There are many fallacies facing the cocoa pod and it’s sinfully delicious off-springs.  Cocoa powder, unsweetened, is exceptionally good for you.  Chocolate, if the cocoa content is at least 70%, is a super food.  Not only that, the cocoa nibs (also called cacao nibs, chocolate nibs or the heart) were once considered a throw away by-product from chocolate making.  They are the broken cocoa bean particles remaining after the beans have been roasted, winnowed and cracked.  They, too, join the rank of foods with high antioxidant properties.

What does all this have to do with your skin?  Well, chocolate is good for your skin too.  Not only does it possess tremendous benefits if you eat it, scientific studies have also found that using pure chocolate and pure chocolate by-products on your skin in the forms of treatments also offers surprising benefits!

Dark chocolate has plenty of antioxidants present in it.  It is an antioxidant powerhouse!  Antioxidants reduce our risk of both degenerative diseases and cancer.   The large amount of these antioxidants is due to the purity of cocoa and dark chocolate. These compounds found in chocolate and cocoa are found in plants that promote healthy cellular tissue throughout the body.  They are known as flavonoids.  Dr. Carl Keen, a professor of nutrition and internal medicine at the University of California Davis says that “The concentration [of flavonoids in chocolate and cocoa] greatly exceeds what you’ll find in most fruits and vegetables.”  Pure cocoa powder (with no sugar) has twice the amount of flavonols than dark chocolate and dark chocolate has twice the flavonols of milk chocolate.  Antioxidants work with the skin to diffuse damage caused by both internal and external factors such as sun damage, pollution and smoking.  Antioxidants also help to protect skin from future damaged.

Eating dark chocolate and cocoa protects your skin with  natural defenses by maintaining collagen and reducing sun damage which normally leads to pre-mature aging of the skin.  It also improves skin texture, and increases skin thickness, density and hydration.

Dark chocolate and cocoa also contains epicatechin which is a natural antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. That means the epicatechin helps to guard cells from free radical damage which causes skin to age.

Chocolate Honey Face Scrub

(Increases circulation and softens dry skin. Not suitable for oily skin.)

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon raw turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia nut oil, olive oil or sesame oil

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients until it forms a paste. Gently apply to freshly washed skin and lightly massage with your finger tips for 30 seconds.

Rinse with warm water and you are left with soft, detoxified skin that smells wonderful and looks smooth and silky. Follow with your favorite moisturizer.

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

It’s that time of year…. Christmas and Hanukkah  items have replaced Halloween items on the store shelves.  I’m not quite certain what happened to Thanksgiving here in America this year.  It seems to have disappeared.  If there weren’t end caps of boxed stuffing, bags of marshmallows and cans of cranberries, I would have thought I slept through it.  I cannot begin to tell you how the thought of boxed, convenience foods for Thanksgiving makes my skin crawl.  Take the time to plan your meal and put some love and thought into it this year.  I beg you.

With Christmas a mere six weeks away, I thought I would give you some ideas for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts and main event gifts for the chocolate lover in your life.  These are all things I would love to have myself, so please feel free to send good cheer my way!

From the King Arthur Flour Catalog for the chocolate baker:

Black Cocoa

Black Cocoa, 12 ounces for $8.95 This is as deep, dark and decadent as you can get.  It’s really too strong completely on its own.  I suggest mixing it with a bit of dark cocoa to mellow it out a bit.  If you like deep, dark and a bit bitter… go ahead and try it alone.

Chocolate Chipper, $9.95 Large chunks of chocolate don’t stand a chance with this tool, plus you can save your fingers from harm with that big kitchen knife too.

Revolation Chocolate Temperer, $429.00 For the hard core, but not quite professional chocolate makers.  It does it all for you.  No guess work.

Chocolate Chipper

Semisweet Pain au Chocolat Sticks, 8 ounces, $7.95 A great addition to a cup of coffee and over the top in a mug of hot chocolate or hot cocoa.  Children like to just munch on them solo.

Chocolate Spatula Thermometer, $18.95 (on sale for $7.00!) Genius.  Enough said.

Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate Onyx Wafers

Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate Onyx Wafers, 16 ounces, $9.95 melt these down or use them as monster chips in cookies.  Either way, no one will be disappointed.  I like them right out of the box.  Nice bitter taste without the acid.

Barry Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Chunks, 16 ounces,$8.95 Once again, great for melting down or using in cookies as chips.  Just bigger than life chips.  Bigger is better!  Nicely balanced chocolate.

