Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 1, Episode 13 - The Art of Darkness - full transcript
♪
WHEN THE NETWORK FIRST ASKED
ME TO DO A CHOCOLATE SHOW,
I SAID, "PIECE OF CAKE."
AFTER ALL, I'D BEEN AROUND THE
SEMISWEET BLOCK A TIME OR TWO.
FIGURED I'D TALK TO SOME
EXPERTS, MAYBE READ A NEW BOOK,
COME UP WITH A
FEW NEW DISHES.
BUT WHAT WAS A
CASUAL INVESTIGATION
SLOWLY BECAME AN OBSESSION.
FINALLY, THOUGH, AFTER
NIGHTS OF HANGING OUT
IN SEEDY ON-LINE
CHOCOLATE CHAT ROOMS,
I FINALLY GOT A SOLID LEAD
IN THE FORM OF A CRYPTIC E-MAIL
FROM SOMEONE NAMED W.J.W.
WHOEVER THEY ARE, THEY
MEANT FOR ME TO COME ALONE.
♪
SEEMS THAT, LIKE A
LOT OF OLD STORIES,
THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE
STARTS WITH A TREE.
SO... THEOBROMA CACAO.
(Stranger)
FOOD OF THE GODS.
(Alton)
WHEN THE STRANGER FINALLY SHOWED UP,
HE WAS, WELL, PRETTY STRANGE.
YEAH, SUPPOSEDLY
A GIFT TO DAMIA
FROM THE GOD QUETZALCOATL.
WHO THEN DISAPPEARED INTO THE OCEAN.
YEAH, BUT NOT BEFORE
PROMISING TO RETURN.
WHICH IS WHY THE AZTECS
MISTOOK CORTEZ FOR A GOD
AND GAVE HIM ALL
THEIR CHOCOLATE.
YEAH, JUST BEFORE HE WIPED
OUT THEIR CIVILIZATION.
SAY, WHO ARE
YOU, ANYWAY?
THE CACAOS ARE
CONCHIFEROUS, YOU KNOW.
THE FRUIT GROWS STRAIGHT
FROM THE TRUNK
AND STAYS IN FRUIT FROM
THE TIME THEY'RE FIVE
WELL INTO THEIR
THIRTIES.
IF OF COURSE, THE MIDGE
POPULATION STAYS HEALTHY.
MIDGE? MIDGE WHO?
LITTLE FLIES... THE SOLE
POLLINATOR OF THE CACAO.
GO AHEAD... TAKE ONE.
THE POD LOOKED AND
FELT LIKE A PETRIFIED NERF FOOTBALL.
EACH POD TAKES FIVE TO
SIX MONTHS TO RIPEN.
AND IT WAS EVEN UGLIER
ON THE INSIDE.
SWEET... BUT THAT
AIN'T CHOCOLATE.
ANIMALS AND EARLY
MAN CAME FOR THE PULP.
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS
WHO FIGURED OUT
THAT THE REAL MAGIC
LAY IN THE SEEDS. I DON'T KNOW.
I'D SURE LIKE TO SEE
THIS TURN INTO THIS.
OH, WOULD YOU, NOW?
WELL, THEN YOU
SHOULD MEET SOME FRIENDS OF MINE...
PART OF THE CHOCOLATE
UNDERGROUND, YOU MIGHT SAY.
SAN FRANCISCO?
I THINK YOU'LL FIND
THEIR CHOCOLATES TO BE,
HOW SHALL I SAY,
"GOOD EATS."
HEY, WHAT THE DEVIL!
DRIVEN, AS IF BY A '67
MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE,
I HEADED WEST
TO SCHARFFEN BERGER CHOCOLATE,
AND A REALLY BIG BRIDGE.
I GOT TO SCHARFFEN
BERGER CHOCOLATE
JUST IN TIME TO CATCH
ONE OF THE OWNERS,
ROBERT STEINBERG, CHECK
ON A ROASTING BATCH
OF CAREFULLY BLENDED BEANS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE
THE ALIEN POD I HELD THREE TIME ZONES AGO
HAD YIELDED THESE
FRAGRANT JEWELS.
AS WE WATCHED THE VINTAGE
GERMAN ROASTER COOL BEANS,
STEINBERG EXPLAINED THAT
ROASTING IS WHERE THE MAGIC
OF REAL CHOCOLATE HAPPENS--
DON'T ROAST FAR ENOUGH,
AND THE CHOCOLATE WILL BE
BLAND AND TWO-DIMENSIONAL.
GO TOO FAR, AND IT'S TOAST.
JUST RIGHT IS A NARROW RIVER OF
JOY THAT RUNS BETWEEN THE TWO.
FROM THERE THE
WINNOWING MACHINE
LITERALLY SHOOK THE OUTER
SHELL OFF THE SEED,
REVEALING THE NIB INSIDE.
THEN CAME THE MELANGéUR, WHICH
GETS MEDIEVAL ON THE NIBS
BY GRINDING THEM
WITH COARSE SUGAR
UNDER THE WEIGHT OF
TWO GRANITE WHEELS.
AS THE COCOA BUTTER
INSIDE THE NIBS
COMBINED WITH THE
COCOA SOLIDS,
WHAT STARTED AS
BROWN GRAVEL BECAME A GLISTENING, SMOOTH PASTE.
THIS IS WHAT CHOCOLATE
INSIDERS CALL COCOA LIQUOR.
IT DOESN'T CONTAIN ALCOHOL,
BUT IF A CHOCOLATE
BAR WAS A COCKTAIL,
THIS STUFF WOULD
BE THE BOOZE.
STEINBERG EXPLAINED THAT
DIFFERENT CHOCOLATES
HAVE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES
OF COCOA LIQUOR,
FROM BITTER CHOCOLATE,
WHICH CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS 98% OF THE STUFF,
DOWN TO MILK CHOCOLATE, WHICH
MAY HAVE AS LITTLE AS 10%.
WHITE CHOCOLATE CONTAINS
COCOA BUTTER,
BUT NO CHOCOLATE SOLIDS AT ALL.
NEXT CAME CONCHING,
A MIXING AND HEATING THAT
DRIVES OFF BITTER COMPOUNDS
AND SMOOTHES THE CHOCOLATE OUT
TO A VELVETY ELIXIR OF LOVE.
THE CONCHING PROCESS CAN LAST A
DAY OR MORE ON GOOD CHOCOLATES.
ANY CHOCOLATE THAT ENDS UP IN
BAR FORM HAS TO BE TEMPERED,
OR HEATED AND COOLED, UNTIL
ALL THE DIFFERENT FATS
KIND OF SYNCHRONIZE THEIR
MELTING POINTS.
SKIP THIS, AND THE
CHOCOLATE WILL NEVER SET
INTO A SHINY, SNAPPY BAR.
THEN STEINBERG SHOWED ME
THE SECRET TO SCHARFFEN BERGER'S SUCCESS...
BEANS, LOTS OF BEANS.
BUT WHY WOULD HE SAVE THE
BEGINNING FOR THE END?
BECAUSE THIS IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS.
THIS IS WHERE WE
KEEP THE BEANS
THAT GO INTO THE
CHOCOLATE.
AND WITHOUT THE
BEANS, WITHOUT GOOD BEANS,
YOU CAN'T MAKE
GOOD CHOCOLATE.
SO THIS IS REALLY THE
SECRET, THEN, HUH?
IN A SENSE, IT IS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE WHO
MAKE CHOCOLATE
ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT
PROTECTING THEIR SOURCES OF BEANS.
AND WE'RE USING
BEANS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
HOW MANY DIFFERENT
PLACES?
I THINK FIVE OR SIX
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
BUT EVEN WITHIN AN
INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY,
THE BEANS MAY VARY FROM
ONE FARM TO ANOTHER.
SO IN A WAY THIS IS KIND
OF LIKE COFFEE BEANS,
THE WAY PEOPLE ROAST
AND BLEND COFFEE?
