan products.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Chestnuts– Very low in oil, high in moisture and starch.

• Not interchangeable with other nuts.

– Cooked before use; have a soft, mealy texture.– Fresh chestnuts available fall and early winter only.– Purchase frozen or canned, whole or pureed.

• Refrigerate after opening, to prevent mold growth.

– Also available dried, ground, or candied (marrons glacés).

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Coconuts– Grows in tropics; very high in saturated fat.– Sold in many forms, cut to various sizes.

• Finely-cut flakes are referred to as macaroon coconut.

– Desiccated/dried coconut.• Concentrated source of coconut flavor.• Water reduced from 50% to 5%; longer shelf life.

– Sweetened coconut.• Cooked with sugar before drying.• Often contains additives to keep it soft and white.

– Coconut water: clear liquid from center of coconut.– Coconut milk.

• Grated coconut mixed in hot water and squeezed through a filter, such as cheesecloth.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Hazelnuts– Also called filberts.– Grown in Mediterranean region and in Oregon.– Popular in Europe.– Often paired with chocolate.

• Gianduja: hazelnuts and chocolate ground to a smooth paste.

– As with almonds, • Come whole, diced, or sliced.• With or without skins.• Toasting develops flavor.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Macadamia nuts– Native to Australia; widely grown in Hawaii.– Highest in oil of all common nuts.– One of the most expensive nuts:

• Because shell is hard to crack.• Use sparingly in baked goods, and only those with upscale

image and higher price.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Peanuts– As a legume, higher in protein than tree nuts.– Grown and used more in North and South America

than Europe.– One of the most inexpensive nuts.– Toast before use, to develop flavor and remove raw

beany flavor.– Often paired with chocolate.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Pecans– Native to North America.– Fancy pecan halves are more expensive than pieces.– Traditional uses: pecan pie, Southern pralines, butter

pecan ice cream.

Pine Nuts– Small mild-tasting cream-colored seeds.– Also called pignoli or piñon nuts.– From the pine cone of a low-growing pine tree.– Traditionally used in Mexico, in Italy, and in other

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Pistachios– Small green-colored nut.– Native to the Middle East, but widely grown in

California.– Traditionally a snack nut in North America.– Leave untoasted or only lightly toast, to preserve

delicate green color and distinctive flavor.– Common uses: ice cream, biscotti, baklava, garnish

on cannoli.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Sesame Seeds– First cultivated in India thousands of years ago.– Ancient flavor in Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean.– Tiny tear-shaped seeds that grow in pods.

• Mild creamy-colored white seeds are most common.• Black and other colors available.

– Seeds protected in thin, edible hulls.• Natural seeds: sold in hull.• Hulled (or dehulled) seeds: hull removed; more common.

– Used as garnish on breads, bagels, crackers, cookies.• Seeds toast during baking; develop flavor and crunch.• Benne wafers: thin crisp sesame seed cookies in Southern

U.S.– Can be an allergen in a small number of individuals.

Common Nuts, Kernels, Seeds

Walnuts (English or Persian)– Originated in Iran; California is largest producer.– Fancy walnut halves are more expensive than pieces.– Strong flavor; not always toasted before use.– Darker nuts have stronger, more astringent flavor. – Highest of nuts in healthful ALA omega-3 fatty acids.– Commonly used in brownies, quick breads, cookies,

coffee cakes.

Black walnuts are native to North America.– Strong-flavored and expensive (hard to remove from

shell).– Used in black walnut ice cream.

Toasting Nuts

Nuts are toasted to:– Develop flavor from Maillard browning and

other chemical reactions.– Improve flavor of slightly stale nuts.– Darken color.– Crisp texture.

To toast nuts:– Spread in single layer on sheet pan.– Toast in oven at 325–350ºF (160–175ºC) for

5-10 minutes or longer.

Storage and Handling

Shelf life of most nuts:– Limited by oxidative rancidity of oils.

• Nuts take on unpleasant rancid or stale aroma; become less sweet, more bitter.

