Remember when I introduced Ernie & Erica’s Truffle Recipes? Best truffles EVER, and you can get the step-by-step to make them that way.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, too!
Mouth-watering decadence. Treat yourself. Treat someone you love.
Remember when I introduced Ernie & Erica’s Truffle Recipes? Best truffles EVER, and you can get the step-by-step to make them that way.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, too!
Mouth-watering decadence. Treat yourself. Treat someone you love.
Instant friendship. With both the truffle and the chocolatier behind it.
Continue reading Meet the Chocolatiers: Ernie & Erica (and meet their truffle recipe, too)
Those of you who follow this blog know that we do not do High Fructose Corn Syrup. Or any corn syrup, or corn starch or food starch or-or-or-or…. I took great pride for years that I make “everything from scratch” but I was a liar.
You learned how to make organic, fair trade cocoa powder from your cacao nibs. Awesome! Now what? We bring 58 gourmet recipes that range from gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, dairy-free, and just-plain-nourishing! There are even some homemade cosmetic recipes!
Beverages
Rainy Day Paleo Hot Chocolate (Dairy Free) by Hollywood Homestead
Honey-Sweetened Hot Chocolate by Recipes To Nourish
Avocado Banana Cacao Smoothie (Raw, Vegan) by jarOhoney
Real Chocolate Milk by Economies of Kale
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie by jarOhoney
Chocolate Banana Shake with Coconut Oil by Delicious Obsessions
Healthy Hot Chocolate by Health Extremist
Hot Cacao Drink (As Good As, Better Than? Coffee) by Fresh Bites Daily
Hot Pumpkin Spice Cacao by Fresh Bites Daily
The Kosher Cave Girl
Brownies, Cupcakes, and Cakes
Roasted Blackberry Brownies by An Organic Wife
Paleo Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies by Paleo Gone Sassy
Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownie (Vegan, gluten-free & sugar-free) by Green Press
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes (Gluten Free & Dairy Free) by Hollywood Homestead
Gluten-Free Chocolate Mousse Cake with Cardamom by Healing, Yoga and Qigong
Hazelnut Silk Petit Four (Raw, Vegan) by jarOhoney
Real Food Chocolate Cake by The Toups Address
Super Fudgy Chocolate Walnut Brownies (Gluten Free, Grain Free) by Delicious Obsessions
Raw Brownie Bites by Live Simply
Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins by Paleo Gone Sassy
No Bake Chocolate Fudge Fridge Cake (Raw, Vegan, Paleo) by Gourmande In The Kitchen
Grain Free Black Forest Cupcakes (& an amazing real food frosting) by The Kosher Cave Girl
Coconut Flour Brownies by Health Extremist
Cookies
Chocolate Nut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free, Grain Free) by Delicious Obsessions
Candy, Chocolates, and Candy Bars
Raw, Healthy Fudge by An Organic Wife
Chocolate Sunflower Freezer Fudge by Recipes To Nourish
Hawthorn Herbal Chocolates by Natural Herbal Living Magazine
Chocolate Vanilla Marble Freezer Fudge by Recipes To Nourish
Homemade Candy Bars (or Chocolate Chips) by An Organic Wife
Dark Chocolate Maca Love Truffles by Happy Healthnut
Healthy Dark Chocolate Truffles by Healing, Yoga, and Qigong
Banana Bon Bons (Raw, Vegan, Paleo) by jarOhoney
Make Your Own Dark Chocolate Bar in 5 Minutes by Learning and Yearning
An Easy Homemade Chocolate Recipe by Economies of Kale
Chocolate Energy Bars (Gluten Free, Grain Free) by Delicious Obsessions
Paleo Chocolate Slice by Economies of Kale
Healthy, Chocolate Powerballs by Economies of Kale
Chocolate Almond Energy Bites by Happy Healthnut
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bon Bons by Little Owl Crunchy Momma
Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Peanut Butter Fudge Bar by Delicious Obsessions
Raw Double Layer Chocolate Fudge with Cacao Nibs by Gourmande in the Kitchen
Cacao Almond Balls by It Takes Time
Ice Cream, Pudding
Aztec Chocolate Ice Cream by Food Your Body Will Thank You For
Dark Chocolate Chia Pudding by Family Gone Healthy
Chocolate Raspberry Avocado Pudding by Recipes To Nourish
Homemade Fudgesicles by Recipes To Nourish
Chocolate Smothered Coconut Ice Cream by jarOhoney
Old Fashioned Brown Butter Pudding (with grain free thickener) by Vintage Kids Modern World
Easy Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding by Delicious Obsessions
Chocolate Chunk Vegan Ice Cream by Economies of Kale
Coconut Chocolate Mousse (Paleo, Primal) by Eat Play Love More
Easy, Healthy Chocolate Mousse by Economies of Kale
Maca Chocolate Pots De Crème (fertility & libido enhancing) by Real Food RN
Spreads, Sauces, & Condiments
Chocolate Hazelnut Spread by An Organic Wife
Chocolate Fudge Sauce by Recipes To Nourish
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting by Recipes To Nourish
Delia’s Chocolate Syrup (Or Chocolate Sauce) Recipe by Pantry Paratus
Beauty, Cosmetics
Smooth Finish DIY Organic Foundation with Sunscreen by ScratchMommy
Homemade Foundation Powder by Live Simply
Get Organic, Free Trade Cacao Nibs Here.
Read up:
Using Cacao Part 1: Is Cocoa Powder & Cacao Powder The Same Thing?
