couverture (koo-ver-tchure) noun

The French translation of “coating” or “covering.” Couverture chocolate, which can be white, milk, semisweet or bittersweet, has high cocoa-butter content. The European Union regulates and controls the definition of couverture, but there are no such regulations within American manufacturing. The EU designates couverture as containing more than 31% cocoa butter,^1,2 which is more than the typical candy bar. Most sources will state that couverture has a minimum of 32% cocoa butter.³

The high amount of cocoa butter means the couverture will be more fluid when melted. When dipping candies and truffles, this allows for a very thin coating, which is preferred by professionals, and when tempered, a couverture will also provide a high shine and a crisp texture – all hallmarks of fine chocolate work. Tempered couverture also shrinks slightly upon cooling, which means any molded chocolates will release easily from their molds.

Image: Peter Muka

Bakepedia Tips

• A chocolate might be labeled as “couverture” and/or it might have the percentage of cocoa butter listed on the label. Do not confuse this with the cacao mass percentage, which is the percentage you usually see on labels. It must say “X% cocoa butter.” If it just says “semisweet chocolate 55%” or something like that, it is referring to the cacao mass. Consult brands’ websites for detailed information.
• Use a couverture chocolate when making curls or shapes; dipping candies or truffles; or for molding candy bars.
• Couverture chocolates do tend to be more expensive and are best bought in bulk. Check chocosphere.com for a variety of choices.

References

1. Greweling, Peter, Chocolates & Confections (John Wiley & Sons, 2007)
2. FSA Guidance on the Cocoa and Chocolate Products Regulations, Revised     June 2009
3. Rinsky, Glenn and Laura, The Pastry Chef’s Companion (John Wiley & Sons, 2009)

cacao nibs (kuh-kah-oh, –key-oh nibz) noun

The edible part of the cocoa bean. Cacao nibs (above, left) are the very essence of chocolate flavor and what every chocolate product begins with as a base. Cocoa beans (above, right) are extracted from the cacao pod where they are surrounded by pulp. After being separated from the pulp, fermented (usually) and dried, the resulting beans are roasted and cracked. The husks are then separated from the nibs to be used in chocolate production.

To make chocolate, nibs are ground into a thick paste referred to as chocolate “liquor” (even though it is not alcoholic).  As the nibs naturally contain cocoa butter, so does the liquor. When this liquor is formed into bars, it is what the home baker refers to as unsweetened chocolate.

Nibs are small, about half the size of a sunflower seed but can range depending on the source.

Bakepedia Tips

• Cacao nibs used to be relegated to chocolate manufacturing, but they can now be purchased for home baking. They are sometimes described as “nut-like,” but we think this has more to do with their crunchy texture, not so much their taste. Their flavor is bitter and intense and can be an acquired taste. If you are an aficionado of very dark chocolates, 70% cacao and above, then their flavor will most likely delight you. Try substituting them for nuts in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe or try our Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Cacao Nibs.

• Cacao nibs contain a high level of antioxidants, so if you are looking for the healthy attributes of chocolate, cacao nibs are the way to go. Once processed into chocolate bars, they are combined with sugar and sometimes milk solids and flavorings and none of those components contain the touted health benefits. Try sprinkling cacao nibs into your morning oatmeal.

• You can also find chocolate covered cacao nibs to eat as a snack or to incorporate into your recipes.

Additional Information:

1. Sorting Out Chocolate, Fine Cooking, Issue #42, by Molly Stevens

2. Teubner Christian, The Chocolate Bible, Studio Publishers, 1997.

3. Presilla, Maricel, The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural & Natural History of Cacao with Recipes, Ten Speed Press, 2009.