• Exception: fresh chestnuts and fresh coconuts are high in moisture; get microbial growth.

– Can be predicted by looking at the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in each nut.• The more polyunsaturated fatty acids, the more

easily the nut’s oils will oxidize and the shorter its shelf life.

Storage and Handling

Which nut would you predict will turn rancid fastest and have the shortest

shelf life?

Storage and Handling

To minimize oxidative rancidity in nuts:– Limit purchase to 2–3 months’ supply.– Practice FIFO: first in, first out.– Keep nuts whole until ready to use.– Toast nuts just before use.– Store nuts at low temperatures.– Cover, to keep out light and moisture.

• Also keeps out insects, rodents, and strong odors.

– Can purchase nuts in vacuum packaging or with added antioxidants.

Words, Phrases, and Concepts

• Cacao• Cocoa beans• Nibs• Forastero, criollo, trinitario• Cocoa solids nonfat• Cocoa product• Chocolate product• Chocolate liquor• Cocoa mass

(cacaomasse)• Natural cocoa

• Dutched (alkalized) cocoa Cocoa butter

• Conching• Couverture• Cocoa solids • confectionery coating • Fat bloom• Tempering• Beta (Form V) crystals• Polymorphic• Sugar bloom

Introduction

Cocoa beans– Also called cacao beans.– Are the beans, or seeds, of cacao tree.– Grow in hard pods.– Edible part of bean is called the nib.

• Source of chocolate and cocoa.

Cocoa Beans

Three main types, often blended together:– Forastero; over 90 percent of cocoa beans.

• Considered “basic” or “bulk” beans.• Dark in color; strong bitter taste.• Hardy; easiest to grow.

– Criollo; less than 2 percent of crop; expensive.

• Considered “fine,” “flavor,” or “noble” beans.• Light in color; complex fruity aroma.• Not very hardy; difficult to grow.

– Trinitario; less than 5 percent of crop.

• Cross between forastero and criollo.

Cocoa Beans

Makeup: consists of– Cocoa butter (50-55%).– Cocoa solids nonfat: everything else that is solid.

• Proteins• Carbohydrates: starches, dietary fiber – cellulose

and gums, etc.• Small amounts of:

– Acid; can react with baking soda for leavening.– Color and flavor.– Vitamins and minerals (ash).– Caffeine and theobromine; stimulants.– Polyphenolic compounds; good for health.

Cocoa and Chocolate Products

Cocoa products are unsweetened.– Cocoa nibs.– Chocolate liquor.– Cocoa powder.– Cocoa butter.

Chocolate products are sweetened.– Bittersweet dark chocolate and couvertures.– Milk chocolate and couvertures.– White chocolate and couvertures.

Confectionary coatings.– Low-cost; contain cocoa, vegetable fats, sugar.

Cocoa and Chocolate Products

• Cocoa and chocolate products are defined by law.– Definitions vary from one country to the next.– Minimizes, but does not eliminate, variation

between brands.

• Chocolate industry consists of:– Small operations run by skilled craftsmen, and – Large operations able to consistently

manufacture moderately-priced products.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa nibs– Edible part of the bean;

can be purchased as small roasted pieces.

– Like chopped nuts.– Makeup: same as the

cocoa bean.– Unsweetened; strong

bitter chocolate taste.– Use: crunchy garnish on

baked goods and confections.

Cocoa Products

Chocolate liquor and unsweetened chocolate– Made by finely grinding roasted nibs.– Similar to nut butters, e.g., peanut butter.

• Unlike nut butters, it is solid, not spreadable.– Cocoa butter is a highly saturated solid fat.

– Same makeup as cocoa beans:• 50-55% cocoa butter.• 45-50% cocoa solids nonfat.• NO sugar added.

– Also called: cocoa mass, cacaomasse, bitter chocolate, baking chocolate.

Cocoa Products

Chocolate liquor and unsweetened chocolate (cont.)– Sold as:

• Solid blocks of about 10 pounds (5 kilograms).

