As if anyone needed another reason to eat chocolate, recently
published research showed that dark chocolate and cocoa may help
lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, and provide other
cardiovascular benefits, multiple studies have shown. Good quality dark
chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids, believed to improve the
flexibility of blood vessels. Unfortunately, it only counts if eaten in
moderation!
Once known as ‘the food of the gods' in Aztec
culture, the story of chocolate really began with the discovery of the Americas
when Columbus returned in triumph and laid before the Spanish throne a treasure
trove of strange and wonderful things.
No one could ever have imagined how important
chocolate and their bitter cocoa beans would become. By the 16th and 17th
century’s, chocolate was the favoured drink in nearly all of Spain’s private
houses. For most of that time, it was prepared by local monks in their
cloisters and monastery kitchens. They overcame the strong, bitter taste by
adding sugar and vanilla, making the drink much more palatable and it quickly
became popular throughout the whole of Spain. Chocolate houses known as
“Chocolaterias”, similar to cafés began to appear everywhere and even today,
these “Chocolaterias”, where nothing but hot chocolate and pastries are served,
still exist in most of Spain’s major cities.
In recent years, Spanish Pastry Chefs such as
the internationally renowned Paco Torreblanca, Albert Adria and Oriol Balaguer
have all been at the forefront of a movement challenging and pushing the
boundaries of imaginative chocolate desserts to new heights, but if you want to
sample something less taxing and simple: whip up a little delectable drink, fry
off some home-made “churros” and start dunking.
There is a popular expression in Spanish that goes
“se vende como churros” and it basically means that something is popular they
sell like hot cakes. There is no doubting that churros are a part of Spain's
social fabric, much like croissants in France and bagels in New York. And they
are easily the country's most popular fairground snack, hangover cure, and New
Year's Eve treat. It's been that way for centuries and this fried snack has
become so universally adored that today it unites people of every walk of life.
If you want to see a true cross section of Spanish society, spend a few hours
in a “churrería”. There is one just around the corner from my restaurant in
Palma and on festive day’s, it’s so good the queue stretches around the corner.
CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE
Ingredients: serves
4
For the churros:
250ml water
125g butter
200g flour
1 egg
1 egg
1 piece of lemon rind
4tbsp sugar
1/4tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
4tbsp sugar
1/4tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Oil for frying
For the hot chocolate:
250g dark chocolate, chopped
300ml milk
1tsp corn flour
300ml milk
1tsp corn flour
To make churros:
Bring the water, lemon rind
and butter to the boil. Remove the lemon rind and add the flour, stirring
vigorously over low heat until the mixture comes away from the sides cleanly
and forms a ball, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat. Beat in the
whole egg and continue beating until thick and smooth.
Spoon the mixture into a
piping bag with a fluted tube. Heat the oil and squeeze 4-inch strips of dough
into hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown, turning once,
about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon and serve with hot chocolate for dipping.
To make the hot chocolate:
Place the chopped chocolate
and half the milk in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the chocolate
has melted. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and whisk into the
chocolate. Cook over a gentle flame, whisking constantly, until the chocolate
has thickened, about five minutes. Add extra cornstarch if it doesn't start to
thicken after 5 minutes. Pour into cups and serve warm
BROWNIE HEAVEN
A good brownie is coffee time nirvana. Unlike Black
Forest Gâteau, chocolate sponge, or even Sachertorte, this is a confection of
substance, relying not on icing or filling for its flavour, but chocolate
through and through. The top needs to be shiny and crisp, as a contrast to the
softness of the centre achieved by slightly undercooking the mixture. I also
prefer to add nuts for texture.
Dark
chocolate Brownie
Ingredients.
200g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
250g light brown sugar
50g peeled almonds, chopped
80g cocoa powder, sifted
65g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large free-range eggs
Zest of 1 orange
Preheat the oven to 190°C
Prepare an 18cm square, deep tin by lining with
nonstick baking paper.
Melt the chocolate & butter together in a bowl
Mix the eggs and sugar in a food processor. Slowly
add the almonds, orange zest, baking powder, flour and cocoa.
Transfer mixture to the prepared tin, and bake for 30
minutes.
When cooked, leave to cool in the tin, before cutting
into 12 bite-sized squares.
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