There are very few people who have not heard of Belgian chocolates. The most famous chocolates in the world are Swiss and Belgian. However, Belgian is the most famous craft chocolate. This is the chocolate that is considered the most sought after as a gift. Belga is synonymous with the highest quality. These exquisite chocolates are exported to the four corners of the world, where eager customers eagerly await to consume them as a special gift.
In times past, only the wealthy could afford to consume chocolate. It was then mainly taken as a drink. The coconut seeds would be roasted and ground like coffee. It was then mixed with spices and made into a drink. Both chocolate seeds and spices were extremely expensive and completely out of reach for ordinary people. In fact, coconut seeds were so valuable that they were used to buy precious gold.
It is not known exactly who came up with the idea of sweetening the original bitter yet spicy coconut drink. The practice of sweetening coconut is known to have started among the European nobility. This eventually trickled down to the ordinary masses and the taste for sweet chocolate has never changed. It was long after this that Belgium was introduced to chocolate. In fact, it was as late as 1900. This seems hard to believe because Belgian chocolate is so excellent that it seems like they have been making it for hundreds of years. It’s hard to imagine Belgium without chocolate at some point.
Anyone who loves Belgian chocolate knows that what makes this chocolate different is the praline. The traditional form of Belgian chocolate is the shell. Belgian chocolate has such a fine texture that it melts in your mouth. All shells are perfectly shaped and handmade. The praline is what keeps the chocolate so light and smooth. Therefore, it is placed in a specially designed packaging which is known as a ‘ballotin’. It is the ‘ballotin’ and the ‘praline’ that are responsible for the world famous name of Belgian chocolates. They are called ‘praline ballotin’. More modern chocolatiers also use liquor and nuts for fillings.
This country is famous for its chocolate confectionery that people come from all over the world to attend chocolate making courses. This is very similar to people attending cooking courses in France or cheese making courses in Switzerland. There is great interest in high-quality artisan chocolates. Many people have started their own businesses making Belgian-style chocolates.
Not only can you attend a chocolate making course in Belgium, but you can also attend entire festivals dedicated to chocolate. These take place throughout the year and are a wonderful opportunity to sample chocolates. You will be explained how to appreciate and understand good chocolate. You will see how the quality of Belgian chocolates begins with the highest quality coconut kernels the world can produce.
