Is Chocolate the New Superfruit?

Just one thing to remember: best to select dark chocolate and also make sure it is from fair trade, organic sources, as well as the related ingredients like sugar to avoid exposure to GMO, as Hershey seems to be using these days. 

Chocolate is the new super fruit, claim Hershey scientists

By Jane Byrne, 07-Feb-2011

Cocoa powder and dark chocolate has equivalent polyphenol content and greater antioxidant and flavanol content than various super fruits, claims a new study by research scientists based at the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition.The authors, who published their findings in the Chemistry Central Journal said that their results indicate that cacao seeds thus provide nutritive value beyond that derived from their macronutrient composition and thus should be termed ‘super fruit’.

The fruit pulp of the Theobroma cacao pod that surrounds its seeds can be consumed; however the vast majority of people have only consumed the seed-derived portion of cacao in the form of cocoa powder or chocolate. So the goal of the study, said the Hershey scientists, was to compare cocoa powder and chocolate, products representing the commonly eaten portion of the cacao fruit, with powders and juices from so-called “Super Fruits”.

Cocoa powder and chocolate were compared with powders derived from acai, blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate, continued the authors, on measures of antioxidant activity, as measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC (μM TE/g)), total polyphenol content (TP (mg/g)), and total flavanol content (TF (mg/g)).

MethodTo limit sampling error with each analysis method, each brand of fruit powder and product was prepared and analyzed in triplicate using chemical assays, said the team.

The materials selected, they explained, included commercially available fruit powders, natural (non-alkalized) cocoa, 100 per cent non blended fruit juices, natural cocoa beverage, solid dark chocolate (60-63 per cent cacao), and hot cocoa mix.

All powders were obtained via food ingredient suppliers, while the juices, solid dark chocolate, and hot cocoa mix were obtained at retail and analyzed in the form sold to consumers.

They said that a cocoa beverage was produced by combining 240 ml water, 25 g sugar, 1 g salt, and 12 g of natural cocoa powder and was designed to have a composition similar to that of the other fruit juices. 240 ml was considered a typical single serving of fruit juice or cocoa beverage, 40 g was considered a typical single serving of dark chocolate, and 28 g was considered a typical single serving of hot cocoa mix.

ResultsThe authors’ findings demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity of cocoa powder (634 ± 33 μMTE/g) was significantly greater than blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate powder on a per gram basis.

They said that the total polyphenol content of cocoa powder (48.2 ± 2.1 mg/g) appeared to be greater than acai, blueberry, and cranberry powder; however these differences did not reach statistical significance, added the researchers.

And the Hershey team found that the total flavanol content (of cocoa powder (30.1 ± 2.8 mg/g) was significantly greater than all of the other fruit powders tested.

Analysis of fruit products demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity of dark chocolate (9911 ± 1079 μMTE/serving) was not significantly greater, on a per serving basis, than pomegranate juice but was greater than that of all other products tested. In contrast, hot cocoa mix had significantly less antioxidant capacity (1232 ± 159 μMTE/serving) than all of the other products tested, noted the team.

“The results of the current study demonstrate that cocoa powder has equivalent or significantly higher in vitro antioxidant activity, as measured by ORAC values, compared to the tested fruit powders.Similarly, the TP content of cocoa powder was equivalent to that of the fruit powders and its TF content was significantly higher than that of all the fruit powders tested,” reported the Hershey scientists.

They also stress that the cocoa powders, cocoa beverages, and dark chocolate used in the study all contained natural (or non-alkalized) cocoa but that the hot cocoa mixes were made with alkalized cocoa.

The extent of polyphenol destruction, continue the researchers, is proportional to the degree of alkalization and change in the water extractable pH of the resulting powder antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content may be severely diminished in alkalized cocoa powder and products made with alkalized cocoa.

“Alkalinization is used to mellow the flavor of cocoa, however the process has been shown to destroy polyphenolic compounds and is likely responsible for the significant differences in ORAC, TP, and TC values observed between hot cocoa mix and the other cocoa products,” commented the team.

Source: Chemistry Central Journal

Selections from Natural Health News

Chocolate Works Better

Sep 13, 2006

Chocolate, in its natural powder form has been known to be an herb/food or great anti-oxidant value for centuries. Of course it is the Western maintream crowd that thiks they just discovered the benfits of these wonderful natural things ...

Dark and Good

Dec 03, 2007

Of course the chocolate was plain cocoa powder or raw chocolate. While we love it in its marketed form we should consider the downside of too much of sweetened and fat added treat. Organic and non-GMO chocolate is the best kind for ...

Arrogance Does Not A Good Researcher Make

Aug 11, 2008

Adding on to the thread regarding studies I can't overlook something that struck me as exemplifying mediocrity while reading an abstract about the anti-inflammatory benefits of chocolate. One star-struck doctor seems to take the prize ...

and 

Cocoa For Better Brain Blood FlowSubstances in cocoa protects your health from stroke, myocardial infarction, cancer and diabetes.

Flavanoli from cocoa improve blood flow to the brain, shows study published in the magazine “Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.”

Experts have found a beneficial cocoa effect to the flow of blood in brief and long-term tests to the brain and, and they believe that is responsible for the positive effect of antioxidant flavanoli activity.

The authors suggest that better long-term flow

of blood has a positive impact on cognitive abilities, but also provides protection against dementia.

