Raw Chocolate

I recently attended a raw food desserts class taught by Chaya Ryvka Diehl (www.thelivingvision.com) at People's Food Coop in Portland, Oregon. During the class we sampled and created three recipes that contained raw cacao (chocolate). There is so much information out there about cacao/cocoa and I would like to share some of that basic information including the history and nutritional benefits of cacao in its raw form.

First of all, what is the difference between raw cacao and conventional cocoa? I hear this question a lot. Cacao beans are the seeds of the evergreen cacao tree which is native to Mexico and now grows in many tropical regions around the world. Conventional chocolate is processed by fermentation. During the process the cacao beans are heated up to temperatures around 125 degrees. Raw cacao is the unheated processed bean of the cacao pod. Raw chocolate producers either skip the fermentation process completely or ferment the beans only slightly before drying them. Here I am at the Hilo, Hawaii Farmers Market holding a beautiful cacao pod.

The history of cacao is fascinating (if you are into food history). According to Cameron L. Mcneil, editor of Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao (University Press of Florida, 2006).

For many pre-Columbian cultures of the Americas, cacao seeds and the comestibles produced from them were literally part of their religion and played a central role in their spiritual beliefs and social and economic systems. In isolated areas these traditions continue to this day. Parts of this plant have been consumed in Central and South America for thousands of years. For many of the ancient and modern cultures in these regions, cacao was not only an important part of religious rituals, but also a component of beverages and foods, a topical cream, and an ingredient in medicine. It reached its height of importance in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, whose northern limit begins in Central Mexico, and which then encompasses Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and western Honduras. Mesoamerica is renowned for its myriad highly stratified societies including the Olmecs, Maya, and Mexica (Aztecs). Cacao played a central role in the complex elite culinary traditions and practices of these cultures.

For more information on the history of cacao you can go to :
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2008/05/history-of-cacao-and-chocolate.html

There are many nutritional benefits to eating raw cacao. Cacao is higher in antioxidant content than green tea, red wine, or blueberries. It is a rich source of magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulfur and potassium. Cacao also contains dopamine and anandamide which are neurotransmitters associated with feeling in love as well as theobromine which can produce an effect similar to caffeine.

Raw cacao is one of my favorite things to experiment with in the kitchen. I want to share a delicious and easy recipe that I know. I love it because it uses avocado as the base. Avocados are full of vitamins and minerals, contain essential fatty acids and are a good protein source. Keep a lookout for my next post. I will talk more about avocados and give you some great recipes. This raw chocolate pudding takes 5 minutes to prepare and honestly, kids love it. Also, it is a great alternative to store bought pudding. Enjoy!

Raw Cacao Pudding:
1 ripe avocado
5-6 tablespoons unsweetened raw cacao powder or organic cocoa powder
1/4-1/2 cup agave syrup

pinch of sea salt

pinch of cinnamon (optional)

1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup purified water

1. Combine the avocado, cacao/cocoa powder, agave syrup, 2 tablespoons of the water, and the vanilla extract and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. You can also use a blender for this.
2. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of water and process again until well blended. The more water you add, the thinner the pudding will be.