aLet’s celebrate World Chocolate Day
July 7 2018
Dark chocolate and the cacao bean itself are the best source of antioxidants on earth. Studies actually show that dark chocolate (not milk or white chocolate) can improve your health. So, let us celebrate ‘World Chocolate Day’ by gaining all the health benefits this bean has to offer.
As we all know, dark chocolate is bitter, and this is the way we know that a plant is high in proline-rich proteins and it also tells us that our bodies cannot gain all the benefits the plant has to offer. This is where Biohawk Australia’s enzyme-rich products can help.
Biohawk Australia’s aim is to condition the cacao beans where they are produced, for example in Peru, so that all the chocolate made from those beans has its proline-rich proteins digested so it is much more beneficial for all people’s health, its bitterness removed reducing the need for added sugar or milk, its nutrition fully released, and its flavor achieving its true magnificence.
Until then, we need to treat the chocolate and cacao before we consume them.
To gain the benefits you must eat chocolate that has a minimum of 70% cacao or incorporate in your cooking cacao nibs or cacao powder. High in fibre, iron, magnesium, and other minerals it improves blood flow as well as heart and brain health. Of course, you should not go out and eat copious amounts of chocolate every day, but if you choose quality and treat with Biohawk Australia’s Relief you will gain the true benefits of the cacao beans.
How do you know if it is the right chocolate or cacao you are buying? When buying a good quality dark chocolate, read the label and ensure that the ingredients are high in cacao (70% or more), that cacao is the first ingredient listed, that there are no unnecessary ingredients listed like added fats (cacao butter is fine), milk, artificial flavour or excessive added sugar. If you are buying cocoa/cacao powder ensure it has not been Dutch processed as this process strips away the bitterness, but also the vitamins and minerals. The common cocoa powders you buy at the supermarkets are generally Dutch processed, but if you look for cacao powder, sometimes in their health section, they should not have been processed in this way. Using Biohawk Australia’s ginger enzymes you will lose the bitter properties and gain all the nutrition. So lets get cooking with chocolate and cacao and see why it has been a Super food for 4000 years.
Treating chocolate
To treat a chocolate block you will need to melt and reset.
- Melt 250g of dark chocolate (minimum 70%) in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Once it has melted take it off the water being careful not to burn yourself with the steam Wipe the bottom of the bowl.
- When melted stir in 1/32 teaspoon, yes only a smidgeon, of Relief.
- Pour into molds or onto some baking paper and spread so it is even.
- Allow to set and then unmold or break the piece on the baking paper into small amounts and store in an airtight container.
Hot Chocolate for 2
Ingredients
150g dark chocolate (minimum70%)
1 ½ cups full cream milk (pre treated with DigestEasy or Relief)
a smidgeon of Relief
Method
- Roughly chop the chocolate and place into mugs. Put a smidgeon of Relief in with the chocolate.
- Put the milk into a saucepan and warm over a low heat. When warm, but not hot, pour half of the milk over the chocolate and stir to make the chocolate melt.
- Put the remaining milk back on the heat and heat until hot but not boiling. Pour this over the chocolate milk.
- Top with marshmallows, a sprinkle of cinnamon or grated chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache Bundt Cake
[cooked-sharing]
Preheat oven to 150°C. Generously butter the inside of a 2.4L bundt tin so you ensure the grooves are coated. You can also use 2 x 9inch (20cm) round tins but you will need to adjust the cooking time. If using round tins line the tins with baking paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and BakeAid into a large bowl. Repeat so that you have sifted three times.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Once it has melted take it off the water being careful not to burn yourself with the steam Wipe the bottom of the bowl.
Sift in the cacao powder and stir.
Add vanilla extract, sour cream and 80ml of boiling water and stir until it forms a smooth, thick paste.
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time whisking well after each addition.
Stir in the chocolate paste until well combined but do not over-mix.
Fold the flour mix into the batter.
Carefully pour into the bundt tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. If using two round tins start with cooking for 30 minutes and adjust cooking time from there.
Remove from oven and leave in tin to cool for 15 minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool.
Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just starts to simmer.
Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate, allow to sit for one minute so the chocolate can start to melt.
Add the Relief and stir until the mixture is smooth.
Pour over the cooled cake.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 150°C. Generously butter the inside of a 2.4L bundt tin so you ensure the grooves are coated. You can also use 2 x 9inch (20cm) round tins but you will need to adjust the cooking time. If using round tins line the tins with baking paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and BakeAid into a large bowl. Repeat so that you have sifted three times.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Once it has melted take it off the water being careful not to burn yourself with the steam Wipe the bottom of the bowl.
Sift in the cacao powder and stir.
Add vanilla extract, sour cream and 80ml of boiling water and stir until it forms a smooth, thick paste.
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time whisking well after each addition.
Stir in the chocolate paste until well combined but do not over-mix.
Fold the flour mix into the batter.
Carefully pour into the bundt tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. If using two round tins start with cooking for 30 minutes and adjust cooking time from there.
Remove from oven and leave in tin to cool for 15 minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool.
Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just starts to simmer.
Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate, allow to sit for one minute so the chocolate can start to melt.
Add the Relief and stir until the mixture is smooth.
Pour over the cooled cake.
Notes
Let us all enjoy World Chocolate Day!