Belcolade Bittersweet Disks, 16 ounces, $11.95 When you want some really over the top chocolate chips.  I’ve never used these in anything but oatmeal chocolate chips cookies.  They were so good, I just haven’t had the heart to try them in anything else.

Nielsen-Massey Chocolate Extract, 4 ounces, $11.95 So you use the famous Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract?  It is THE vanilla extract.  The best in the world.  Ever try their chocolate extract?  Substitute for vanilla in your baking recipes for that little extra push of chocolate flavor.  I don’t think it’s ever too much.

Nielsen-Massey Chocolate Extract

Large Cookie Sheet,$22.95 Every good baker needs a good cookie sheet.  If you go cheap on your baking and cooking tools, it shows up in the finished product.  Buy one good thing instead of a bunch of low quality pieces – just like clothes.

Stackable Cooling Racks, $24.95 The Versailles of cooling racks.  Double-decker and coated so nothing will stick.

Double Boiler, $49.95 Easier than the standard two pot double boiler and it has a nifty handle and spout for pouring neatly.

Double Boiler

Fluted Tart Pan, 14.95 A standard in every chocolate lover’s, tart lover’s and Frenchman’s kitchen.

Ultimate Chocolate Doughnut Mix, $7.95 I usually don’t condone mixes.  I can taste the chemicals in boxed mixes for hours after I eat something.  This doughnut boxed mix is different.  Give it a try.  You won’t be disappointed!

Brownie Spatula, $6.95 Cut a brownie, especially the first one and it goes everywhere.  With this brownie spatula you can lift it all up in one scoop.  It’s molded differently than a regular spatula.  You will be most impressed with it.

Until next time… Annmarie Kostyk

Chocolate Graham Crackers

(from King Arthur Flour)

thirty-two 3 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch crackers

Try these deep chocolate graham crackers with Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter or try a new twist on an olf favorite – the s’more.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour, Traditional or White Whole Wheat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) honey
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cold milk

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Cut out two sheets of parchment as large as your cookie sheets.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, cocoa, sugar, and baking powder. With a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until evenly crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine the honey and milk, stirring until the honey dissolves. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and toss lightly with a fork until the dough comes together. Add additional milk, if necessary.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and fold it over gently 10 to 12 times, until smooth. Divide the dough in half. Work with half the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered.

Transfer one piece of dough to a piece of parchment. Roll it into a rectangle a bit larger than 10 x 14 inches; the dough will be about 1/16-inch thick. Trim the edges and prick the dough evenly with a dough docker or fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and parchment. Place the rolled-out dough pieces, on their parchment, onto baking sheets.

Bake the crackers for 15 minutes, or until you begin to smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and immediately cut them into rectangles with a pizza wheel or knife. Transfer them to a rack to cool. Store the cooled crackers tightly wrapped.

Chocolate Graham Crackers

In the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries, England was a hub for the cocoa and chocolate trade. What does this mean for London? There was a lot of crime happening revolving around cocoa and chocolate. There is a huge collection of court documents from the Old Bailey Trial Archive which was located on the west side of London dealing with crimes of chocolate origin.

The Old Bailey Courtroom, London, England

You would think the crimes were pretty simple and very few occurred. You would be wrong. There was murder, simple grand larceny, burglary, receipt of stolen goods, shoplifting, petty larceny, highway robbery (yes, literally), assault, forgery, housebreaking, counterfeiting and fraud. People really knew the value of chocolate and cocoa! In these records found at Bailey, a total of 82 crimes by 113 different defendants were involving cocoa, cacao or chocolate. The earliest court document comes from May 31, 1693.

Cocoa Shells

But still, chocolate and cocoa cases as a whole were not violent. Most of them involved some form of theft or another. Only 2 of 82 cases were considered to be of a violent nature. One of these cases was committed by someone only named as D.P. They were charged with murder. A witness says that he and D.P. had conspired on the preceding day before the murder while drinking cups of chocolate at the Bridges Street Chocolate House in Covent Garden. D.P. was convicted, but the records did not indicate what his punishment was for the crime. I’m guessing it was not no chocolate for a year.

Cocoa Powder

Highway robbery happened quite frequently back then – literally. This was considered as severe a crime as murder. Dec. 6, 1721, Sir Edward Lawrence was both beaten and robbed by a Mr. Butler Fox. Fox stole the contests of Lawrence’s purse as well as six pounds of chocolate. The testimony at the trail revealed that Fox and his accomplice enjoy a cup of hot chocolate made from the stolen chocolate after the incident. I did not make that up.

