This blog will tell you about all you wanted to know about Belgian chocolates. Now, you might think as to why we want to tell you specifically about these chocolates, when you are satisfied with your regular favorites – Cadburys or Hershey’s. The reason lies in their very point of existence.  Belgian chocolates are valued for their quality, exceptional perfection and their distinct personality. Belgian confections/chocolates are credited for setting de-facto gourmet standards which are followed by other confections. Let’s analyze some interesting facts about Belgian chocolates.

The Story......
Chocolates were introduced to Belgium by Spaniards in 17th century. The beginnings of Belgian chocolates aren’t sweet at all. It all began in 1885 when Leopold II of Belgium colonized Congo. The chocolate making began in Africa under the supervision of tyrannical ruler Leopold II. Leopold’s army plundered cocoa fields and forced Congolese to work for him. Those who refused to work for him were hacked to death. It was believed that about 10 million people were hacked to death during the reign of Leopold II. While analyzing historical facts about Belgian chocolates, we can see that the actual turning point came in 1912, when “Pralines” were introduced by Jean Neuhaus. The first set of  Belgian chocolates were purposed to serve as gifts and they were wrapped in special paper called Ballotin. The pralines should not be confused with popular American candy of the same name. The Belgian chocolates – Pralines are filled with flavored creams called nougats. At any time, the handmade pralines are preferred over commercial pralines. Some Belgian chocolate giants like Barry Callebaut,  Leonidas, Neuhaus, Nirvana and Godiva are known for their gourmet pralines.  

The Biology of Belgian Chocolates 
Here are some interesting biological facts about Belgian chocolates:

The Belgian chocolate is made from seeds of cocoa tree. The large helmet shaped seed pods derived from this tree is dried in sun and sent to chocolate manufacturers.

Next comes the manufacturing phase: The cocoa powder is prepared by roasting and crushing the cocoa beans. This cocoa powder is mixed with milk powder, cocoa butter, and sugar.  The form and personality of Belgian chocolates come from the ratios of combining ingredients. The dark chocolate have about 70% of the cocoa, milk chocolate contains more milk powder, and white chocolate is made up of milk, sugar, and cocoa butter.
 

Health facts about Belgian chocolates

• The dark Belgian chocolates are enriched with cocoa phenols which exhibit strong antioxidant properties. These phenols help to prevent cancer and other dangerous ailments. The phenols are known to snub destructive molecules and free radicals. Some findings suggest that the milk powder found in Belgian chocolates interfere in absorption of antioxidants. Health experts suggest that moderate consumption of dark Belgian chocolates may aid in curbing bad cholesterol and preventing arteriosclerosis at large. The flavonoid content of Belgian chocolates may vary from brand to brand and amount of the cocoa used.
   

Miscellaneous Facts About Belgian Chocolates

• Most of the Belgian chocolates are handmade. 

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