Using Cacao Part 2: Chocolate By Any Other Name (Chocolate Defined)
Using Cacao Part 3: Homemade Cocoa Powder
Wilson’s Chocolate Series:
Chocolate Part 1: The History of Chocolate
Chocolate Part 2: The Science (And Art) of How It Is Made
Chocolate Part 3: Chocolate In America
Photos: All photos are property of the blogs for which they represent, respectively, and were used with permission. Please visit each blog’s recipe post to learn more about their recipes and photopgraphy.
I suffer from high expectations, and since I use chocolate to self-medicate the consequences of that, I decided that I should begin applying my high expectations to the chocolate itself. First, is it ethically produced chocolate? Is it fresh? And then, if I’m getting those two things how on earth can I have it affordable? The answer lay within the nearest bag of organic, fair trade cacao nibs. By purchasing bulk through Pantry Paratus, I am getting a great price. By grinding my own nibs into powder, I am getting the freshest product possible.
Taste Test
I wanted to know if I would really prefer it to the others on the market.
I did a cocoa powder taste test.
It was hardly a scientific approach. The Hershey’s Powder and the Ghirardelli were in my pantry already. Both were within the expiration dates by a wide margin but I highly doubt I purchased them simultaneously so they are likely differing ages; they were stored properly and in the same conditions.
RESULTS:
Tired. Bland. Slightly clumpy but a nice powder texture.
That was the Hershey’s. No real complaints but definitely my least favorite. It requires more to get the same chocolatey flavor.
Good flavor, nice powder. But expensive.
Yup, that would be the Ghirardelli’s. Having done a taste-test between it and Hershey’s, I would say that Ghirardelli’s is the better powder by far due to texture and a more potent chocolate flavor. I deliberately did not alter these photos to improve lighting; look at the difference in color between Hershey’s & Ghirardelli’s.
Best value (hands down), freshest flavor, and known origin.
Extra steps and cleaning.
Without a doubt, I really do prefer the home-ground cacao nibs flavor-for-flavor. Other powders remove much of the cacao fat so that it is shelf-stable, but it is where the deep, bitter flavor resides. You are retaining that with cacao nibs, so fewer are needed to get a rich flavor. With Ghirardelli selling for over $18 a lb, I think I’ll take the DIY method with the cacao nibs. I use my coffee grinder so it isn’t really more work, but it is an extra step and the grinder does make one more thing in the dirty-dish pile. Knowing the human trafficking involved in the chocolate industry, though, it feels extremely selfish to voice the “ugh, a dirty dish to feed my gluttonous indulgence for chocolate” complaint outloud. <yup, erased and re-wrote the last paragraph twice—don’t want to sound like a horrible person OR like a self-righteous one. It’s the chocolate talking. >
How To Grind Cacao Nibs
The high level of fat in the nibs means that you should never use an electric grain mill. Use either a solid and trustworthy food processor, a hand-crank grain mill with the stainless steel burrs, or a coffee grinder. You will make your appliance earn its spot on the counter with this job, though, so be sure it is a tough one. You will have to grind it several times. It may never come out with the fine powder to which you are accustomed (shelf-stable powder also have a lot of the cacao fat removed), but the right appliance and multiple grindings can do it. As you grind, you may need to pause and remove the gummy cacao fat (“liquor”) on the bottom of the grinder several times. Store your powder in an air-tight container in the freezer for maximum shelf-life. Remember that there is a high percentage of fat in that powder and it will go rancid. Ideally, only grind what you plan to use within the week.
I’m done buying the store-bought stuff when fresh, full-flavored cocoa powder can be made so quickly, ethically, and affordably. If you would like to pick up a 1 pound bag of cacao nibs for a great price, get them here with Pantry Paratus.
Humbly signing off to go wash dishes,
Chaya
Did you miss the other articles in the Using Cacao Series?
Part 1: Is Cocoa Powder and Cacao Powder the Same Thing?
Part 2: Chocolate By Any Other Name (Chocolate Defined)
All Photos are property of Pantry Paratus. Feel free to share or pin them in conjunction with this blog, but please keep proper attribution. Thanks in advance.
I have never been so keenly aware to the superfluous –and harmful–ingredients used in some of my favorite indulgences. Now that we have identified food allergies within our family, we cannot “cheat” on our whole foods (real, nourishing, traditional food) diet. Oh, and did I ever cheat.
I created this recipe to reinvent one of my favorite indulgences–the classic truffle. This truffle has the look, the melting sensation in your mouth, the spark of a perfectly balanced topping, and the deep rich chocolate aftertaste that instinctively required you to close your eyes and savor.
Here is the catch: this nourishing truffle recipe should make a full dozen. You cannot eat every other one for me to keep my promise on that. See my remnants:
1. Soak the nuts for approximately ½ hour (overnight is really best for your health, but not necessary for the recipe).
2. Put the nuts and honey into your food processor until a smooth paste. Add Frontier Organic Hot Cocoa powder and salt; combine until a thick, sticky paste.
3. Place the batter into the freezer for 20-30 minutes (just put the whole food processor bowl in there).
4. Once they have been stiffened in the freezer, roll out the balls onto a flat surface covered in the toppings of your choice. I use more cocoa, homemade dehydrated orange peel, and sesame seeds.
5. Place truffles onto baking paper in a pan, and store in refrigerator.
Truffled,
Chaya
Looking for the ingredients?
Please feel free to pin or share any of the pictures, but please keep proper attribution. They are property of Pantry Paratus.