America

Of the 113 people brought to trial for chocolate and cocoa related crimes in 82 cases, 62 percent of the defendants were convicted. People were serious about chocolate and cocoa crimes. Remember from last week, these are commodities and they were rare at the time. Sentences ran from 6 pence to 30 shillings monetarily. Other punishments for the defendants include printed apologies, branding (ouch), whipping (ouch, again) or incarceration for one to three years in either the Newgate prison or an unspecified prison location. Unbelievably, some even received the sentence of “transportation” which meant that they were deported from England to either America or Australia for between seven and fourteen years. My guess is at that point they would rather stay in America or Australia, but who am I to judge?

Chocolate

Would you believe that some defendants were executed for chocolate crimes? You could be executed for the following: stealing manufactured chocolate, cocoa or cocoa nuts (cocoa beans), cocoa shells (shelled cocoa beans they used to make tea with – I need to research this more because it sound like a brilliant idea!), or chocolate related manufacturing or serving equipment and utensils. Basically, don’t steal anything chocolate or it could cost you your life.

Can you imagine someone getting a death sentence for stealing a case of chocolate bars today? Things were tough back then. It just shows that envy, greed and temptation follow people wherever there’s money to be made. Cocoa beans, shells and manufactured chocolate were easy to sell. Chocolate making equipment could be taken apart and sold for parts or transported for sale elsewhere. The interesting fact is that most of these crimes were reported in court to be spur of the moment crimes committed on a whim by employees and servants. Watch your chocolate and cocoa, you just never know who is after it.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

Serves 12

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons walnuts or almonds, ground
10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1½ cups raw sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1¼ sticks unsalted butter, softened
5 whole eggs
¼ teaspoon sea salt
optional:  powdered sugar and berries for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter.  Brush spring form pan with butter and dust with 1 tablespoon nuts.  In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate.  Add sugar, butter and salt.  Remove from heat.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs and add remaining nuts.  Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture.  Pour into spring form pan.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Refrigerate overnight.  Cut and serve dusted with icing sugar and berries.

Annmarie Kostyk

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

Valrhona Chocolates Dark Chocolate Mendiant

Valrhona Chocolates has some great Halloween treats for all of the adults with a lot of kid still in them (such as myself).  How about a nice box of Valrhona Orangettes? Orangettes are strips of candied orange rinds covered with dark chocolate.  Quite tasty!   Perhaps fruit isn’t your thing.  How about some traditional Valrhona Mendiants?  For those of you who have never tried a Mendiant, they are disks of dark chocolate or milk chocolate with a piece of hazelnut, apricot and pistachio.  Other chocolate makers make these too.  The topping changes, but the concept is the same.  Varhona Chocolates is offering free shipping on orders over $65!  Go ahead!  Buy yourself some Halloween chocolates!

Here’s a great recipe for Bourbon Whiskey Truffles from Valrhona Chocolates.  I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I know Valrhona Chocolates tests their recipes thoroughly before they share them.  Looks like a lot of people will be getting boozy truffles from me this holiday season.  I’m sure there will be no complaints!

Bourbon Whiskey Truffles

Recipe created by: Derek Poirier Valrhona Pastry Chef North America

Ingredients:
4 ounces Whipping cream
7 ounces Valrhona Chocolates Le Noir 61%
1/2 ounce unsalted butter
1 ounces bourbon whiskey
Valrhona Chocolates cocoa powder

Directions:
Bring whipping cream just to boil.Pour slowly over the chocolate and mix rapidly to create an elastic and shiny mixture. Add butter and mix it again with the spatula.Let crystallize the ganache for 12 hours. Then shape and roll truffle in Valrhona Chocolates cocoa powder.