Concord grapes (kong-kerd greyps) noun

Image: Peter Muka

A cultivar of Vitis labrusca. Concord grapes originated in Concord, MA where Ephraim Wales Bull planted 22,000 seedlings, assessing each to choose the perfect grape for his locale – one with a rich, full flavor and that ripened quickly, therefore avoiding the early New England frosts (he cultivated more than just the Concord; he developed a white grape named Esther after his mother, among others)._1,2  In fact, the Concord originated from a wild Vitis labrusca vine on his property and he nursed the seedlings for six years before cultivating anything he felt was worthwhile.₁

The Concord grape is very dark blue-ish purple, with a strong musky, even wine-like flavor and often sports a lighter-colored bloom on the skin. The seeds are pronounced, as is the aroma. By 1853, Bull had what he felt was a grape good enough to bring to the public (although he had indeed cultivated fruit three years prior) and he debuted his fruit at the 25th Annual Massachusetts Horticultural Society that year to great acclaim._{1, 3, 4}

                                                                                                                  _{Image: Wikimedia Commons}

They were offered at market a year later. While Bull did accumulate fame, fortune eluded him. His death was reported in the New York Times and, ironically, the journalist said, “his grave will no doubt be marked by a suitable monument, erected by horticulturists of America”.₄ The monument ended up being a plaque on a boulder, and his epitaph, which can be seen in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, reads, “Ephriam [sic] Wales Bull, the Originator of the Concord grape, He Sowed Others Reaped.”₂

                                                                                                                   _{Image: Wikimedia Commons}

Concord grapes are the familiar base for dark purple grape juice, grape jam and grape jelly, so often paired in the American classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They are also used in winemaking. Dr. Thomas Welch created the unfermented dark grape juice in 1869 with his wife and son from grapes gathered from their yard in Vineland, NJ. To quote the Concord Grape Association:

“To preserve the juice, Dr. Welch stoppered the bottles with cork and wax and boiled them in water hoping to kill any yeast in the juice to prevent fermentation. Dr. Welch’s process was a success, and his application of Louis Pasteur’s theory of pasteurization to preserve fresh grape juice pioneered the industry of canned and bottled fruit juices in America. This first juice was used on the Communion table in the local Methodist church for sacramental purposes, and most of the first orders for grape juice came from churches for Communion.”

He also created grape jam in 1918 for WWI rations when it was called Grapelade. His commercial grape jam was launched in 1923.₅

Of over 400,000 pounds produced in 2011, most were grown in the Finger Lakes region of New York state as well as the Great Lakes, and parts of Michigan and Washington state.₅ In the sweet kitchen, we most often use Concord grapes for pies, jams and jellies.

They are considered a “slip-skin” variety of grapes, which means the skins separate easily from the pulp. We suggest taking one in each hand, pressing near the bottom opposite the stem end and applying firm pressure; the entire grape pulp should pop out. Try our Concord Grape Pie the next time you find them at market. Look for them in supermarkets or farmer’s markets, and there may be some growing wild in some regions as well.

<sub>References:
1. “He Sowed Others Reaped: Ephraim Wales Bull and the Origins of the ‘Concord’ Grape article by Edmund Schofield, retrieved from Arnoldia, the quarterly magazine from the Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University
2. Ephraim W. Bull and the Origin of the Concord Grape, by Harry Beyer, The Concord Patch
3. Massachusetts Horticultural Society
4. New York Times archives, October 13, 1895
5. Concord Grape Association</sub>

chalaza [kuh-ley-zuh] noun

Plural is chalazae [kuh-ley-zee]

Thick, white strands of protein found in bird and reptile eggs. Chalazae are attached to the two ends of the egg yolk, anchoring it in the center of the white. The more pronounced the strands are, the fresher the egg.

