Chocolate Extravaganza

All things chocolate -- you could say The Early Show immersed itself in it Friday and became a chocolate lovers' delight!

The show took viewers on a magical history tour of chocolate from Colonial times to the present and even future, sprinkling in recipes along the way, and even talking about using the color chocolate to enrich your home's decor!

First, the look back.

Turns out, chocolate was consumed as a meal by the colonists, not just as a sweet snack. And all chocolate enjoyed back then was dark chocolate -- the kind we now know is good for you, when eaten in moderation.

New insights on chocolate will be shared at The Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Saturday. The museum is teaming with Mars, Inc. for a day of demonstrations and a symposium on chocolate's history.

On the show Friday, Rodney Snyder, who's with the company's Historic Division, and Jim Gay, a food historian at Colonial Williamsburg, traced chocolate's path to its popularity today.

(CBS)

For a look at chocolate's future, and its use in home decorating, go to Page 2.

CHOCOLATE TRENDS

Who better to address where chocolate is headed than modern chocolate master Jacques Torres. After all, his influence helps determine the confections's direction!

Torres is executive pastry chef at New York's Le Cirque restaurant and owner of Jacques Torres Chocolate.

Trend 1: Chocolate as Art -- The Centerpiece

Jacques is one of the first in his field to do chocolate sculpting. He's truly a pioneer in that area, and uses giant molding machines for statues and molds others by hand. He had a handmade centerpiece on the set -- a chocolate fish!

Trend 2: Diabetic/Sugar Free Chocolate

Jacques knows sugar-free chocolates are often terrible. But he insists that this time, it's done right. He uses real cocoa butter, which enables the chocolate to retain its consistency in appearance and when it's consumed. He uses a sugar substitute called maltitol, a sugar alcohol, which acts as the sweetener. It has 75-90 percent of the sweetness of sucrose (table sugar) and nearly identical properties, except for browning. It's used to replace table sugar because it has fewer calories, doesn't promote tooth decay, and has somewhat less of an effect on blood glucose.

Trend 3: Flavored Hot Chocolate/Chocolate Cocktails

With the sudden rise of mixology as art, the alcohol industry has finally caught up with the chocolate industry. Jacques brought some great hot chocolates and cocktails that are his favorites.

Jacques's Famous Orange Hot Chocolate Mix

Serves 4

"This is the key to my kingdom," he says. "Sipping a cup of this steaming hot chocolate has turned many of my customers into loyal fans. It makes a great homemade treat to keep on-hand all year long, for easy entertaining or house gifts. For the latter, place enough to make four servings in an attractive tin and label with instructions (see below). You can easily double, triple, or quadruple this recipe. Three tips to keep in
mind: Grate the chocolate on the smallest holes of a box grater, don't boil the water or milk before adding the chocolate mix, and whisk as you go to create a nice frothy top.

1-1/2 cups (about 8-1/4 ounces) finely-grated bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup dry whole-milk powder
Freshly grated zest of 1 orange
Pinch of freshly ground cinnamon

In a bowl, combine the chocolate, milk powder, orange zest, and cinnamon and whisk to distribute the ingredients evenly. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

To make 1 serving of hot chocolate: Combine 1/2 cup hotchocolate mix with 1 cup very hot water (or milk) in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and pour into a cup. Garnish with marshmallows (store-bought or homemade), if desired, and serve piping hot.

To make 1 serving of spicy hot chocolate: Proceed as directed for the hot chocolate, but add ground cayenne pepper to taste to the hot chocolate mix. I don't recommend adding more than 1/2 teaspoon cayenne per 1/2 cup of the mix, unless you like to eat fire. When serving, I like to put a cinnamon stick in the cup, as it adds a deeper flavor to the chocolate-chile combo.