• Individual drops, also called coins or chips.– Use in batters and doughs of chocolate baked goods.– Can be difficult to use: melt carefully and temper into

other ingredients. – Expensive compared to cocoa powder: higher in cocoa

butter.– Reason to use: Has full, rich lingering chocolate flavor.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa powder– Also called “cocoa.”– No sugar added.– Made by squeezing chocolate liquor in a large press.

• Cocoa butter melts, some squeezes out.• “Presscake” is finely ground into cocoa powder.

– Some flavor qualities lost with loss of cocoa butter.• Generally, less rich flavor than unsweetened chocolate.

– Use in batters and doughs of baked goods.– Easy to use:

• Sift with other dry ingredients;• Cream with shortening or other fat; or• Dissolve in hot liquid.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa powder (cont.)– Categorized by:

• Process: Natural or dutched.– North American consumers typically use natural cocoa.– Pastry chefs and European consumers typically use dutched.

• Cocoa butter content.– Most common:

» 10/12 cocoa; 10–12 percent cocoa butter, with the remaining 88–90 percent cocoa solids nonfat.

» 22/24 cocoa; 22–24 percent cocoa butter; with the remaining 76–78 percent cocoa solids nonfat.

– By law, American cocoa must have at least 10 percent cocoa butter; By law, European cocoa must have at least 22 percent.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa powder is nutrient-rich

Cocoa Products

Natural cocoa powder.– Cocoa beans not treated with alkali.– Like unsweetened chocolate, is acidic; pH between 5–6.– Sharper flavor, lighter more beige color than dutched cocoa.

Dutched cocoa powder: more common in bakeshops.– Also called “cocoa processed with alkali.”– Treated with potassium carbonate or other alkali.

• Treatment neutralizes natural acidity of chocolate.

– Can be lightly or heavily dutched.– Has alkaline pH: typically 7–9.– Dutching alters:

• Color; becomes darker and/or redder.• Flavor; is smoother, more mellow.• Solubility; disperses more easily in liquids.

Cocoa Products

Switching between chocolate and cocoa:

–1 pound unsweetened chocolate:

• Equals 10 ounces 22/24 cocoa powder + 6 ounces shortening.

–1 kilogram unsweetened chocolate:

• Equals 630 grams 22/24 cocoa powder + 370 grams shortening.

Shortening often reduced by one-half.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa butter– Sold as pale yellow bars or flakes.

• Filtered and deodorized, to remove cocoa particles and chocolate flavor.

– Expensive.• Sold to cosmetics and confectionery industries.

– Uses in bakeshop:• Thins out melted chocolate, for even coating and dipping.• Brushed onto pastry shells, to keep moist fillings from crisp

crusts.

– Highly saturated; resists oxidative rancidity.– Unique melting characteristics: very hard and brittle at room

temperature; melts quickly at body temperature.

Cocoa Products

Cocoa butter has a unique and pleasant mouthfeel because it melts quickly at body temperature.

Chocolate Products

Chocolate products contain:– Chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate)

• Or its equivalent (cocoa powder and cocoa butter).• White chocolate is the exception: has cocoa butter,

no cocoa solids nonfat.

– Sugar– Optional ingredients:

• Dairy ingredients (milk, butter).• Vanillin, or other flavorings (natural or artificial).• Lecithin, or other emulsifiers.• Nuts.• Additional cocoa butter.

Chocolate Products

Chocolate Products

– Are refined, by grinding finely and by conching.• Conching involves gentle heating, mixing, kneading.• For smooth flavor and mouthfeel, flowing

consistency, shiny appearance.

– Are tempered, or carefully melted and cooled.• To properly crystallize cocoa butter.• For best appearance, mouthfeel, and flavor.

– Uses: creams, mousses, ganache fillings, etc.– Not commonly used in batters and doughs.

• Refining is of no benefit to baked goods; adds cost.• Not directly interchangeable, pound for pound, with

unsweetened chocolate.