Valrhona Chocolates Bourbon Whiskey Truffles

Charles Chocolates Triple Chocolate Almonds

Charles Chocolates Triple Chocolate Nuts are back!  If you haven’t tried these babies…you have to hook yourself up!  I can’t do them justice in the description, so here is what they say about them… Me speechless?  It does happen on occasion! “Our Charles Chocolates Triple Chocolate Almonds and Triple Chocolate Hazelnuts are what chocolate covered nuts should be. Each California almond or Oregon hazelnut is roasted nice and dark, bringing out its full flavor and texture. Once they have cooled, we coat them with several layers of a unique blend of our 41% milk chocolate and our 65% bittersweet chocolate. The perfect amount of almond or hazelnut flavor combines with the rich chocolate coating to create a result that is sheer delight.”  I cannot tell you to buy one over the other,  I really can’t.  It depends on my mood.  My advice?  Buy two of each.  One of each for yourself and one of each for everyone else.  Hey, don’t forget the holidays are coming up.  Need hostess gifts or treats for people to snack on?  Charles Chocolates to the rescue.  The only problem?  People will keep inviting you back to get more of these little babies!

Charles Chocolates Triple Chocolate Hazelnuts

Now, the good news is that Theo Chocolate has some really amazing treats for us this year.  The bad news?  You have to go their shop to get them.  Here’s what they have in store, literally, for you!

Full Moon Bar – Back by popular demand! Their special Halloween Full Moon bar is 100 % Theo organic & fair trade white chocolate. Rich, creamy smooth & thoroughly decadent. $4 each

Spooky Marshmallows – Spooky and yummy! Their marshmallows are made there in their kitchen, cut out by hand in fun Halloween shapes (ghost, cat or pumpkin), and then enrobed in their hauntingly delicious dark chocolate. They wait all year long to bite the heads off their spooky chocolate covered marshmallow! $6 each

Dia de los Muertos Chocolate Skulls – These solid dark chocolate skulls are always a frightening favorite! $2 each

Peanut Butter Buddies – Their Peanut Butter Buddies are dressed up in Halloween colors! $1.25 each

These Halloween treats are only available in their retail store NOW – thru October 31st.

Theo Chocolate Halloween Treats

Also, some upcoming events at Theo Chocolate…

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd 6:30pm-8:30pm

FAIR TRADE DISCUSSION WITH THEO FOUNDERS
Join Founder/CEO Joe Whinney and VP of Sales & Marketing Debra Music at Theo Chocolate for an evening talk and Q&A.  Learn how Theo Chocolate’s new IMO certification supports transparent business practice and allows the company to better support farmers at origin. Attendees will enjoy a bowl of groundnut stew. (West African Groundnut Stew is a  typical dish in African cocoa producing countries – I used to make this a lot from the vegetarian Moosewood Cookbook.  It’s fantastic.)

If you would like to come and experience the factory tour before the discussion please call and make a reservation for their 5 pm public tour before the event

COST: $10 per person | Reservations are required*

TheoChocolate’s  Confection Making Classes

NOVEMBER DATES: 13th or 20th
DECEMBER DATES: 4th or 11th
JANUARY DATES: 15th. 22nd or 29th
All classes are on a Saturday from 2:00pm-5:00pm.
Are you interested in making your own chocolate confections for holiday gifts or as a treat just for fun? Theo Chocolate invites you to spend an afternoon with a Theo Chocolate’s chocolatier participating in a hands on confection making class. You will learn “behind the scenes” techniques for making ganache, tempering chocolate, and putting the finishing touches on confections! Best of all, you will walk away with the fruits of your labor! All materials are included.

COST: $125 per person, Reservations are required.
Due to popular demand 7 days advance notice is required to cancel.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18th from 6:30pm-8:30pm

Join Theo Chocolate and Food Lifeline for the release of their highly anticipated Chef Session Confection Collection. Mingle with Theo Chocolate chocolatiers and their partners from Food Lifeline as they celebrate this extraordinary collaboration.

COST: $45 (Includes: special sweet and savory treats, beverages, $15 donation to Food Lifeline and a Chef Session Confection Collection Box to take home!)

Theo Chocolate Chef Session Confection Collection

Theo Chocolate Apple Cider Caramels

I also found something new on their the Theo Chocolate website that I simply have got to try!  Apple Cider Caramels!  Are you kidding me?  These have my name written all over them.  I think I’ll need three boxes just to get me through one sitting!  How autumnal is that?  I’m guessing they won’t have these at Whole Foods.  I just finished the last of my Theo Chocolate from there.  Adore the Jane Goddall bars!  When you order these, don’t forget to treat yourself to the Big Daddy Marshmallows.  I got a box at Whole Foods when I first tried them and I couldn’t stop talking about them for weeks.  You won’t believe how exceptional they are… Think grown-up, gourmet monster ‘mores!