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
TASTED AS MUCH
IN THE PROCESS OF ROASTING
AS COCOA BEANS ARE.
YOU BASICALLY DECIDE WHICH
ONES YOU'RE GOING TO USE.
AND YOU CREATE A BLEND
AND THEN YOU TASTE THEM
AND THEN PROBABLY GO
BACK WITH COFFEE.
ONCE WE'VE DECIDED
ON BEANS, WE THEN ROAST BY VARIETY.
AND WE CHECK THE BEANS,
I WOULD SAY, AS MANY AS
FIVE OF SIX OR PERHAPS AS MANY AS TEN TIMES
IN THE LAST FEW
MINUTES OF ROASTING,
TO DETERMINE WHEN
THEY'RE DONE.
BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS A MOMENT
WHEN THEY TASTE KIND OF FLAT,
AND THEN A MOMENT
WHEN THEY'RE OVERDONE.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT IS THE
TIME WHEN THEY'RE DONE,
AND THEY HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE
SWEETNESS THAT COMES OUT.
SO IT HAPPENS VERY,
VERY SLOWLY,
AND THEN IT
HAPPENS VERY, VERY QUICKLY. RIGHT.
TO ME IT'S LIKE BROILING FISH,
WHERE ONE MOMENT IT'S
WAY UNDERDONE,
THE NEXT MOMENT IT'S COMPLETELY
DRY AND OVERCOOKED.
AND THEN THERE'S A POINT IN THE
MIDDLE WHEN IT TASTES GOOD.
(Alton)
SPEAKING OF SHINNY, SNAPPY BARS, I'D HAD ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM
AND WAS FEELING A
LITTLE, WELL, QUEASY.
SO I DECIDED TO DROP
BY MY DOCTOR'S.
(Alton)
HMM... CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNY.
VERY INTERESTING.
OH, COME ON, DOC!
GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT...
HAVE I OD'd OR NOT?
WELL, CHOCOLATE
CONTAINS MANY THINGS.
APART FROM THE STIMULANTS,
CAFFEINE, AND THEOBROMINE,
THERE IS THE PHENYLETHYLAMINE,
THE LOVE HORMONE.
CHOCOLATE éCLAIR...
LOVE HORMONE?
YEAH, COMBINES WITH
DOPAMINE--STRONG STUFF.
AND THEN THERE IS
THE ENENDOMINE.
AN... AN...
ANACONDA? WORKS ON THE BRAIN LIKE SOME NARCOTICS.
NARCOTIC, HUH?
HOW MUCH OF THAT WOULD
I HAVE TO EAT?
ABOUT 25 POUNDS.
A CHOCOLATE SANTA.
IN A YEAR?
OH... NO!
IN ABOUT ONE SITTING.
OH, WELL, I GUESS MY
BRAIN CHECKS OUT, THEN.
BUT DOC, WHAT ABOUT MY BODY?
LET'S GET THIS IN PERSPECTIVE.
COCOA BUTTER CONTAINS
STEARIC ACIDS,
AND STEARIC ACIDS DON'T
RAISE YOUR SERUM CHOLESTEROL.
IT HAS PHENOLS IN IT, AND
PHENOLS ARE ANTIOXIDANTS.
ANTIOXIDANTS ARE GOOD
FOR YOUR HEART,
AND THEY ALSO DECREASE
YOUR RISK OF CANCER.
ONE OUNCE OF COCOA HAS
LESS CAFFEINE THAN AN ENTIRE CUP OF DECAF.
IT DOESN'T CAUSE ACNE.
IT INCREASES ENERGY, SO
IT'S NOT THAT BAD.
AND WHO MIGHT YOU BE?
I'M A NUTRITIONIST.
YEAH, SHE SHARES THE OFFICE... WE CARPOOL.
NOW OF COURSE, DOC,
IT COULD DILATE HIS BLOOD VESSELS,
SO HE MAY GET SOME
MORE HEADACHES.
YA, YA, BUT
IT'S A...
IT LOOKS LIKE A MOOSE.
LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL
CHOCOLATE MOOSE.
THAT'S IT!
WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF IT?
I MEAN WHAT
COULD BE EASIER?
WHAT COULD BE
MORE DELICIOUS? CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!
UM... DOCS... SORRY,
OUR TIME'S UP FOR THIS WEEK, OKAY?
BYE.
♪
MOUSSE... THAT'S
FRENCH FOR FROTH,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
WHEN IT'S GOOD, IT'S
LIGHT... IT'S AIRY,
IT'S MELT IN YOUR MOUTH.
AND IT ONLY TAKES A
HANDFUL OF INGREDIENTS,
AND TWO TECHNIQUES,
WHICH ARE THE BASIC KNOTS
OF THE DESSERT WORLD--
WHIPPING CREAM AND
MELTING CHOCOLATE.
NOW ANYBODY WHO'S TRIED
MELTING CHOCOLATE
HAS PROBABLY RUN INTO THOSE TWIN
SPECTERS, SEIZING AND BURNING.
AND WHEN CHOCOLATE BURNS,
THE COCOA BUTTER
LITERALLY RUNS OUT,
AND THE SOLIDS KIND
OF COAGULATE.
IT'S UGLY... IT'S INOPERABLE,
AND IT HAPPENS AT A
VERY LOW TEMPERATURE--
AS LOW AS 130 .
NOW THIS LEADS US TO LAW NUMBER
ONE OF CHOCOLATE MELTING--
START SMALL.
NOW THAT THERE ARE QUALITY
CHOCOLATE CHIPS ON THE MARKET,
THEY'RE A GREAT PLACE TO START.
THEY ARE LITTLE...
THEY'RE UNIFORMLY SHAPED.
AND WE'RE GOING TO USE
ABOUT 12 OUNCES OF THEM
FOR OUR MOUSSE,
WHICH LEADS US TO
THE SECOND LAW--
GO SLOW.
I LIKE TO USE A
SIMPLE DOUBLE BOILER.
IT'S JUST A STAINLESS STEEL
BOWL OVER SIMMERING WATER.
NOW THERE ARE COOKS OUT THERE
WHO SWEAR BY THE
MICROWAVE OR THE OVEN.
NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,
BUT I CAN'T STIR CHOCOLATE
FROM INSIDE A MICROWAVE.
AND STIR YOU MUST...
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO EVENLY
DISTRIBUTE THE HEAT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE
CHIPS, DON'T WORRY.
YOU CAN USE BAR OR
BLOCK CHOCOLATE.
BUT CHOP IT UP AS
FINE AS YOU CAN
WITH A HEAVY KNIFE BEFOREHAND.
NOW THIS IS USUALLY WHEN I
ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SALT.
CHOCOLATE LOVES A LITTLE SALT.
NOW THIS MAY BE A GREAT METHOD,
BUT IT DOES LEAD US TO
THE DANGER OF BREAKING
RULE NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS...
DON'T GET IT WET.
DOOOHHHHHH!!!!
NOW IF ONE DROP OF WATER
CAN TURN A WHOLE POT OF
CHOCOLATE INTO CHERNOBYL,
THEN WHY IS IT THERE ARE
SO MANY CHOCOLATE RECIPES
THAT HAVE LIQUID IN THEM,
OURS INCLUDED?
WELL, LUCKILY IN
MY LINE OF WORK,
THERE ARE ALWAYS FOOD SCIENTISTS
DROPPING BY AND HANGING AROUND.
SO... SHIRLEY,
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
WHAT HAPPENED TO
MY CHOCOLATE?
IT'S CALLED SEIZING,
AND IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'VE
GOT DRY, DRY PARTICLES,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE
GOT IN CHOCOLATE...
DRY, DRY PARTICLES IN THIS
RICH, RICH FAT COCOA BUTTER.
A TINY BIT OF MOISTURE GLUES
THESE DRY PARTICLES TOGETHER.
LET ME JUST SHOW YOU
WITH THE SUGAR HERE.
IF YOU PUT A LOT OF WATER IN...