Chocolate Products

– Often labeled with the percent cacao solids, or cocoa solids. • Also called percent cacao, or percent cocoa.• Required by law in European Union.• Represents the combined total of all ingredients

from the cocoa bean, including: – chocolate liquor.– ground cocoa nib.– cocoa powder.– cocoa butter.

Chocolate Products

This chocolate product consists of 38% ingredients from the cocoa bean.

The remaining 62% consists of sugar and dairy ingredients, primarily.

Photo by Ron Manville

Chocolate Products

Bittersweet dark chocolate– Called bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in North

America.– Called dark chocolate in Europe.– If used in place of unsweetened chocolate, make

adjustments for sugar.

Example: For dark chocolate with 50% cocoa solids, use 2 lbs (kg) for every pound (kg) of unsweetened chocolate; reduce sugar by 1 lb (kg).

Note: this is an expensive substitution.

Chocolate Products

When used as a pound-for-pound direct replacement for unsweetened chocolate, dark chocolate, with its high sugar content, produces different results.

Chocolate Products

Milk chocolate– Contains dairy solids in addition to cocoa solids.

• Dairy ingredients are often cooked, caramelized, or ripened, for added flavor.

• Dairy solids soften the “snap” of milk chocolates.

– Is high in sugar; sweeter than dark chocolate.– Overall, compared with dark chocolate:

• Lower in cocoa solids and higher in sugar.• Mousses, creams, and ganache will have a tender, softer set.• Often requires use of formulas separate from those for dark

chocolate.

Chocolate Products

White chocolate– No cocoa solids except for cocoa butter.– Essentially, milk chocolate without the cocoa solids

nonfat.– No chocolate flavor; flavor is predominantly vanilla.– Overall, compared with dark and milk chocolates:

• Lowest in cocoa solids and highest in sugar.• Mousses, creams, and ganache will have a tender, softer set.• Often requires use of formulas separate from those for

bittersweet dark chocolate.

Chocolate ProductsCouverture chocolate

– Couverture is French for “coating.”– Has high cocoa butter content: minimum 31 percent.– Chocolate, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate

couvertures available.– Main uses: for dipping and coating; in molded

chocolates.

Chocolate Products

Confectionery coating– Also called glaze or pâte à glacer, nontempering

coating, summer coating, compound coating.• Using the name “chocolate coating” is not legally correct;

confectionery coating does not contain chocolate.– Contains no cocoa butter.

• Instead, contains specially processed vegetable fats, such as partially hydrogenated soybean oil, or fractionated palm kernel or coconut oil.

– Is to chocolate couverture what margarine is to butter.– Benefits over chocolate couverture.

• Less expensive.• Easier to use: requires no tempering.• Can have a higher melting point, to resist melting in the heat.

– Available as dark, milk, white coatings, and in colors.

Handling Chocolate Products

To melt chocolates before use:– Use microwave oven or double boiler.– Melt carefully and do not overheat.

• Can become thick, lumpy, and dull.• Easiest to overheat milk and white chocolates.

– Keep water and steam away from melted chocolate.• Chocolate “seizes” in the presence of moisture

– Sugars absorb water and stick, greatly increasing viscosity.

• Use seized chocolate for piping, not for dipping and coating.

Handling Chocolate Products

Tempering:– A process where the melting and cooling of chocolate

is carefully controlled for:• Time.• Temperature.• Agitation.

– Objective is to eliminate or minimize:• The dull appearance, unappealing texture, and poor flavor

when chocolate is allowed to cool on its own.• Fat bloom: the formation of gray-white streaks that develop

over time on the surface of chocolates.– Several methods are available for tempering

chocolate. • Each allows cocoa butter to set into the proper crystalline fat

structure: stable beta crystals, also called form V crystals.

Handling Chocolate Products

More on tempering:– Cocoa butter is polymorphic; can solidify into crystals of different

shapes and properties.– Three main crystal types and their names are listed in the table

below, in order of increasing melting point, density, and stability.– Most desirable crystals are Beta, form V: has snap, gloss, smooth

mouthfeel, and is less apt to melt and bloom during storage.