Theo Chocolate Big Daddy Marshmallows

Have a chocolicious day!  Annmarie Kostyk

Empty Cocoa Pods

Would you believe me if I told you that a large number of crimes surround chocolate? It’s true. There is a huge problem with child labor and slave trafficking going on in the cocoa market today, but we will save that for another day. Today we are going to embark on a series of historical crimes revolving around chocolate including smuggling, arson, assault, fraud, counterfeiting, murder, tampering, burglary and theft, and negligence. Hard to believe, I know, but it is true. I guess once you find something that works for you, you stick with it and all forms are a target. Chocolate crimes happen to the raw beans, cocoa powder and the chocolate itself. Why? Because chocolate is a commodity. We may not think of it as such, but nonetheless it is a commodity. Chocolate was once considered very rare and was often compared to gold and silver in the same conversation. It was, and still is, traded among not only gold and silver, but copper, orange juice, sugar, tea and coffee. Excuse me… I had to go get a bar of my favorite Trader Joe’s 85% Chocolate Bar for inspiration while I write.

Soft Commodities Include Cocoa Beans

A lot of the cocoa powder and chocolate products were tampered with by the merchants in Europe and the Americas during the 18^th century. All kinds of crazy substances were added so the merchants could make more money. Some of the substances added to cocoa powder and chocolate include brick dust, chalk, clay, dirt, and talc. Yum. I can’t help but wonder if anyone noticed that their hot cocoa was a bit off. To avoid being included in this group of unscrupulous merchants, a few merchants started adding a branding sign to their cocoa powder and chocolate to prove its authenticity and purity. One of the first merchants known to use branding was a company located in Boston, Massachusetts called John Brewster. He used “I.B.” for his branding. I am not sure what “I.B.”stood for, but people were assured of what they were getting and his business grew.

Cocoa Powder

Heritage Chocolate Block from Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Problems continued to escalate into the 19^th century causing more merchants to resort to branding their cocoa powder and chocolate. Labels started featuring terms like good, pure and unadulterated to show good faith. These types of problems continue to haunt small areas of the cocoa and chocolate industry even into the 20^th century. Frequently during this time, there were magazine and newspaper articles warning of the health dangers associated with impure chocolate.

Next week… How can you get arrested for stealing something that was already consumed? A look at the Old Bailey Criminal Court in London. I promise you will think I am making this up!

Old Bailey Criminal Court in London

Have a chocolicious day!  Annmarie Kostyk

Sir Hans Sloane

Sir Hans Sloane was both a physician, scientist, botanist and collector. He is most famously noted for his founding of the British Museum which began with his great collection of more than 71,000 plants, animals, antiquities, coins and many other objects of his time from all over the world.

Sir Hans Sloane Milk Chocolate Beverage

Some of the most intriguing specimens in his collection were of the Theobroma cacao he collected while he was stationed on the island of Jamaica as a personal physician to the island’s governor. Carl Linneaus, who was from Sweden and a fellow botanist of Sloane’s, visited him while he was stationed in Jamaica in 1736. Linneaus was credited for giving Theobroma cacao its name. Thank you Mr. Linneas!

While in Jamaica the natives introduced Sloane to the cocoa drink favored by the local people. He found it ‘nauseous’. His answer? Mixing it with milk. Sloane found this concoction to be quite tasty. It became the hot chocolate drink that we know today. Previously, hot cocoa was simply cocoa and hot water mixed with a variety of herbs and/or spices. He brought this chocolate recipe back to England where it was sold by apothecaries as a medicine. The apothecaries started selling it for just about every ailment and the manufacturing began. Eventually, in the nineteenth century, the recipe was taken up by Cadbury who manufactured the chocolate beverage using Sloane’s original recipe.

Hot Chocolate

The vast majority of Sir Hans Sloane’s collection may now be seen at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London.

What does 100% cocoa (cacao)  content mean in a dark chocolate bar?  Well, it’s not for the novice.  A 100% dark chocolate bar means you are eating straight dark chocolate.  It’s dark.  It’[s very bitter and acidic.  It's for the purist. It's 100% cocoa and sometimes cocoa butter.  No sugar, no flavorings, no vanilla, no lecithin. Nothing is added. It's great for diabetics too!  How much purer can you get?  A few years ago, it was unheard of to find a 100% dark chocolate bar .  In fact, the only dark chocolate bar with that high of a cocoa content I've had previously had was Michel Cluizel's 99% cocoa content.  That was a few years ago.  Today, it's easier to find 100% dark chocolate bars.  Here are some of my favorites...