Bakepedia Tips

Some bakers will ask for a refinement when separating eggs and suggest removing the chalazae. We hardly ever bother in the test kitchen, with the exception being when we are making custards. You could strain the custard after cooking, which would strain the hardened strands out, but we find it easier to remove them first while the eggs are still raw. Crack your eggs into a bowl one at a time and use a fork to fish out each chalaza.

caster sugar [kas-ter, kah-ster shoog-er] noun

Also called superfine sugar or bar sugar. Extra-fine white granulated sugar commonly used in baking (shown far left in image. Center is conventional granulated sugar; right is decorative sugar with larger crystals). The name references the fact that the sugar is fine enough to flow through a sugar “caster” or shaker. This sugar dissolves more quickly than regular sugar and is very useful when making cold beverages and cocktails, hence the alternative name, bar sugar. Caster sugar is also often recommended in recipes such as angel food cake and meringues where it is important for the sugar to dissolve and be evenly dispersed within whipped egg whites.

Bakepedia Tips

Caster sugar can be made at home by grinding regular granulated sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; however, if you need superfine sugar for its sparkly qualities, such as when making crystallized flowers or fruit, then this homemade version will not suffice. After being buzzed in the processor, it takes on a powdery quality and loses most of its sparkle.

candy thermometer [kan-dee ther-mom-i-ter] noun

A tool used to measure the temperature of boiling candy, syrups, oils and other items/mixtures that must be monitored for a specific temperature. These specialized thermometers record temperatures within the range of range 100° to 400° F (usually for candies, caramelized sugar and deep-fat frying). Generally, this gadget is attached to the side of the pot with a clip that can be adjusted to the pot’s height and the food you are cooking. You want the sensing end of the thermometer to be in the middle of what you are cooking and not touching the bottom of the pot, which could give a false high reading. Candy thermometers are available in digital and non-digital formats.

Bakepedia Tips

We use the Maverick CT-03 Digital Oil & Candy Thermometer(seen above) in the test kitchen. Set it for your desired temperature and a beep will tell you when the temperature has been reached. It easily attaches to most pots with its adjustable clip. When using any thermometer, it is a good idea to detach it from the side of the pot as it reaches temperature and draw it through the mixture, moving across all parts of the pot. Sometimes pots have hot spots and you want a true reading. What happens most often is the edges might read 248°F while the center and the bulk of your mixture is several degrees lower.

cake stencil [keyk sten-suhl] noun

A thin sheet of plastic, metal or stiff paper that has cutout patterns or letters. These templates are used to produce designs on a cake. The stencil is placed on the cake and colored icing, colored sugars, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar or other decorative items are applied on top on the stencil. The decoration fills in the cutout area; the stencil is then removed leaving a perfect pattern. Stencils can be made or purchased.

Bakepedia Tips

A simple paper doily can be used as a cake stencil. The key to great results is to make sure that the stencil is as flush with the surface as possible. If your cake frosting is soft, this can be an issue. This technique works best with a surface that won’t be marred by the weight of a stencil, such as the top of a plain un-iced cake or one coated with marzipan, fondant or chocolate plastic. Once the stencil is placed as firmly as possible, apply your decoration evenly and then remove the stencil very carefully, which usually means keeping it level so you don’t ruin your created design.

cajeta [kai-yetta] noun

A Mexican milk sweet similar to dulce de leche. Cajeta can have a syrupy consistency or be thick enough to spread. It is made by simmering goat’s milk and sugar until the mixture becomes thick and caramelized. Although goat’s milk is the traditional base, cow’s milk or mixtures of the two milks can be used, occasionally even juices. Cajeta is often used as a spread for breads and pastries or as a topping for ice cream.

cabinet pudding [kab-uh-nit pood-ing] noun

Also known as Chancellor’s pudding. A traditional English dessert that is molded and layered with ladyfingers or cake, dried fruits such as raisins, a sweet custard and sometimes liqueur. Cabinet pudding is steamed, cooled and unmolded, and often served with whipped cream or crème anglaise.

Abbreviation for degrees Celsius.

Bakepedia Tips

To convert °F to °C        deduct 32, then multiply by 5, then divide by 9

To convert °C to °F         multiply by 9, divide by 5, then add 32

or, use this Converter