Crystal type Form name

Alpha (α) Form II

Beta prime (β‘) Form IV

Beta (β) Form V

Handling Chocolate ProductsMore on tempering:

– When chocolate cools on its own, unstable alpha and beta prime crystals form.• Crystals do not pack as hard and dense, or tightly, as beta crystals.• Chocolate is soft, dull, does not snap when broken, and does not shrink (hard to remove from molds).• Crystals are unstable during storage: they melt, then form large coarse undesirable beta crystals (form VI) on

surface of chocolate.– Appears as unattractive fat bloom.– Chocolate becomes gritty, crumbly in texture, and has unappealing flavor.

– When properly tempered, unstable low-melting crystals melt, and a large number of small, stable beta “seed” crystals form.

– As chocolate cools and sets over time, the beta seed crystals slowly grow.

Handling Chocolate Products

Tempering involves:– Gently heating chocolate to dissolve all crystals (T-1).– Agitating while cooling to a temperature that encourages formation of

stable beta crystals (T-1 to T-2).– Warming it slightly, to melt undesirable low-melting crystals (T-2 to T-3). – Cooling gently, to set (T-3 to T-4).

Functions of Cocoa and Chocolate Products

1.Providing color.– Ranges from light tan to black.

2.Providing Flavor: primary reason for using cocoa and chocolate products.– There are regional preferences for chocolate flavor.– Products with higher cocoa butter content often have

fuller, richer chocolate flavor.– Add vanilla to chocolate, to increase overall perception

of “chocolate” flavor.– Natural cocoas have a sharper, acidic flavor; dutched

cocoas are smoother, mellow.– Adding baking soda to baked goods is almost like

dutching cocoa or chocolate right in the baked good.

Functions of Cocoa and Chocolate Products

3. Absorbing liquids.– Cocoa solids nonfat is an extremely effective drier.

• Because of proteins and carbohydrates (starches and gums).• Cocoa powder absorbs more liquid than most flours.

4. Providing structure.– Cocoa solids nonfat provides structure.– Cocoa butter has about half the tenderizing power as

shortening.• And provides firmness/structure as it forms solid fat crystals.

5. Providing a pleasing mouthfeel.– From unique melting characteristics of cocoa butter.

6. Adding nutritional value: cocoa beans are real food.

Storage

Keep all chocolate and cocoa products:– Well-wrapped and stored in covered containers.

• Keeps out rodents.• Prevents moisture pick-up, which can lead to sugar bloom.• Keeps away strong odors.

– At a cool, consistent 55º–65ºF (13º–18ºC).• To prevent formation of fat bloom. Note: unless excessive, do

not discard chocolate with fat bloom; baking qualities are unaffected.

Milk and white chocolates have shortest shelf life.• Milk solids undergo Maillard browning at room temperature.• Milk fats undergo oxidative rancidity.• Have shelf life of 6 months to 1 year.

Storage

Sugar bloom– Occurs when chocolate picks up moisture.

• Sugar crystals melt, then recrystallize on the chocolate’s surface.

• Remains even after chocolate is tempered.

– To prevent: • Store chocolate where humidity is < 50 percent.• Use gloves when handling chocolate.• Do not warm up cold chocolate unless it is very tightly

wrapped.

Storage

Cocoa powder– Is hygroscopic. During storage, can

• Clump. • Develop off-flavors. • Eventually mold.

– Store in tightly covered container in dry area.• When properly stored, lasts for years.

Lab

• Sous- Toast ½ of all nuts

• Evaluate panna cotta- texture and flavor

• Compare Nuts/Seeds-

• Toasted vs. Untoasted

• Compare Chocolate

• Ganache

• Work on formula

Lab

• Ganache- pg. 421- answer questions

• Gr 1: Semi-sweet couverture-55

• Gr 2: Semi-sweet coating-70

• Gr 3: Unsweetened

• Gr 4: White