Vintage Plantations 100% Dark Chocolate Bar:  Vintage Plantations 100% Dark Chocolate Bar is Rainforest Alliance Certified and part of the  Sustainable Cocoa Program.  Their Vintage Plantations Chocolate Bars are grown in Ecuador. 100% single origin bar is a blend of two Ecuadorian beans: the Homero Castro and Arriba varietals. Nutty with little bitterness at the end with a strong finish.

Chocolat Bonnat 100% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar:  Intense full-flavor and bitter finish. Chocolat Bonnat 100% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar is bitter, dry, strong and full of notes including almonds, grapefruit, coconut, raisins, a floral mix, raspberry, butter and whiskey.  It has a nice spiciness.  This is the strongest of the group.

Chocolat Bonnat 100% Cacao Chocolate Bar

Claudio Corallo 100% Claudio Bar:  Claudio Corallo 100% Pure Dark Chocolate Bar is a fantastic chocolate bar.  A great 100% cocoa content bar to try for the first time.  Not very bitter or acidic.  Rather nutty notes with hints of hops and cabernet.

Claudio Corallo 100% Claudio Dark Chocolate Bar

Domori Blend Line Il 100% Dark Chocolate Bar:   The Domori Blend Line Il 100% Dark Chocolate Bar is made from the rarest of cocoa beans – the criollo.  It’s balanced, only mildly bitter and acidic, and has a smooth finish.

Pacari Chocolate Raw 100% Dark Chocolate Bar: The only of the 100% cocoa content bars that is also 100% raw chocolate. It’s only slightly bitter and acidic offering notes of both fruit and spices to make Pacari Chocolate Raw 100% Dark Chocolate Bar a great choice.

Pacari Chocolate Raw 100% Dark Chocolate Bar

Francois Pralus Le 100% Dark Chocolate Bar: Francois Pralus’s Le 100% Dark Chocolate Bar is made from the Criollo cocoa bean grown in Madagascar.  Extremely bitter, but quite smooth with a rich, bold flavor.

Slitti Grand Cacao Dark Chocolate 100% Bar:  Slitti’s Grand Cacao Dark Chocolate 100% Bar is the earthiest of all the 100% cocoa chocolate bars with hints of a avariety of nuts and fruits.  It’s extremely dark, intense with hints of honey, coffee, salt and spices.

This recipe is great for kids and the kid in all of us.  Peanut butter and chocolate…seriously?  You cannot go wrong!  This is a recipe from Food and Wine.  I made them yesterday and and ate two while they were still warm.  Fantastic!  Give them a try.  You’ll love them.  Try to use organic peanut butter.

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter (sometimes I use chunky)
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I use 60-75% cocoa content.)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven. Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.

Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the buttermilk until combined. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture. Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip. Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep. Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it. Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until all of the cupcakes are filled.

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Off the heat, add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth. Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan. Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes. Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks. Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

Make Ahead:
The cupcakes are best served the same day they are made, but they can be refrigerated overnight in an airtight container.

Notes:
Cooking Club Tip from Food and Wine: If you don’t have a pastry bag with a fitted tip, you can fill these cupcakes by carving a hole in the center (from the top) with a sharp paring knife. Put the filling in a resealable plastic bag and snip off one of the corners. Pipe the filling directly into the hole.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake

Parish Map of Grenada

Prior to the 18^th century, cocoa production spread through the Caribbean islands of Trinidad, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Vincent and Jamaica. It was a little slower getting to the island of Grenada. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, however, Grenada became the hub of British cocoa production. In 1753, it was recorded that there were only 150,300 Theobroma cacao trees on Grenada. When the British took over control of the island in 1763, there were 42 estates that grew Theobroma cacao as well as coffee with a 3:4 ratio. Thirteen years later, more estates began growing Theobroma cacao. Just after this time, upheaval on the island in way of slave rebellion, a hurricane that devastated the island, a plague of red ants and an influx of foreign settlers limited the amount of cocoa production in Grenada.

Fermenting Cocoa in Grenada

Once the slaves were freed, the amount of cocoa produced in Grenada sunk even lower. There were no laborers for the cocoa plantations. At this point in time, Grenada was producing about a quarter of a million pounds of cocoa per year. Enter the age of the Theobroma cacao small farmer. Ex-slaves began to grow Theobroma cacao as a small-holder crop. There was an increase in acreage and production in the 1860s. Between 1856 and 1886, there was a ten-fold increase in cocoa production in Grenada all due to former slave cocoa farmers.