IT DISSOLVES... NO LUMPS.
BUT IF YOU TAKE YOUR SPOON,
YOU STIRRED YOUR COFFEE,
AND HAVE JUST A LITTLE WATER,
LOOK AT ALL THESE CLUMPS.
SO HOW DO I FIX IT?
MORE LIQUID.
OKAY.
AND IT WILL ALL
BE ALL RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT...
SO IS THAT
GOING TO DO IT?
IS THAT ENOUGH?
OH, YES, YOUR MAGIC AMOUNT IS...
AND THAT WILL BE ENOUGH
TO WET EVERYBODY DOWN
AND PREVENT SEIZING.
THIS IS WHY HAVING YOUR
OWN KITCHEN SCIENTIST
IS THE BEST ACCESSORY
MONEY CAN BUY.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW,
SHE WAS RIGHT.
WE'RE SMOOTH AGAIN.
OF COURSE, IF WE HAD MELTED
ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
SMOOTH ALL ALONG,
AND THIS ALL WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED A LOT FASTER.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE
THIS OFF THE HEAT.
THE FEW CHUNKS THAT
ARE STILL THERE
WILL MELT WITH AN
OCCASIONAL WALK-BY STIR.
WE NEED TO LET THIS COOL DOWN
TO JUST ABOVE BODY TEMPERATURE,
ANYWAY, SO LEAVE IT ALONE.
NEXT UP... THE CREAM.
♪
NOW A GOOD MOUSSE RULE OF THUMB
IS TO USE THE SAME AMOUNT OF
WHIPPING CREAM AS CHOCOLATE.
AND SINCE A PINT'S A
POUND THE WORLD AROUND,
THAT MEANS...
NOW POUR OFF A COUPLE
OF OUNCES OF THIS
INTO A METAL MEASURING CUP
AND REFRIGERATE THE REST.
OKAY, IF THERE WERE A
TRICK TO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE,
AND I'M NOT SAYING THERE IS,
BUT IF THERE WERE, IT
WOULD BE POWERED GELATIN.
ODDS ARE YOU'VE NEVER PONDERED
THIS STUFF IN THE STORE.
WHY WOULD YOU?
IT'S FLAVORLESS,
COLORLESS, ODORLESS.
IT'S A VERITABLE NINJA.
BUT WHAT IT DOES
IS BIND MOISTURE,
WHICH, IF YOU'RE CHOCOLATE
MOUSSE, IS A PRETTY COOL THING.
TAKE ABOUT A TEASPOON.
NOW BEFORE THIS
CAN BE DISSOLVED,
IT HAS TO BLOOM OR SOAK IN
COLD LIQUID, LIKE CREAM.
IT'LL TAKE MAYBE TEN MINUTES.
JUST FORGET IT'S HERE.
BESIDES, WHIPPIN' TIME'S HERE.
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED
THE REMAINDER OF THE COLD WHIPPING CREAM,
A DECENT MIXER--I LIKE
A HAND-HELD MODEL--
AND A STAINLESS
STEEL OR COPPER BOWL...
NO GLASS OR PLASTIC.
AND ANYTHING THAT COMES IN
CONTACT WITH THE CREAM
NEEDS TO BE CHILLED THOROUGHLY--
IN THE FREEZER, PLEASE!
WHY BOTHER WITH THIS?
WELL, THE ANSWER, MY FRIEND,
IS FLOATING IN THE CREAM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAT AND AIR.
SEE, WHEN YOU START
WHIPPING CREAM,
YOU'RE MAINLY, WELL,
BLOWING BUBBLES.
YOU DO THIS ON A LOW SETTING,
JUST TO KIND OF GET
THINGS FROTHY...
NOT TOO FAST,
JUST ENOUGH TO GET SOME
BUBBLES WORKED IN.
TAKE YOUR TIME.
AS SOON AS YOU
GET A GOOD... WELL,
KIND OF A MR. BUBBLE BATH
THING GOING, GIVE IT THE GAS.
THIS IS A NEWLY FORMED
BUBBLE INSIDE WHIPPED CREAM.
WE'VE GOT AIR IN THE
MIDDLE, WALLS OF WATER,
AND THESE LITTLE BLUE
GUYS ARE FAT GLOBULES
JUST KIND OF HANGING
AROUND THE BORDER.
NOW THE MORE AIR YOU
WHIP INTO THE CREAM,
THE MORE BUBBLES YOU MAKE.
BUT THERE'S ONLY SO
MUCH WATER TO GO AROUND.
SO THESE BUBBLES GET SMALLER,
AND SMALLER, AND SMALLER,
UNTIL EVENTUALLY, THESE BILLIONS
AND BILLIONS OF BUBBLES
ARE SO SMALL THAT BINGO!
THEIR FAT GLOBULES TOUCH,
AND YOU'VE GOT
STABLE WHIPPED CREAM
SUITABLE FOR ANY DESSERT TOPPING
OR EVEN FROSTING A CAKE.
NOW IF YOU KEEP WHIPPING THIS,
THE LITTLE FATS WILL
EVENTUALLY SQUEEZE OUT
ALL WATER AND ALL THE AIR,
AND YOU WILL HAVE MADE BUTTER.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD SKILL
IF YOU LIVE IN THE "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE,"
BUT FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE
MOUSSE, IT'S NOT THAT VALUABLE.
NOW SINCE THIS STRUCTURE
DEPENDS ON FAT,
WE WANT TO DO ALL WE CAN TO
KEEP THAT FAT FROM MELTING.
THAT'S WHY THE CHILLED
BOWL AND BEATERS.
NOW WE'VE GOT MEDIUM
PEAKS, WHICH IS GOOD.
WE COULD GO ALL THE
WAY TO STIFF PEAKS,
BUT THEN THE CREAM WOULD
LOSE ALL OF ITS ELASTICITY,
AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED
THAT ELASTICITY WHEN WE FOLD THIS IN LATER.
NOW RIGHT NOW THIS IS A
STABLE, THICK CREAM.
AND ADDING THE GELATIN
INTO THE CHOCOLATE
IS GOING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
SEE, WITHOUT SOME
KIND OF STABILIZER,
EVENTUALLY PHYSICS WOULD WIN
AND THE WATER TRAPPED IN OUR
WHIPPED CREAM, WOULD WEEP OUT,
WHICH WOULD WRECK OUR MOUSSE.
ENTER THE GELATIN.
THAT LITTLE TEASPOON WILL
STABILIZE ALL THAT WATER,
BUT IT HAS TO BE
DISSOLVED FIRST,
WHICH YOU CAN DO
OVER DIRECT HEAT.
JUST KEEP MOVING IT AROUND
UNTIL YOU DON'T SEE ANY MORE GRAIN.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO BOIL IT,
BECAUSE THAT WOULD
DAMAGE THE GELATIN.
OKAY, CHOCOLATE IS STILL
AT A GOOD TEMPERATURE,
SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST POUR
THE GELATIN MIXTURE IN
AND STIR.
NOW YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO
HOLD 'EM AND WHEN TO FOLD 'EM.
AND NOW IT'S TIME TO FOLD 'EM.
BRINGING THESE TWO
KIDS TOGETHER
IS KIND OF LIKE A
CULINARY BLIND DATE.
IT COULD BE MAGIC, OR IT
COULD BE DISASTER... WHY?
WELL, WE'VE GOT LIGHT,
FLUFFY, AIRY ON THIS SIDE,
DARK, DENSE, STICKY
ON THIS SIDE.
SO BEFORE WE BRING THEM
TOGETHER IN CULINARY MATRIMONY,
WE'RE GOING TO LIGHTEN
UP THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE CREAM,
JUST SO THAT THEY'RE
MORE ALIKE IN TEXTURE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ADD ABOUT
A QUARTER OF THE CREAM,
AND JUST STIR IT
INTO THE CHOCOLATE,
JUST TO LIGHTEN IT A LITTLE BIT.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO FOLD IN
HALF OF THE WHIPPED CREAM.
