http://www.chocolatechipper.com/chocolate/n17.html Chocolate liquor is used in a lot of alcoholic beverages. But chocolate liquor is really a non-alcoholic substance that's at the heart of all chocolate. en-us Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:34:59 EST Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:34:59 EST Weblog Editor 2.0 How Chocolate Liquor is Made and What It's Used For Chocolate liquor is made by grinding the center of a cocoa bean to a liquid state. Then it's cooled and molded into blocks that are known as unsweetened baking chocolate. The liquor and blocks contain about 53% cocoa butter. Chocolate liquor is non-alcoholic and it's the basis of all chocolate and cocoa products. When you add cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla (yes, vanilla) to chocolate liquor, you get a dark chocolate that's full of flavor. What makes chocolate semi-sweet or bittersweet is the amount of chocolate liquor that's used. Milk chocolate is created when fresh whole milk is added in the mix. Another Type of Chocolate Liquor Another type of chocolate liquor is the kind that's used in alcoholic beverages. Yummy alcoholic beverages, that is. Some bartenders get very creative with this and make awesome chocolate concoctions. For instance, there's a drink called the Forbidden Mocha that combines creme de cacao, Bailey's Irish Cream and cinnamon schnapps in a cafe latte, a chocolate drink that combines Godiva chocolate liquor and espresso, and a chocolate martini, just to name a few. (And speaking of chocolate martinis, there are lots of varieties of those, too.) Other Chocolate Drinks Obviously, since chocolate liquor is the basis of all chocolate, it's also in non-alcoholic chocolate drinks from chocolate milk to hot chocolate to chocolate milkshakes and even chocolate coffee drinks. When it comes to making drinks with chocolate, you are only limited by your imagination. So be creative! What about a chocolate chip cookie milkshake? It has freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, milk and vanilla ice cream. Or a chocolate banana milkshake that has chocolate ice cream, milk (or chocolate milk) and bananas. Just think of your favorite things to combine with chocolate, and you are well on your way to a creative new milkshake flavor. It's chocolate liquer euphoria! Wed, 18 Jan 2006 11:34:59 EST