How to make the best chocolate ?

First, we need to understand with the main ingredient. 

Cocoa… the raw version of chocolate.

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Is cocoa the world’s most powerful superfood ?

Cacao ( i.e. cocoa ) beans

A definition straight from Wikipedia… 

Raw chocolate is chocolate which is produced in a raw or minimally-processed form. It is made from unroasted (sun-dried) and cold pressed cacao butter.

The beans are ground into cocoa mass (cocoa paste). The mass is melted to become the liquor, and the liquor is either separated into cocoa solids and cocoa butter, or cooled and molded into blocks of raw chocolate.   

It’s still quite bitter though, so you can add a variety of crystalline and liquid sweeteners added to make it more suitable for our palates.  This could be coconut sugar, coconut nectar, xylito, agave nectar, maple syrup, and stevia. Cane sugar and other highly processed sugars are not used.

Nuts, seeds and dried fruits can be  added to add density and flavour.

Dairy products are not added to raw chocolate, therefore it is usually vegan. Soy is also usually avoided – soy lecithin is often used in processed chocolate. It is also naturally gluten-free.

Food of the Gods

The cocoa beans are actually the seeds found inside the pods that are harvested from the cacao tree. The cacao tree, also known as Theobroma cacao, translates as “Food of the Gods”. 

Cacao beans were originally known to have divine properties.  A raw chocolate guru once told us it’s so powerful that it’s actually about the most nutrient dense food on the planet. Wow, how did we not know that !  In S. America, where it originates, the Aztecs and Mayans placed these beans at very high value and used them as currency… 100 beans could buy them a chicken. 

Health benefits of raw cocoa

Raw, powdered cacao is oozing with flavonoids, which lower free radicals. These free radicals are effectively chemicals which can damage or change our body make-up. Flavonoids are great for us because they act as anti-oxidents in our body, and it is these antioxidants that protect our bodies from ageing and disease caused by the free radicals.

Apparently, raw cocoa contains the highest level of antioxidents provided by natural food, in the whole world !

The cacao bean is also rich in magnesium, an energy mineral and vital electrolyte, which is associated with calming the body’s nervous system.( ref: bodyandsoul.com )

According to Good Cause Wellness, the cocoa beans also provide some iron and calcium ( ref: livestrong.com)

The high levels of antioxidants in the raw cacao also gives us the same benefits if we apply it externally to the skin ! Yes go ahead and put that raw chocolate mask on! How many of us have had an anti-ageing chocolate massage !  It protects and repair the skin from damage. It is a potent anti-inflammatory, soothing redness, and improving the skin’s complexion. So this is why you will find soothing chocolate masks for the face, and why your more sensitive skin recovers so well after a chocolate waxing. ( All in the name of research of course, we have tried and tested it all for you… and it works.)

How to find your own chocolate heaven

The first chocolate recipe was made by the Aztecs in the 1600’s. It was a bit bitter, so they added sweeteners. As usual, our ( commercial ) world has taken this too far and what was an amazing superfood, has now become sin food. We are slowly taking control again and  getting back to the goodness nature intended for us. 

Pure raw chocolate can be too much though on its own, so its good to also add a variety of the good ingredients below (sweeteners, oils, nuts and seeds) to make your own chocolate heaven.

 FREE MINI COOKBOOK ! 

A heads up for you ! Stay connected here (or send us your email through the box at the bottom of the page)  and one of our freebies is a mini cookbook of 6 fabulous and simple recipes to get you started from our Danny, own favourite raw chocolate guru !

Cacao Ingredients 

Just to make it easy for you below, we have outlined the meaning of all the food ingredients associated with the cocoa bean. Note: Cocoa is just the english translation of Cacao.

• Cacao butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pure, stable fat that is pressed out of cacao beans. It is light coloured and has the flavor and aroma of cocoa. Extra cocoa butter is usually added to make chocolate.
• Cocoa solids are a mixture of many substances remaining after the cocoa butter is extracted from the beans. The beans are then ground into cocoa powder. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder or cocoa. 

• Cocoa liquor is pure cocoa mass ( also known as paste) in solid or semi-solid form. It contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter in roughly equal proportion. The term liquor is an old term meaning fluid, and it does not mean it’s alcoholic!  The Cacao Wafers in the shopping list below are made from the paste of organic premium ground Cacao Beans. 

• Cacao nibs are little crunchy dried and fermented bits of the cacao bean. Think of the texture like a roughly ground coffee bean.

Cocoa Shopping Guide

If you are taking baby steps, perhaps just start with the cacao powder. 

We’d also like to have a go at making our own date paste, we heard it’s simple to do ( Step 1: Push crushed pitted dates into a saved jam jar till they reach the top ! Step 2: top up with water and seal in fridge overnight. Step 3: should be soft now so just blend to a paste and keep the jar in the fridge…should last about a month. )

Once we send you access to the free pdf download, you’ll be able to access all our private posts for our email members. We’ll also show you where we like to get the best ingredients and some other starter packs too.

cocoa in moderation…

You can get your healthy cocoa daily in home made raw cocoa hot chocolate, smoothies, or home made chocolates even. To get started, check out the chocolate making kits in the shopping links in our private post. We’ve just bought the vegan and diabetic friendly chocolate making starter kit as gifts for daughter and father, so we’ll see how they get on and let you know.

As always too much of a good thing can’t be all good…  so don’t be a cocoaholic !

Some final advice…

You might also need a hand blender for some recipes, a more powerful one for others. So if you don’t have one, check here to find out  everything you need to know about buying the right one for you.

Bon appetit xx