Rococo Chocolates Floral Bars are Made with Grenada (Photo Courtesy of Rococo Chocolates)

The Grenada Chocolate Company Team (Photo Courtesy of Grenada Chocolate)

In 1851, 1,130 acres were devoted to growing Theobroma cacao. By 1891, 12,607 acres were devoted to growing Theobroma cacao. During the year 1831, 337,903 pounds of cocoa were produced on the Caribbean island of Grenada and by the end of 1886 almost 5 millions pounds of cocoa was produced. A huge growth in rather a short amount of time. 79 percent of the cocoa was produced in the parishes of St. Mark and St. John. Theobroma cacao grew well for the farmers in Grenada and gained further momentum in the 19^th century. Today, Grenada continues to play an important role in the world of chocolate with many companies, including Grenada Chocolate Company and Rococo Chocolates using the beans of the Theobroma cacao to produce some of the world’s best chocolate and cocoa powder.

Grenada Chocolate Company (Photo Courtesy of the Grenada Chocolate Company)

The recipe for today is rich, colorful, sweet and tart.  It’s for Chocolate Cherry Almond Bars.  I found this recipe earlier this summer on the eCurry blog.  Chocolate, cherries and almonds work so well together.  They were easy to make and turned out most fabulously!  I promise you will be making this recipe again and again.  Everyone will be asking you for the recipe!

Chocolate Cherry Almond Bars

Serves 12

Ingredients:

For the base:
1  cup almond meal
1/2  cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the top layer:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup cherries, pitted and halved
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
pitted and sliced cherries for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease the base and sides of a 8 inch baking pan.

Grind the sugar. In a bowl combine almond meal, flour and lemon zest and rub the zest between your fingertips along with the flour to release the essential oils; combine the sugar along with the flour. Add the chilled butter and with your fingertips rub the butter till the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, or process the flour and the butter in a food processor.
Pat the mixture onto the base of the baking pan in an even layer and gently press it down; bake for 25 minutes.

Preparing the top layer:
Heat butter along with water in a pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the salt and the vanilla extract. Whisk in the eggs and fold in the self rising flour. Dust the cherries and nuts with flour. Pour the batter over the pre baked crust. Spoon in the cherries and the nuts from the top in small amounts as evenly as you can. Some of them will sink, but it is okay.
Return baking pan to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until set.
Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool for for 5 minutes. With a sharp knife slice into desired number of bars.

Let cool completely and separate bars and transfer them to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and sliced cherries if desired.

Chocolate Cherry Almond Bars (Photo Courtesy of eCurry.com)

Mayan Indian Art Work

Theobroma cacao is indigenous to Central America as it falls in the cocoa belt which is an area where the chocolate tree prefers to grow and flourish. The cocoa belt falls exactly twenty degrees both north and south of the equator. Theobroma cacao can grow in other areas, but it will not flower. No flowers mean no cocoa pods. It is believed that the cacao has been grown in the country of Belize for over 3,000 years. Actual farming began in the year 250 BCE. Today, cacao is still grown by the Mayan Indians (yes there are still Mayan Indians) in the Toledo area of Belize. Interestingly enough, Hershey’s, a United States company, is working with them along with the United States government for commercial export.

Green and Black's Mayan Gold Chocolate Bar

Green and Black’s, a company of the United Kingdom, was the first to export organic cocoa out of the Belize in 1992. It was the first Free Trade commodity in the United Kingdom. Green and Black’s sold the cocoa under the label of Mayan Black. Since then the growth of cacao has diminished due to lack of government subsidies for cacao, high-cost production, improvement of job opportunities in other sectors and the damaged from Hurricane Iris in 2001 that virtually wiped out Theobroma cacao.

Map of Costa Rica

Another country producing substantial amounts of cacao was Costa Rica. Theobroma cacao was brought to Costa Rica in the 1800s by the Jamaican workers who were working on the railroads and were already successfully growing cacao. Costa Rica already had large crops of banana trees which were perfect cover trees for the Theobroma cacao as the cacao likes to be shaded from direct sunlight. The cacao plantations thrived and cacao farmers prospered. In the 1960s, pod rot hit the entire country of Costa Rica resulting in the loss of 95% of the country’s cacao.