JUST SPLIT IT DOWN THE
MIDDLE AND FOLD IT IN.
NOW HERE'S THE TRICK.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STIR...
WE'RE GOING TO FOLD
WITH THE SPATULA
DOWN, UP AND OVER.
IT'S JUST TURNING OVER
THE MIXTURE, LITERALLY.
CUT INTO THE MIDDLE AND OVER.
YOU'RE NOT REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT GETTING IT FULLY INTEGRATED RIGHT NOW.
THE BEST MOUSSES I'VE EVER HAD
HAVE HAD LITTLE STREAKS
OF CREAM IN THEM,
LITTLE STREAKS OF CHOCOLATE.
THE MAIN THINGS IS WE
DON'T WANT TO OVERDO IT,
'CAUSE IF WE DO, WE'RE
GOING TO BEAT ALL THE AIR
OUT OF THE WHIPPED CREAM,
WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE WANT.
THAT'S ENOUGH... NOW GO AHEAD
AND ADD THE REST OF THE CREAM,
AND REPEAT... JUST FOLD OVER.
TURN AND FOLD.
THIS IS, BY THE WAY, THE EXACT
SAME PROCEDURE YOU WOULD USE
FOR BUILDING A SOUFFLé,
A SOUFFLé OMELET, OR GOSH, ANY
OF ABOUT 50 MERINGUE DESSERTS
THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROCEDURE.
SO IF YOU CAN GET
THIS ONE DOWN,
IT'S A REALLY, REALLY
GREAT TECHNIQUE TO HAVE--
A BASIC.
NOW WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
THE OVERALL COLOR'S GOOD...
IT'S STILL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.
AND LIKE I SAID,
I DON'T CARE IF I'VE GOT
A FEW FLECKS OF WHITE.
WE'RE THERE.
NOW IF YOU'RE
ANYTHING LIKE ME,
YOU'D LET THIS WHOLE THING
SET FOR MAYBE AN HOUR,
AND THEN YOU'D EAT IT.
OR YOU COULD SHUN THE BINGE AND
SPOON IT INTO MARTINI GLASSES--
ADMITTEDLY A BETTER
SINGLE SERVING.
NOW JUST PUT THESE INTO THE
REFRIGERATOR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR
UNTIL THE MOUSSE SETS,
THEN TAKE THEM OUT,
PUT SOME PLASTIC WRAP OVER
THEM, AND REFRIGERATE THEM AGAIN.
THE PLASTIC WRAP WILL MAKE SURE
THAT THE FAT IN THE CHOCOLATE
DOESN'T PICK UP ANY
FUNNY FLAVORS,
LIKE, OH, SAY, GARLIC OR FISH.
THEN AGAIN, YOU COULD
JUST EAT IT ALL.
♪
I WOULD HAVE STOPPED
WITH THE MOUSSE
IF IT HADN'T OF BEEN FOR AN
UNEXPECTED PIECE OF AIRMAIL.
HEY WHAT IS THIS, SOME
KIND OF GOLDEN TICKET?
WONKA... HUH!
HEY, SOME KIND OF RECIPE.
WAIT A MINUTE... THE GUY AT
THE BOTANICAL GARDENS...
YOU DON'T THINK...
SURE ENOUGH, WILLIAM
JEFFERSON WONKA.
I BETTER GET COOKING!
I RUSHED TO THE KITCHEN TO
ASSEMBLE THE MYSTERIOUS RECIPE.
AFTER PREHEATING
THE OVEN TO 375 ,
I SET UP A DOUBLE BOILER
AND MELTED EIGHT OUNCES
OF CHOCOLATE AND ONE STICK OF BUTTER.
SINCE IT'S ABOUT 18% WATER,
THE BUTTER WOULD PROVIDE
ENOUGH LIQUID TO KEEP THE CHOCOLATE FROM SEIZING.
TO ROUND OUT THE FLAVOR, I
ADDED A TEASPOON OF VANILLA EXTRACT.
WHAT THE HECK, WONKA
WOULD NEVER KNOW.
I LOADED UP MY
SNUB-NOSED HAND MIXER,
GATHERED THE REST OF THE
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
I KNEW I'D NEED,
AND THEN SETTLED DOWN TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT I WAS CONCOCTING.
A HALF A CUP OF SUGAR
WOULD ADD SWEETNESS AND KEEP THE CAKES MOIST.
A TABLESPOON OF NATURAL COCOA
PROMISED DEEP-CHOCOLATE FLAVOR.
A MEASLY FOUR TABLESPOONS
OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
WOULD PROVIDE SOME
STRUCTURE, BUT BOY HOWDY,
THESE SUCKERS WERE
GOING TO BE DENSE.
WISELY, A QUARTER TEASPOON
OF SALT WAS CALLED FOR
TO HIGHLIGHT THE OTHER FLAVORS.
SO FAR, SO GOOD.
I TOOK THE CHOCOLATE OFF THE
HEAT AND SMOOTHED IT OUT
WITH THE KITCHENAIDE
SET TO "STUN."
NEXT CAME FOUR EGGS,
EACH ONE FULLY
INCORPORATED BEFORE THE NEXT ONE TOOK THE DIVE.
YOLKS WOULD ADD RICHNESS,
AND WHITES WOULD LEAVEN
BY HOLDING ON TO AIR,
JUST LIKE A SOUFFLé.
FINALLY, I SIFTED IN THE DRY
STUFF, JUST A LITTLE AT A TIME.
NO LUMPS TODAY, THANKS.
ALL THAT WAS MISSING
NOW WAS THE AIR.
SO I OPENED UP THE MIXER AND
GAVE THE BATTER WHAT IT NEEDED--
A GOOD BEATING!
FIVE MINUTES LATER, IT WAS
RIGHT WHERE I WANTED IT--
LIGHT, CREAMY, AND THICK.
I LET THE BATTER CHILL,
AND TURNED MY ATTENTION TO THE MUFFIN TIN.
I BUTTERED THE CUPS,
USING MY FAVORITE
BUTTER-IN-THE-BAG TRICK.
THEN I SPRINKLED ON A
HEFTY LOAD OF COCOA POWDER
AND SPREAD IT AROUND.
I FIGURED A DISHER WOULD MAKE
FAST WORK OF THAT STICKY BATTER,
AND I PICKED OUT A
NICE FOUR-OUNCER
SO THE NICE LITTLE CAKES WOULD
HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO RISE.
I SET MY TIMER FOR TEN MINUTES
AND MADE A SAUCE, JUST IN CASE--
NOTHING FANCY, JUST A
CUP OF VANILLA ICE CREAM
MELTED OVER LOW HEAT AND
A TEASPOON OF INSTANT ESPRESSO POWDER.
CHEAP TRICK, BUT IT
WORKS EVERY TIME.
♪
HMM, CRUSTY SIDES, WOBBLY
CENTERS... PERFECT.
IT WAS TIME TO FACE THE MUFFIN.
THE CRUST SOON YIELDED
TO MY SPOON'S ADVANCES,
REVEALING A SOFT, OOZING,
LAVA FLOW OF LOVE INSIDE.
HAD I FINALLY FOUND WHAT
I WAS LOOKING FOR?
I WAS HOME, AND I DIDN'T HAVE
TO SHARE WITH ANYBODY.
♪
SO OUR STORY ENDS AS IT BEGAN--
MAN ALONE WITH HIS CHOCOLATE.
I NEVER SAW THAT
WONKA FELLA AGAIN,
BUT I WAS THANKFUL FOR
WHAT HE'D GIVEN ME--
AN EASY, TOP-NOTCH
CHOCOLATE FIX,
OUT OF THE OVEN IN
A QUARTER HOUR.
I CLOSE WITH WISE WORDS
FROM LUCY VAN PELT, OF "PEANUTS" FAME.
"ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS LOVE,
BUT A LITTLE CHOCOLATE NOW
AND THEN DOESN'T HURT."
