Chocolate indulgence
IYABO AYANDARE asks you to satisfy your sweet-palette with these sumptuous chocolate snacks and drinks. Enjoy.
COCOA or dark chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed food produced from the seed of the tropical cocoa tree and has been cultivated for at least three millennia all over the world for its benefits to the circulatory system.
Though regularly eaten for pleasure, there are potential beneficial health effects of eating chocolate, which includes serving as anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventive and antidiarrhoeal effects. An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven.
On the other hand, the unconstrained consumption of large quantities of any energy-rich food such as chocolate is thought to increase the risk of obesity without a corresponding increase in activity. Recent studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages.
Some studies have also observed a modest reduction in blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation after consuming dark chocolate daily. Consuming milk chocolate or white chocolate, or drinking fat-containing milk with dark chocolate appears largely to negate the health benefit. Processed cocoa powder (so called Dutch chocolate), processed with alkali greatly reduces the antioxidant capacity as compared to "raw" cocoa powder. Processing cocoa with alkali destroys most of the flavonoids.
One-third of the fat in chocolate comes in the form of a saturated fat called stearic acid and monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. However, unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid does not raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Consuming relatively large amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa does not seem to raise serum LDL cholesterol levels; some studies even find that it could lower them. Indeed, small but regular amounts of dark chocolate lower the possibility of a heart attack.
A study performed at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and appearing in the Journal of Internal Medicine (September 2009), found that survivors of heart attacks who ate chocolate at least two or three times a week reduced their risk of death by a factor of up to three times compared to survivors who did not eat chocolate. The benefits were specific to chocolate and not to other sweets.
A study from James Madison University, presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, showed that post-exercise consumption of low-fat chocolate milk provides equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories. Athletes consuming chocolate milk had significantly lower levels of creatine kinase, an indicator of muscle damage, compared to drinkers of carbohydrate beverage. Sweating causes loss of fluid and also important minerals, including calcium, potassium and magnesium. The two-hour window after exercise is an important, but often neglected opportunity to recover.
Flavonoids can inhibit the development of diarrhea, suggesting antidiarrhoeal effects of cocoa.
The major concern that nutritionists have is that even though eating dark chocolate may not affect serum cholesterol, blood pressure or LDL oxidation, it is not known whether it affects certain biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the amount needed to have this effect would provide a relatively large quantity of calories, which, if unused, would promote weight gain. Obesity is a significant risk factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular disease. As a consequence, consuming large quantities of dark chocolate in an attempt to protect against cardiovascular disease has been described as 'cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.'
Again, there is a popular belief that the consumption of chocolate can cause acne. This belief is not supported by scientific studies. Various studies point not to chocolate, but to the high glycemic nature of certain foods, like sugar, corn syrup, and other simple carbohydrates, as a cause of acne. Chocolate itself has a low glycemic index. Other dietary causes of acne cannot be excluded yet, but more rigorous research is required.
Chocolate has one of the higher concentrations of lead among products that constitute a typical Westerner's diet, with a potential to cause mild lead poisoning. Recent studies have shown that although the beans themselves absorb little lead, it tends to bind to cocoa shells and contamination may occur during the manufacturing process.
While studies show that the lead consumed in chocolate may not all be absorbed by the human body, there is no known threshold for the effects of lead on children's brain function and even small quantities of lead can cause permanent neuro-developmental deficits including impaired IQ.
Satisfy your sweet-tooth with these value added chocolate recipes. You can get some of the ingredients at standard supermarkets.
Chocolate scouffle
Recipe for six servings:
1/3 cup sugar
150 g bittersweet chocolate
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
Pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C). Grease one large scouffle dish or 6 small scouffle dishes. Melt the chocolate over hot water (in a double boiler). Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Add 1/3 cup of sugar gradually while whisking with the electric mixer. Mix gently the melted chocolate with the egg yolks and approximately one-cup of the whisked egg whites.
Fold in the remaining part of the whisked egg whites. Bake in the middle of the oven until crusted on top and practically cooked in the middle, approximately 30-45 minutes for a large souffle dish.
Chocolate cake
Recipe for five servings:
1cup flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pinches salt
1cup sugar
1tablespoon vanilla essence
Cup milk or water
Cup vegetable oil (flavourless)
2 eggs
For frosting:
2/3cup heavy cream
260 g semisweet chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) cake tin. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl. Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed. If the batter is too runny you may add slightly more flour. Move to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).
Frosting
Heat 2/3 cup of heavy cream in a saucepan.
Remove from heat, add 260g of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens, if needed in the fridge.
Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting. Cool for 40-45 minutes before serving.
Hot chocolate drink
Recipe for three servings:
4 tablespoons instant hot chocolate mix
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash chilli powder
Cup milk
Cup hot water
In a large mug, mix the hot chocolate mix, chocolate syrup, cinnamon, and chilli powder. Pour in the milk. Add the boiling water and stir.
Chocolate trifle
Recipe for seven servings:
Package brownie mix
Package instant chocolate pudding mix
Cup water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Bar chocolate candy
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1-inch squares. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain.
In a trifle bowl or glass-serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.
Chocolate coconut cream pie
Recipe for five servings:
9 inch unbaked pie-crust
2/3cup sugar
1/3cup cornstarch
Teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1tablespoon butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cup flaked coconut
Chocolate layer:
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Meringue:
3 egg whites
Teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
Bake pie pastry. Cool. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt, stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Beat egg yolks lightly.
Stir a little of the hot mixture into the yolks, return all to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour 1-1/2 cups mixture into small bowl; add coconut to bowl and set aside.
Combine chocolate layer ingredients; blend into remaining mixture in saucepan. Return to heat; cook and stir until mixture begins to boil. Remove from the heat; spread one cup over bottom of pie-crust. Top with coconut mixture and finish with remaining chocolate mixture.
For meringue, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread over hot filling, sealing to edges of pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool to room temperature; chill several hours before serving.