Painting of Theobroma cacao

From the 16^th century through the end of World War I, the farming of Theobroma cacao was dominate in the Caribbean islands. During this time, the islands producing the most cacao were Jamaica, Trinidad and the Windward Islands which include Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines and Grenada. After that time, West Africa took over as the leaders in cocoa production.

Spaniards and Cacao

Theobroma cacao was introduced to the Caribbean islands by the Spanish in the early 16^th century. The Spaniards brought the tree from Venezuela and records indicate that the first planting of Theobroma cacao was in Trinidad. There is a rumor that the British burned a ship to the ground in the late 16^th century thinking the cocoa beans were sheep’s droppings. Oops! At the turn of the 17^th century, Spanish physicians noted the medicinal qualities present in chocolate, many of which are still alive today, and chocolate as medicine was brought into England. Cocoa demand increased.

Raw Cocoa Beans

Venezuela was the largest producer of cacao in the 18^th century. The Caribbean began to increase cacao in both the amount of trees they were growing as well as the amount of cocoa beans they were exporting. Spain tried to prohibit the export of the Venezuelan raw cocoa beans to create a monopoly. From 1728 through 1780, they succeeded. A group of Spanish noblemen controlled the entire Venezuelan crop of cocoa. Cocoa started coming from the Caribbean and other countries, mostly illegally, during this time. Privateers flourished in these years basically taking over control of the cocoa trade which some say lasted until the 18^th century. Pirate ships were seen all over the Caribbean waters making a lucrative living bringing cocoa to Europe. A lot of the ships carrying cocoa were often either seized or burned to gain control of the cocoa trafficking. People wanted their cocoa.

Europeans Drinking Cocoa

Since there were so many changes needed to the Homemade Oreo Cookie recipe, I just deleted the original recipe and I’m re-posting.  No need to get anyone confused…I surely was!  This is the correct recipe and all of the ingredients are correct and accounted for in this one.  I made them last night and they turned out perfectly.

Once again, you can substitute the Black Cocoa Powder (aka Black Onyx Cocoa Powder) for the regular cocoa powder.  It will make for a more bitter and more authentic Oreo cookie taste.  Hasty Torres informed me that they made Oreos with the black cocoa powder.  Please keep in mind that these are not really Oreos, they just resemble them in looks and taste combination.  These are much better than Oreos and don’t have all of the preservatives and corn syrup.  You may order Black Cocoa Powder throughout the United States, albeit from a limited selection of stores.  It seems impossible to locate in the UK, limited places in France have it, but it is available in Spain I am told.  In the United States, you may order it from the Savory Spice Shop and King Arthur Flour.  King Arthur Flour will ship internationally, but they are frequently out of Black Cocoa Powder.  Don’t get discouraged though!  They always get it back in stock.

Again, under-cooking these cookies make them more like Whoppie Pies and cooking until crisp makes them more like Oreos.  Enjoy!

Black Cocoa Powder (aka Black Onyx Powder)

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Cookie:
125g ( 4 oz / 1/2 cup), unsalted butter
1/3 cup (40 g / 1 1/4 oz) powdered sugar
2/3 cup (85 g / 3oz) plain flour ( all purpose flour)
1/2 cup (60g / 2 oz ) self raising flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (may use Black Cocoa Powder)

For “Garnish” (Optional):
2/3 cup chocolate sprinkles
2 teaspoon powdered sugar to dust

For the Vanilla Cream:
75g (2 1/2 oz/ 1/3 cup) unsalted butter
2/3 cup(85 g/ 3 oz) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F/Gas 4) Line a 32 x 28 cm( 13×11 inch) baking tray with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light creamy. Using metal spoon, fold in the sifted flours and cocoa and mix to a soft dough. Roll 2 tsp of  dough into balls,using the base of a glass,press into 4 cm ( 1 1/2 inch) rounds. Place on the prepared tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

For the Vanilla Cream:
To make vanilla cream,using electric beaters,beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add vanilla essence and beat until well combined.
To assemble the biscuits, spread one biscuit with vanilla cream and place another on top to sandwich together. Using a flat- bladed knife,spread vanilla cream around join.

Optional: Place chocolate sprinkles on a plate and roll each biscuit on the side to coat the join.Dust the icing sugar

Assemble Directions:
Spread the bottom of one biscuit with the vanilla cream and press together.
Roll the assembled biscuit in chocolate sprinkles making sure the join is well covered.

Storage: Store for up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Homemade Oreo Cookies