♪
WHEN THE NETWORK FIRST ASKED
ME TO DO A CHOCOLATE SHOW,
I SAID, "PIECE OF CAKE."
AFTER ALL, I'D BEEN AROUND THE
SEMISWEET BLOCK A TIME OR TWO.
FIGURED I'D TALK TO SOME
EXPERTS, MAYBE READ A NEW BOOK,
COME UP WITH A
FEW NEW DISHES.
BUT WHAT WAS A
CASUAL INVESTIGATION
SLOWLY BECAME AN OBSESSION.
FINALLY, THOUGH, AFTER
NIGHTS OF HANGING OUT
IN SEEDY ON-LINE
CHOCOLATE CHAT ROOMS,
I FINALLY GOT A SOLID LEAD
IN THE FORM OF A CRYPTIC E-MAIL
FROM SOMEONE NAMED W.J.W.
WHOEVER THEY ARE, THEY
MEANT FOR ME TO COME ALONE.
♪
SEEMS THAT, LIKE A
LOT OF OLD STORIES,
THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE
STARTS WITH A TREE.
SO... THEOBROMA CACAO.
(Stranger)
FOOD OF THE GODS.
(Alton)
WHEN THE STRANGER FINALLY SHOWED UP,
HE WAS, WELL, PRETTY STRANGE.
YEAH, SUPPOSEDLY
A GIFT TO DAMIA
FROM THE GOD QUETZALCOATL.
WHO THEN DISAPPEARED INTO THE OCEAN.
YEAH, BUT NOT BEFORE
PROMISING TO RETURN.
WHICH IS WHY THE AZTECS
MISTOOK CORTEZ FOR A GOD
AND GAVE HIM ALL
THEIR CHOCOLATE.
YEAH, JUST BEFORE HE WIPED
OUT THEIR CIVILIZATION.
SAY, WHO ARE
YOU, ANYWAY?
THE CACAOS ARE
CONCHIFEROUS, YOU KNOW.
THE FRUIT GROWS STRAIGHT
FROM THE TRUNK
AND STAYS IN FRUIT FROM
THE TIME THEY'RE FIVE
WELL INTO THEIR
THIRTIES.
IF OF COURSE, THE MIDGE
POPULATION STAYS HEALTHY.
MIDGE? MIDGE WHO?
LITTLE FLIES... THE SOLE
POLLINATOR OF THE CACAO.
GO AHEAD... TAKE ONE.
THE POD LOOKED AND
FELT LIKE A PETRIFIED NERF FOOTBALL.
EACH POD TAKES FIVE TO
SIX MONTHS TO RIPEN.
AND IT WAS EVEN UGLIER
ON THE INSIDE.
SWEET... BUT THAT
AIN'T CHOCOLATE.
ANIMALS AND EARLY
MAN CAME FOR THE PULP.
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS
WHO FIGURED OUT
THAT THE REAL MAGIC
LAY IN THE SEEDS. I DON'T KNOW.
I'D SURE LIKE TO SEE
THIS TURN INTO THIS.
OH, WOULD YOU, NOW?
WELL, THEN YOU
SHOULD MEET SOME FRIENDS OF MINE...
PART OF THE CHOCOLATE
UNDERGROUND, YOU MIGHT SAY.
SAN FRANCISCO?
I THINK YOU'LL FIND
THEIR CHOCOLATES TO BE,
HOW SHALL I SAY,
"GOOD EATS."
HEY, WHAT THE DEVIL!
DRIVEN, AS IF BY A '67
MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE,
I HEADED WEST
TO SCHARFFEN BERGER CHOCOLATE,
AND A REALLY BIG BRIDGE.
I GOT TO SCHARFFEN
BERGER CHOCOLATE
JUST IN TIME TO CATCH
ONE OF THE OWNERS,
ROBERT STEINBERG, CHECK
ON A ROASTING BATCH
OF CAREFULLY BLENDED BEANS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE
THE ALIEN POD I HELD THREE TIME ZONES AGO
HAD YIELDED THESE
FRAGRANT JEWELS.
AS WE WATCHED THE VINTAGE
GERMAN ROASTER COOL BEANS,
STEINBERG EXPLAINED THAT
ROASTING IS WHERE THE MAGIC
OF REAL CHOCOLATE HAPPENS--
DON'T ROAST FAR ENOUGH,
AND THE CHOCOLATE WILL BE
BLAND AND TWO-DIMENSIONAL.
GO TOO FAR, AND IT'S TOAST.
JUST RIGHT IS A NARROW RIVER OF
JOY THAT RUNS BETWEEN THE TWO.
FROM THERE THE
WINNOWING MACHINE
LITERALLY SHOOK THE OUTER
SHELL OFF THE SEED,
REVEALING THE NIB INSIDE.
THEN CAME THE MELANGéUR, WHICH
GETS MEDIEVAL ON THE NIBS
BY GRINDING THEM
WITH COARSE SUGAR
UNDER THE WEIGHT OF
TWO GRANITE WHEELS.
AS THE COCOA BUTTER
INSIDE THE NIBS
COMBINED WITH THE
COCOA SOLIDS,
WHAT STARTED AS
BROWN GRAVEL BECAME A GLISTENING, SMOOTH PASTE.
THIS IS WHAT CHOCOLATE
INSIDERS CALL COCOA LIQUOR.
IT DOESN'T CONTAIN ALCOHOL,
BUT IF A CHOCOLATE
BAR WAS A COCKTAIL,
THIS STUFF WOULD
BE THE BOOZE.
STEINBERG EXPLAINED THAT
DIFFERENT CHOCOLATES
HAVE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES
OF COCOA LIQUOR,
FROM BITTER CHOCOLATE,
WHICH CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS 98% OF THE STUFF,
DOWN TO MILK CHOCOLATE, WHICH
MAY HAVE AS LITTLE AS 10%.
WHITE CHOCOLATE CONTAINS
COCOA BUTTER,
BUT NO CHOCOLATE SOLIDS AT ALL.
NEXT CAME CONCHING,
A MIXING AND HEATING THAT
DRIVES OFF BITTER COMPOUNDS
AND SMOOTHES THE CHOCOLATE OUT
TO A VELVETY ELIXIR OF LOVE.
THE CONCHING PROCESS CAN LAST A
DAY OR MORE ON GOOD CHOCOLATES.
ANY CHOCOLATE THAT ENDS UP IN
BAR FORM HAS TO BE TEMPERED,
OR HEATED AND COOLED, UNTIL
ALL THE DIFFERENT FATS
KIND OF SYNCHRONIZE THEIR
MELTING POINTS.
SKIP THIS, AND THE
CHOCOLATE WILL NEVER SET
INTO A SHINY, SNAPPY BAR.
THEN STEINBERG SHOWED ME
THE SECRET TO SCHARFFEN BERGER'S SUCCESS...
BEANS, LOTS OF BEANS.
BUT WHY WOULD HE SAVE THE
BEGINNING FOR THE END?
BECAUSE THIS IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS.
THIS IS WHERE WE
KEEP THE BEANS
THAT GO INTO THE
CHOCOLATE.
AND WITHOUT THE
BEANS, WITHOUT GOOD BEANS,
YOU CAN'T MAKE
GOOD CHOCOLATE.
SO THIS IS REALLY THE
SECRET, THEN, HUH?
IN A SENSE, IT IS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE WHO
MAKE CHOCOLATE
ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT
PROTECTING THEIR SOURCES OF BEANS.
AND WE'RE USING
BEANS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
HOW MANY DIFFERENT
PLACES?
I THINK FIVE OR SIX
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
BUT EVEN WITHIN AN
INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY,
THE BEANS MAY VARY FROM
ONE FARM TO ANOTHER.
SO IN A WAY THIS IS KIND
OF LIKE COFFEE BEANS,
THE WAY PEOPLE ROAST
AND BLEND COFFEE?