Lots of Hot Chocolate Drinks

Makes 1 cup

Is there anything more delicious on a cold winter day than a cup of steaming hot chocolate? Rather than just a plain cup, here are a few variations to warm your heart and soul:

You can vary the intensity of the chocolate by adding more or less chopped chocolate to the hot milk. As a variation on the traditional marshmallow garnish, I love topping hot chocolate with a big scoop of whipped cream and shavings of bittersweet chocolate.

1 cup whole milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Suggested Flavorings
1 vanilla bean, cut in half horizontally and then split lengthwise, or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

OR

1 peppermint candy cane

OR

1 teaspoon freeze-dried coffee granules, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

OR

5 raspberries

OR

Pinch each of ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ancho chile powder, and chipotle chile powder

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. When it is slightly warm, gradually add the chocolate while whisking constantly. Cook, whisking constantly, until the milk begins to form bubbles around the edge of the pan. Do not allow the milk to boil.

For vanilla: Using the edge of a small, sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk, then add the bean to the pan. Whisk in the chocolate. Remove the vanilla bean before serving. Or, if using the extract, simply add it to the hot chocolate.

For peppermint: Stir the milk with the candy cane, allowing it to melt partially into the mixture as it heats.

For coffee: Add the diluted coffee with the chocolate.

For raspberry: Using a wooden spoon, crush the raspberries into the milk after the chocolate has melted.

For spices: Add the allspice, cinnamon, and chiles to the hot milk before you add the chocolate. Add the chiles to taste, keeping in mind that freshly ground chile can be very hot.

Variation:
Hot White Chocolate: Use 1/2 cup each whole milk and heavy cream in place of the milk; 3-1/2 ounces white chocolate, chopped, in place of the bittersweet chocolate, and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract for the flavoring. Prepare as directed.

Chocolate Pina Colada

1 can light coconut milk
1 can coconut water
1 cup Jacques Torres Classic hot chocolate powder
Rum to taste
Ice as needed
Fresh pineapple, peeled, cored

Heat the coconut milk and water and whisk in the hot chocolate mix. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 seconds, whisking constantly, until all of the chocolate has melted and the mix is fully combined.
Remove from the heat and cool in the refrigerator until cold.

Place the cold hot chocolate, rum, pineapple to taste and ice in a blender and blend until slushy.
Pour into glass and serve.

For more recipes from Jacque, and a discussion of the color chocolate in home decor, continue on to Page 3.

Trend 4: Savory Meals With Chocolate

If sweets aren't your thing, you don't have to lose the chocolate flavor. A new trend in chocolate has a ton of savory dishes prepared with unsweetened cocoa and cocoa nibs. Try one at your table and see how you can get the rich flavor, without all of the sweetness.

Savory Chocolate Napoleon

Makes 40

These chocolate napoleons are served as an hors d'oeuvre, rather than as dessert. A hint of Mexico can be tasted in the slightly spicy cream cheese filling. They're also perfect with a chocolate martini. I strongly urge you to use a bittersweet chocolate that has a cacao content of at least 72 percent. That will ensure that the napoleons aren't too sweet and
that they'll have a good, strong chocolate flavor.

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, at least 72 percent, tempered
1 pound cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Place a sheet of acetate on a clean, flat work surface. Pour the chocolate onto the acetate and, using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate evenly about 1/8 inch thick. Let stand for a few minutes, or just until the chocolate begins to set but is not yet hard.

Using a small, sharp knife or a rolling cutter (such as a pizzacutter), cut the chocolate into 1-inch squares. You should have about 120 squares. Let the chocolate stand for about 30 minutes, or until completely hardened. Peel the acetate off the chocolate, and carefully break the chocolate into squares. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combineb the cream cheese, chives, paprika, chile powder, salt, and pepper and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or just until combined.

Spoon the cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a 3/4-inch dollop of cream cheese on a chocolate square. Top with a second chocolate square, and pipe a dollop of cheese onto it. Top with a final chocolate square. Repeat with the remaining squares and cream cheese mixture. As the napoleons are made, arrange them on a large, flat platter.
Serve immediately, or lightly cover the platter with plastic film and refrigerate until ready to serve, or for no more than 4 hours.

