Good chocolate like good coffee, is either worth the trouble or higher cost to you or it's not. It's a sort of enlightenment. Recent studies have confirmed the health benefits of good, dark chocolate. this has translated to me as, "eat more chocolate" or "feel less guilty." It is not unusual to find rolled up foil wrappers from dark Dove chocolates in the washing machine, dryer, in my jeep, in the fishing tackle box, and all of my family's coat pockets. Yes, we love chocolate.
Chocolate is my favorite de-bonking remedy on long Mountain Bike rides. Chocolate milk is as popular a post-ride beverage as a micro brew.
So what better reasons have we for not making some cocoa imbued sweets for our Sweethearts?
Here are some tips to keep in mind while cooking
with cocoa and chocolate
- Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate can be used interchangeably. Bittersweet as the name indicates is less sweet. Choose one from a premium chocolate maker.
- Unsweetened chocolate can NOT be used interchangeably with bittersweet or semisweet chocolate.
- Cocoa powder can be either natural unsweetened or Dutch processed. Dutch processed involves a treatment with alkali to neutralize the natural acidity. Dutched cocoa is nutty and mellow, natural cocoa is sharper and fruity in flavor.
- It is best to use the type of cocoa called for in the recipe because both cocoas react differently with baking powder and baking soda. Use the finest cocoa powder you can and/or try the many bulk varieties available at natural food stores.
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| Baked donuts glazed in ganache |