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE
TASTED AS MUCH
IN THE PROCESS OF ROASTING
AS COCOA BEANS ARE.
YOU BASICALLY DECIDE WHICH
ONES YOU'RE GOING TO USE.
AND YOU CREATE A BLEND
AND THEN YOU TASTE THEM
AND THEN PROBABLY GO
BACK WITH COFFEE.
ONCE WE'VE DECIDED
ON BEANS, WE THEN ROAST BY VARIETY.
AND WE CHECK THE BEANS,
I WOULD SAY, AS MANY AS
FIVE OF SIX OR PERHAPS AS MANY AS TEN TIMES
IN THE LAST FEW
MINUTES OF ROASTING,
TO DETERMINE WHEN
THEY'RE DONE.
BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS A MOMENT
WHEN THEY TASTE KIND OF FLAT,
AND THEN A MOMENT
WHEN THEY'RE OVERDONE.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT IS THE
TIME WHEN THEY'RE DONE,
AND THEY HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE
SWEETNESS THAT COMES OUT.
SO IT HAPPENS VERY,
VERY SLOWLY,
AND THEN IT
HAPPENS VERY, VERY QUICKLY. RIGHT.
TO ME IT'S LIKE BROILING FISH,
WHERE ONE MOMENT IT'S
WAY UNDERDONE,
THE NEXT MOMENT IT'S COMPLETELY
DRY AND OVERCOOKED.
AND THEN THERE'S A POINT IN THE
MIDDLE WHEN IT TASTES GOOD.
(Alton)
SPEAKING OF SHINNY, SNAPPY BARS, I'D HAD ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM
AND WAS FEELING A
LITTLE, WELL, QUEASY.
SO I DECIDED TO DROP
BY MY DOCTOR'S.
(Alton)
HMM... CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNY.
VERY INTERESTING.
OH, COME ON, DOC!
GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT...
HAVE I OD'd OR NOT?
WELL, CHOCOLATE
CONTAINS MANY THINGS.
APART FROM THE STIMULANTS,
CAFFEINE, AND THEOBROMINE,
THERE IS THE PHENYLETHYLAMINE,
THE LOVE HORMONE.
CHOCOLATE éCLAIR...
LOVE HORMONE?
YEAH, COMBINES WITH
DOPAMINE--STRONG STUFF.
AND THEN THERE IS
THE ENENDOMINE.
AN... AN...
ANACONDA? WORKS ON THE BRAIN LIKE SOME NARCOTICS.
NARCOTIC, HUH?
HOW MUCH OF THAT WOULD
I HAVE TO EAT?
ABOUT 25 POUNDS.
A CHOCOLATE SANTA.
IN A YEAR?
OH... NO!
IN ABOUT ONE SITTING.
OH, WELL, I GUESS MY
BRAIN CHECKS OUT, THEN.
BUT DOC, WHAT ABOUT MY BODY?
LET'S GET THIS IN PERSPECTIVE.
COCOA BUTTER CONTAINS
STEARIC ACIDS,
AND STEARIC ACIDS DON'T
RAISE YOUR SERUM CHOLESTEROL.
IT HAS PHENOLS IN IT, AND
PHENOLS ARE ANTIOXIDANTS.
ANTIOXIDANTS ARE GOOD
FOR YOUR HEART,
AND THEY ALSO DECREASE
YOUR RISK OF CANCER.
ONE OUNCE OF COCOA HAS
LESS CAFFEINE THAN AN ENTIRE CUP OF DECAF.
IT DOESN'T CAUSE ACNE.
IT INCREASES ENERGY, SO
IT'S NOT THAT BAD.
AND WHO MIGHT YOU BE?
I'M A NUTRITIONIST.
YEAH, SHE SHARES THE OFFICE... WE CARPOOL.
NOW OF COURSE, DOC,
IT COULD DILATE HIS BLOOD VESSELS,
SO HE MAY GET SOME
MORE HEADACHES.
YA, YA, BUT
IT'S A...
IT LOOKS LIKE A MOOSE.
LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL
CHOCOLATE MOOSE.
THAT'S IT!
WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF IT?
I MEAN WHAT
COULD BE EASIER?
WHAT COULD BE
MORE DELICIOUS? CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!
UM... DOCS... SORRY,
OUR TIME'S UP FOR THIS WEEK, OKAY?
BYE.
♪
MOUSSE... THAT'S
FRENCH FOR FROTH,
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
WHEN IT'S GOOD, IT'S
LIGHT... IT'S AIRY,
IT'S MELT IN YOUR MOUTH.
AND IT ONLY TAKES A
HANDFUL OF INGREDIENTS,
AND TWO TECHNIQUES,
WHICH ARE THE BASIC KNOTS
OF THE DESSERT WORLD--
WHIPPING CREAM AND
MELTING CHOCOLATE.
NOW ANYBODY WHO'S TRIED
MELTING CHOCOLATE
HAS PROBABLY RUN INTO THOSE TWIN
SPECTERS, SEIZING AND BURNING.
AND WHEN CHOCOLATE BURNS,
THE COCOA BUTTER
LITERALLY RUNS OUT,
AND THE SOLIDS KIND
OF COAGULATE.
IT'S UGLY... IT'S INOPERABLE,
AND IT HAPPENS AT A
VERY LOW TEMPERATURE--
AS LOW AS 130 .
NOW THIS LEADS US TO LAW NUMBER
ONE OF CHOCOLATE MELTING--
START SMALL.
NOW THAT THERE ARE QUALITY
CHOCOLATE CHIPS ON THE MARKET,
THEY'RE A GREAT PLACE TO START.
THEY ARE LITTLE...
THEY'RE UNIFORMLY SHAPED.
AND WE'RE GOING TO USE
ABOUT 12 OUNCES OF THEM
FOR OUR MOUSSE,
WHICH LEADS US TO
THE SECOND LAW--
GO SLOW.
I LIKE TO USE A
SIMPLE DOUBLE BOILER.
IT'S JUST A STAINLESS STEEL
BOWL OVER SIMMERING WATER.
NOW THERE ARE COOKS OUT THERE
WHO SWEAR BY THE
MICROWAVE OR THE OVEN.
NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,
BUT I CAN'T STIR CHOCOLATE
FROM INSIDE A MICROWAVE.
AND STIR YOU MUST...
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO EVENLY
DISTRIBUTE THE HEAT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE
CHIPS, DON'T WORRY.
YOU CAN USE BAR OR
BLOCK CHOCOLATE.
BUT CHOP IT UP AS
FINE AS YOU CAN
WITH A HEAVY KNIFE BEFOREHAND.
NOW THIS IS USUALLY WHEN I
ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SALT.
CHOCOLATE LOVES A LITTLE SALT.
NOW THIS MAY BE A GREAT METHOD,
BUT IT DOES LEAD US TO
THE DANGER OF BREAKING
RULE NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS...
DON'T GET IT WET.
DOOOHHHHHH!!!!
NOW IF ONE DROP OF WATER
CAN TURN A WHOLE POT OF
CHOCOLATE INTO CHERNOBYL,
THEN WHY IS IT THERE ARE
SO MANY CHOCOLATE RECIPES
THAT HAVE LIQUID IN THEM,
OURS INCLUDED?
WELL, LUCKILY IN
MY LINE OF WORK,
THERE ARE ALWAYS FOOD SCIENTISTS
DROPPING BY AND HANGING AROUND.
SO... SHIRLEY,
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
WHAT HAPPENED TO
MY CHOCOLATE?
IT'S CALLED SEIZING,
AND IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'VE
GOT DRY, DRY PARTICLES,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE
GOT IN CHOCOLATE...
DRY, DRY PARTICLES IN THIS
RICH, RICH FAT COCOA BUTTER.
A TINY BIT OF MOISTURE GLUES
THESE DRY PARTICLES TOGETHER.
LET ME JUST SHOW YOU
WITH THE SUGAR HERE.
IF YOU PUT A LOT OF WATER IN...
IT DISSOLVES... NO LUMPS.