Trend 5: Real Ingredients Make Great Chocolate

It used to be that chocolate makers all over the world used "essences" to make their flavoring. Not champagne but champagne essence for truffles, for instance. Jacques says that the new trend is to use real ingredients-homemade peanut butter, real champagne, actual fruit for fillings, which give the chocolates a much cleaner taste.

To learn about decorating with the color choclate, go to Page 4.

DECORATING WITH THE COLOR CHOCOLATE

Chocolate can also be a décor choice.

Many people love the rich colors of chocolate but fear that, by using it, they'll lose all their natural light. Since it's a color that can easily be used incorrectly, The Early Show invited Stephen Saint-Onge, a contributing editor of Better Homes and Gardens, to discuss all the things you can do with these colors in your home.

From choosing it as a wall color to using it as an accent on your favorite chair, chocolate is a color that can set a mood, from dramatic to cozy, and Stephen showed how.

provided many of the items he used.

The descriptions below are meant to go with the video at the top of this story, which is repeated here:

Trend 1: Accesssorize

With our white chair decorated with chocolate accents, we can see that this is a color that can easily be brought into most homes. It brings a dramatic touch to the plain, bland colors of a lot of furniture. From white to pink to blue, even orange, you can bring chocolate accents to just about anywhere. With a few sparse touches, as we have done by just adding a throw pillow or two, a planter, an ottomon and throw, we have transformed the chair into a more contrasting light.

Sitting area/Living Room

Around a simple white chair we've added:

Leather ottoman: Leather is a perfect choice for a chocolate color scheme. Available in a huge variety of hues, leather looks rich and deep.

Pillows and throws: in chocolate and complementary colors; Dark browns can look terrific with a wide variety of other colors. Consider high-contrast combinations, such as brown with whites and creams. It creates a graphic quality and allows furniture to really strike a silhouette.

Bamboo planter: Bamboo and sisal fit nicely into a chocolate room. Look for grasscloth wallpapers, bamboo blinds and palnters, and sisal area rugs or carpeting. These can add a lighter straw color or a deeper brown tone to the room.

Also: Using lots of plants and greenery in brown schemes will lighten up the feeling and bring life to your rooms.

Trend 2: Wall Color

A lot of people believe that, if they paint their walls a dark chocolate, all the natural light of the room will be sucked out. Not true, says Stephen. If you use the right light color trim, you'll be amazed at how dramatic and rich your walls will seem.

Often, people think dark colors will just suck away all the light. It actually works beautifully if you balance with lighter colors, trim, etc.

Brown and blue make up a classic pairing, but try new pairings, such as browns with whites and creams.

When choosing brown paint, the easiest way to make sure it's not too dark is to paint a big swatch on the wall. Look at it in daylight and at night before painting the entire room.

Brown on all four walls can make a room look cavernous. Unless the room gets a ton of natural light or has high ceilings, consider using the brown only as an accent wall. Wood tones can also bring out chocolate.

Trend 3: Using Chocolate Accents All Over Your Home

You can use chocolate just about everywhere. You can use it as accents in your living room, as bedding, as place settings in your kitchen, accessories on your tabletop, or as contrasting colors on your desk top. It brings a sense of cozy, yet contrasting drama into almost any room.

Dark wood furniture will underscore you dark brown theme, but add some pieces that are painted or lighter woods both for interest and to avoid a completely heavy look. Natural rattan, wicker, and bamboo pieces will also fit in well.

Tableware that's a rich and dark mahogany looks great on a lighter color table, as we have set up. It makes for a dramatic contrast that will work well for both casual and formal dining.

Desk/Table Accessories: magazine rack, trays, storage cube that are a nice chocolate color will bring sophistication to your work area. It gives it a classic and serious look to work areas and desk tops.