< chocolate and chocolate and chocolate cake >
Three flavours that work really well together!
Over the years I have narrowed my favourite chocolate to bake with down to four brands: Callebaut (@callebautoz), Valrhona (@valrhona_south_east_asia), Green & Black’s (@greenandblacks) and Hunted+Gathered (@huntedandgathered). All use sustainable and fair-trade methods of production.
Green & Black’s and Hunted+Gathered use organic ingredients and Callebaut and Valrhona have an organic range.
While three of the four are from overseas (the food miles are horrific, I know), Hunted + Gathered is made right here in Melbourne and it is BOMB. Not only do I eat it for dessert nearly overnight it is also my top baking pick. It contains no nasties and for those with restricted dietary requirements it is also soy, dairy and gluten free.
This lack of additives is SO important when baking with chocolate, especially when tempering or making ganache, fillings or icing. I found that all those weird “ingredients” with numbers after them are what cause things to go awry; for chocolate to split, curdle or dry up into a crazy, weird gravel like substance (yes that happened!).
Also if I’m making a cake that is all about chocolate I want that chocolate to be damn good! If the chocolate is crap before you bake with it, the end result will be crap too. Cooking or baking isn’t going to improve or hide bad chocolate, quite the opposite in fact. So, don’t even think about touching that “cooking chocolate” poison!
p.s. this isn’t sponsored (LOL, I wish!) Just an honest share from a chocolate obsessive.