BUT IF YOU TAKE YOUR SPOON,
YOU STIRRED YOUR COFFEE,
AND HAVE JUST A LITTLE WATER,
LOOK AT ALL THESE CLUMPS.
SO HOW DO I FIX IT?
MORE LIQUID.
OKAY.
AND IT WILL ALL
BE ALL RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT...
SO IS THAT
GOING TO DO IT?
IS THAT ENOUGH?
OH, YES, YOUR MAGIC AMOUNT IS...
AND THAT WILL BE ENOUGH
TO WET EVERYBODY DOWN
AND PREVENT SEIZING.
THIS IS WHY HAVING YOUR
OWN KITCHEN SCIENTIST
IS THE BEST ACCESSORY
MONEY CAN BUY.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW,
SHE WAS RIGHT.
WE'RE SMOOTH AGAIN.
OF COURSE, IF WE HAD MELTED
ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
SMOOTH ALL ALONG,
AND THIS ALL WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED A LOT FASTER.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE
THIS OFF THE HEAT.
THE FEW CHUNKS THAT
ARE STILL THERE
WILL MELT WITH AN
OCCASIONAL WALK-BY STIR.
WE NEED TO LET THIS COOL DOWN
TO JUST ABOVE BODY TEMPERATURE,
ANYWAY, SO LEAVE IT ALONE.
NEXT UP... THE CREAM.
♪
NOW A GOOD MOUSSE RULE OF THUMB
IS TO USE THE SAME AMOUNT OF
WHIPPING CREAM AS CHOCOLATE.
AND SINCE A PINT'S A
POUND THE WORLD AROUND,
THAT MEANS...
NOW POUR OFF A COUPLE
OF OUNCES OF THIS
INTO A METAL MEASURING CUP
AND REFRIGERATE THE REST.
OKAY, IF THERE WERE A
TRICK TO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE,
AND I'M NOT SAYING THERE IS,
BUT IF THERE WERE, IT
WOULD BE POWERED GELATIN.
ODDS ARE YOU'VE NEVER PONDERED
THIS STUFF IN THE STORE.
WHY WOULD YOU?
IT'S FLAVORLESS,
COLORLESS, ODORLESS.
IT'S A VERITABLE NINJA.
BUT WHAT IT DOES
IS BIND MOISTURE,
WHICH, IF YOU'RE CHOCOLATE
MOUSSE, IS A PRETTY COOL THING.
TAKE ABOUT A TEASPOON.
NOW BEFORE THIS
CAN BE DISSOLVED,
IT HAS TO BLOOM OR SOAK IN
COLD LIQUID, LIKE CREAM.
IT'LL TAKE MAYBE TEN MINUTES.
JUST FORGET IT'S HERE.
BESIDES, WHIPPIN' TIME'S HERE.
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED
THE REMAINDER OF THE COLD WHIPPING CREAM,
A DECENT MIXER--I LIKE
A HAND-HELD MODEL--
AND A STAINLESS
STEEL OR COPPER BOWL...
NO GLASS OR PLASTIC.
AND ANYTHING THAT COMES IN
CONTACT WITH THE CREAM
NEEDS TO BE CHILLED THOROUGHLY--
IN THE FREEZER, PLEASE!
WHY BOTHER WITH THIS?
WELL, THE ANSWER, MY FRIEND,
IS FLOATING IN THE CREAM.
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAT AND AIR.
SEE, WHEN YOU START
WHIPPING CREAM,
YOU'RE MAINLY, WELL,
BLOWING BUBBLES.
YOU DO THIS ON A LOW SETTING,
JUST TO KIND OF GET
THINGS FROTHY...
NOT TOO FAST,
JUST ENOUGH TO GET SOME
BUBBLES WORKED IN.
TAKE YOUR TIME.
AS SOON AS YOU
GET A GOOD... WELL,
KIND OF A MR. BUBBLE BATH
THING GOING, GIVE IT THE GAS.
THIS IS A NEWLY FORMED
BUBBLE INSIDE WHIPPED CREAM.
WE'VE GOT AIR IN THE
MIDDLE, WALLS OF WATER,
AND THESE LITTLE BLUE
GUYS ARE FAT GLOBULES
JUST KIND OF HANGING
AROUND THE BORDER.
NOW THE MORE AIR YOU
WHIP INTO THE CREAM,
THE MORE BUBBLES YOU MAKE.
BUT THERE'S ONLY SO
MUCH WATER TO GO AROUND.
SO THESE BUBBLES GET SMALLER,
AND SMALLER, AND SMALLER,
UNTIL EVENTUALLY, THESE BILLIONS
AND BILLIONS OF BUBBLES
ARE SO SMALL THAT BINGO!
THEIR FAT GLOBULES TOUCH,
AND YOU'VE GOT
STABLE WHIPPED CREAM
SUITABLE FOR ANY DESSERT TOPPING
OR EVEN FROSTING A CAKE.
NOW IF YOU KEEP WHIPPING THIS,
THE LITTLE FATS WILL
EVENTUALLY SQUEEZE OUT
ALL WATER AND ALL THE AIR,
AND YOU WILL HAVE MADE BUTTER.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD SKILL
IF YOU LIVE IN THE "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE,"
BUT FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE
MOUSSE, IT'S NOT THAT VALUABLE.
NOW SINCE THIS STRUCTURE
DEPENDS ON FAT,
WE WANT TO DO ALL WE CAN TO
KEEP THAT FAT FROM MELTING.
THAT'S WHY THE CHILLED
BOWL AND BEATERS.
NOW WE'VE GOT MEDIUM
PEAKS, WHICH IS GOOD.
WE COULD GO ALL THE
WAY TO STIFF PEAKS,
BUT THEN THE CREAM WOULD
LOSE ALL OF ITS ELASTICITY,
AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED
THAT ELASTICITY WHEN WE FOLD THIS IN LATER.
NOW RIGHT NOW THIS IS A
STABLE, THICK CREAM.
AND ADDING THE GELATIN
INTO THE CHOCOLATE
IS GOING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
SEE, WITHOUT SOME
KIND OF STABILIZER,
EVENTUALLY PHYSICS WOULD WIN
AND THE WATER TRAPPED IN OUR
WHIPPED CREAM, WOULD WEEP OUT,
WHICH WOULD WRECK OUR MOUSSE.
ENTER THE GELATIN.
THAT LITTLE TEASPOON WILL
STABILIZE ALL THAT WATER,
BUT IT HAS TO BE
DISSOLVED FIRST,
WHICH YOU CAN DO
OVER DIRECT HEAT.
JUST KEEP MOVING IT AROUND
UNTIL YOU DON'T SEE ANY MORE GRAIN.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO BOIL IT,
BECAUSE THAT WOULD
DAMAGE THE GELATIN.
OKAY, CHOCOLATE IS STILL
AT A GOOD TEMPERATURE,
SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST POUR
THE GELATIN MIXTURE IN
AND STIR.
NOW YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO
HOLD 'EM AND WHEN TO FOLD 'EM.
AND NOW IT'S TIME TO FOLD 'EM.
BRINGING THESE TWO
KIDS TOGETHER
IS KIND OF LIKE A
CULINARY BLIND DATE.
IT COULD BE MAGIC, OR IT
COULD BE DISASTER... WHY?
WELL, WE'VE GOT LIGHT,
FLUFFY, AIRY ON THIS SIDE,
DARK, DENSE, STICKY
ON THIS SIDE.
SO BEFORE WE BRING THEM
TOGETHER IN CULINARY MATRIMONY,
WE'RE GOING TO LIGHTEN
UP THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE CREAM,
JUST SO THAT THEY'RE
MORE ALIKE IN TEXTURE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ADD ABOUT
A QUARTER OF THE CREAM,
AND JUST STIR IT
INTO THE CHOCOLATE,
JUST TO LIGHTEN IT A LITTLE BIT.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO FOLD IN
HALF OF THE WHIPPED CREAM.
JUST SPLIT IT DOWN THE
MIDDLE AND FOLD IT IN.
NOW HERE'S THE TRICK.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STIR...
WE'RE GOING TO FOLD
WITH THE SPATULA
DOWN, UP AND OVER.
IT'S JUST TURNING OVER
THE MIXTURE, LITERALLY.
CUT INTO THE MIDDLE AND OVER.
YOU'RE NOT REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT GETTING IT FULLY INTEGRATED RIGHT NOW.
THE BEST MOUSSES I'VE EVER HAD
HAVE HAD LITTLE STREAKS
OF CREAM IN THEM,
LITTLE STREAKS OF CHOCOLATE.
THE MAIN THINGS IS WE
DON'T WANT TO OVERDO IT,
'CAUSE IF WE DO, WE'RE
GOING TO BEAT ALL THE AIR
OUT OF THE WHIPPED CREAM,
WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE WANT.
THAT'S ENOUGH... NOW GO AHEAD
AND ADD THE REST OF THE CREAM,
AND REPEAT... JUST FOLD OVER.
TURN AND FOLD.
THIS IS, BY THE WAY, THE EXACT
SAME PROCEDURE YOU WOULD USE
FOR BUILDING A SOUFFLé,
A SOUFFLé OMELET, OR GOSH, ANY
OF ABOUT 50 MERINGUE DESSERTS
THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROCEDURE.
SO IF YOU CAN GET
THIS ONE DOWN,
IT'S A REALLY, REALLY
GREAT TECHNIQUE TO HAVE--
A BASIC.
NOW WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
THE OVERALL COLOR'S GOOD...
IT'S STILL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.
AND LIKE I SAID,
I DON'T CARE IF I'VE GOT
A FEW FLECKS OF WHITE.
WE'RE THERE.
NOW IF YOU'RE
ANYTHING LIKE ME,
YOU'D LET THIS WHOLE THING
SET FOR MAYBE AN HOUR,
AND THEN YOU'D EAT IT.
OR YOU COULD SHUN THE BINGE AND
SPOON IT INTO MARTINI GLASSES--
ADMITTEDLY A BETTER
SINGLE SERVING.
NOW JUST PUT THESE INTO THE
REFRIGERATOR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR
UNTIL THE MOUSSE SETS,
THEN TAKE THEM OUT,
PUT SOME PLASTIC WRAP OVER
THEM, AND REFRIGERATE THEM AGAIN.
THE PLASTIC WRAP WILL MAKE SURE
THAT THE FAT IN THE CHOCOLATE
DOESN'T PICK UP ANY
FUNNY FLAVORS,
LIKE, OH, SAY, GARLIC OR FISH.
THEN AGAIN, YOU COULD
JUST EAT IT ALL.
♪
I WOULD HAVE STOPPED
WITH THE MOUSSE
IF IT HADN'T OF BEEN FOR AN
UNEXPECTED PIECE OF AIRMAIL.
HEY WHAT IS THIS, SOME
KIND OF GOLDEN TICKET?
WONKA... HUH!
HEY, SOME KIND OF RECIPE.
WAIT A MINUTE... THE GUY AT
THE BOTANICAL GARDENS...
YOU DON'T THINK...
SURE ENOUGH, WILLIAM
JEFFERSON WONKA.
I BETTER GET COOKING!
I RUSHED TO THE KITCHEN TO
ASSEMBLE THE MYSTERIOUS RECIPE.
AFTER PREHEATING
THE OVEN TO 375 ,
I SET UP A DOUBLE BOILER
AND MELTED EIGHT OUNCES
OF CHOCOLATE AND ONE STICK OF BUTTER.
SINCE IT'S ABOUT 18% WATER,
THE BUTTER WOULD PROVIDE
ENOUGH LIQUID TO KEEP THE CHOCOLATE FROM SEIZING.
TO ROUND OUT THE FLAVOR, I
ADDED A TEASPOON OF VANILLA EXTRACT.
WHAT THE HECK, WONKA
WOULD NEVER KNOW.
I LOADED UP MY
SNUB-NOSED HAND MIXER,
GATHERED THE REST OF THE
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
I KNEW I'D NEED,
AND THEN SETTLED DOWN TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT I WAS CONCOCTING.
A HALF A CUP OF SUGAR
WOULD ADD SWEETNESS AND KEEP THE CAKES MOIST.
A TABLESPOON OF NATURAL COCOA
PROMISED DEEP-CHOCOLATE FLAVOR.
A MEASLY FOUR TABLESPOONS
OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
WOULD PROVIDE SOME
STRUCTURE, BUT BOY HOWDY,
THESE SUCKERS WERE
GOING TO BE DENSE.
WISELY, A QUARTER TEASPOON
OF SALT WAS CALLED FOR
TO HIGHLIGHT THE OTHER FLAVORS.
SO FAR, SO GOOD.
I TOOK THE CHOCOLATE OFF THE
HEAT AND SMOOTHED IT OUT
WITH THE KITCHENAIDE
SET TO "STUN."
NEXT CAME FOUR EGGS,
EACH ONE FULLY
INCORPORATED BEFORE THE NEXT ONE TOOK THE DIVE.
YOLKS WOULD ADD RICHNESS,
AND WHITES WOULD LEAVEN
BY HOLDING ON TO AIR,
JUST LIKE A SOUFFLé.
FINALLY, I SIFTED IN THE DRY
STUFF, JUST A LITTLE AT A TIME.
NO LUMPS TODAY, THANKS.
ALL THAT WAS MISSING
NOW WAS THE AIR.
SO I OPENED UP THE MIXER AND
GAVE THE BATTER WHAT IT NEEDED--
A GOOD BEATING!
FIVE MINUTES LATER, IT WAS
RIGHT WHERE I WANTED IT--
LIGHT, CREAMY, AND THICK.
I LET THE BATTER CHILL,
AND TURNED MY ATTENTION TO THE MUFFIN TIN.
I BUTTERED THE CUPS,
USING MY FAVORITE
BUTTER-IN-THE-BAG TRICK.
THEN I SPRINKLED ON A
HEFTY LOAD OF COCOA POWDER
AND SPREAD IT AROUND.
I FIGURED A DISHER WOULD MAKE
FAST WORK OF THAT STICKY BATTER,
AND I PICKED OUT A
NICE FOUR-OUNCER
SO THE NICE LITTLE CAKES WOULD
HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO RISE.
I SET MY TIMER FOR TEN MINUTES
AND MADE A SAUCE, JUST IN CASE--
NOTHING FANCY, JUST A
CUP OF VANILLA ICE CREAM
MELTED OVER LOW HEAT AND
A TEASPOON OF INSTANT ESPRESSO POWDER.
CHEAP TRICK, BUT IT
WORKS EVERY TIME.
♪
HMM, CRUSTY SIDES, WOBBLY
CENTERS... PERFECT.
IT WAS TIME TO FACE THE MUFFIN.
THE CRUST SOON YIELDED
TO MY SPOON'S ADVANCES,
REVEALING A SOFT, OOZING,
LAVA FLOW OF LOVE INSIDE.
HAD I FINALLY FOUND WHAT
I WAS LOOKING FOR?
I WAS HOME, AND I DIDN'T HAVE
TO SHARE WITH ANYBODY.
♪
SO OUR STORY ENDS AS IT BEGAN--
MAN ALONE WITH HIS CHOCOLATE.
I NEVER SAW THAT
WONKA FELLA AGAIN,
BUT I WAS THANKFUL FOR
WHAT HE'D GIVEN ME--
AN EASY, TOP-NOTCH
CHOCOLATE FIX,
OUT OF THE OVEN IN
A QUARTER HOUR.
I CLOSE WITH WISE WORDS
FROM LUCY VAN PELT, OF "PEANUTS" FAME.
"ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS LOVE,
BUT A LITTLE CHOCOLATE NOW
AND THEN DOESN'T HURT."
♪