Science research have confirmed what was known from the Aztec’s time – cocoa encourage brain to create enorfina (brain sedative and anesthetics), which leads to relaxation, and eliminate stress and pain.

Cocoa stimulates dopamine and serotonin secretion (carriers of brain information), which increase mood level- the effect is the reason why depressed people eat huge quantities of chocolate.

Cocoa is the source of mental health and good mood, rather than synthetic drugs has no adverse effects.

This information is provided by Creating Health Institute
through our Health Matters(c) project.

Dates Chocolate Rugelach , a Pastry for Peace

Too many tears have flowed. Too much blood has been shed. All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear; when the Holy Land of three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be; when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims, and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed (peace be upon them) joined in prayer. - President Obama

Can food bring people together?.Evidently it does ,irrespective of our faiths and beliefs who can resist these delectable pastries?.In short food brings joy ,mends relations and fosters love.

Pastries for peace is a food event organized by Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums to bring peace in Middle East through the most loved "Pastries".4 days past the deadline of the event,I'm late in making the post,but I'm hopeful dear Rosa would accept this late entry.

Coming to the pastry I fell in love with instantly,the Rugelach.These morsels of love are a traditional treat for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.Made with cream cheese , butter and fruity filling these are totally addictive.I use the naturally sweet dates combined with dark chocolate and cocoa,these are not overwhelmingly sweet,the crust is melt-in-the-mouth delicious despite cutting down on half the butter and using lower fat cream cheese.A perfect treat for any holiday.

Recipe adapted from CIA Culinary Intelligence

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour(or use fine ground wheat flour)
8 ounce low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling
6-8 medium Soft Dates(or use a cup of any fruit preserve)
1 teaspoon unsweetened Cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate,chopped
1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method
Make the Dough
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a food processor, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed, about 2 minutes. On low speed, mix in the sifted dry ingredients(flour mixture) until just combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed to blend evenly. Wrap the dough tightly and chill until firm, 15–20 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to an even thickness of 1 inch and fold in thirds, like a letter. Wrap the dough and let it rest for at least 1 hour and up to overnight in the refrigerator.
To make the filling
Combine the toasted nuts,cinnamon and chocolate, if using, in a food processor and chop, pulsing the machine on and off, until an even, coarse paste forms.Add the dates and blend until well combined.
Shape and Bake
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray or line them with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a 10-inch round. Spread one-fourth of the filling over each round,then cut each into 16 or fewer wedges depending on the size of the pastry desired. Roll the wedges up starting with the wide end.
In batches, bake until the cookies are a light golden brown, rotating the pans as necessary to bake evenly, 25–30 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely before serving.



Posted earlier Kunafa, the Sweet Arabic pastry ,is also an entry for Pastries for peace.

Mini Chocolate Pumpkin Tarts

Conspicuous from the new header I bought and clicked the season's first pumpkins.The markets are filling with these gorgeous antioxidant rich fruit,how could I not pick one?. I ignored them in the past but not anymore.This is just my second year of cooking with pumpkins and I have lot of recipes to try with them ,so expect to see some of my favorite pumpkin dishes this season.

I find the cutting part particularly challenging,while some smaller variety can cut through with sharp knife,perhaps I did not have the muscle power for this particular pie pumpkin I also needed a hammer to pierce the knife in.Here is the complete procedure to make a pumpkin puree.And the seeds are real treasure ,don't trash them.


The first favorable dish with pumpkin is undoubtedly the PIE.Remember last year's eggless Pumpkin pie,light and lesser in calories.This season I baked with the Organic eggs ,relatively(25%) less in saturated fat,of course if on no-eggs diet one can always use the egg substitute.



Surprisingly I had a little helper in the kitchen.Unlike his elder brother he is always anxious about what's cooking.Helped me separate the seeds from the pumpkins and whisk the eggs for the tarts.I couldn't be more pleased.He loves anything chocolate,the mini portion also suited him just right.


Recipe
Makes 6 Mini tarts
Ingredients
For Crust
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Whole wheat flour
4 tablespoon(1/2 a stick) cold butter, cut in small cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ice cold water

For Filling
2 cups Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown or white sugar or 1/4 cup Agave nectar
*2 Organic eggs
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips(good quality with at least 60% Cocoa)
2 tablespoon Organic Whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

*for eggless filling use - 2 table spoon of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup whole milk

Method
Prepare the dough
Using a food processor pulse together the flour,salt and butter while adding the cold water to a smooth dough consistency. Or use 2 fork and break the butter in to flour and mix it up while adding the cold water.
Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for 30 minutes

Bake the Crust
Preheat Oven to 375F
Spread some all-purpose flour on the work surface.Unwrap the dough using a rolling pin, roll out half the dough and using 6 inch cutter or round lid of plastic container cut the dough in to circles.Transfer the cut dough in to each of the cups of muffin pan,press gently to smooth it out and poke some holes using fork to prevent it from rising.Repeat with rest of the dough and fill rest of the cups.Any left over dough can be used to bake mini fruit tarts.
Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven and bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes until the crust is lightly brown.
Bake the Tarts
Whisk the eggs or the egg substitute,stir in the sugar and pumpkin puree,combine well.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double broiler with 2 tablespoon of milk until smooth and completely melted.Gently mix the chocolate in the pumpkin mixture ,little at a time while whisking constantly.Pour about 3 tablespoon of filling in to each of the crusts in the pan.Bake about 30-35 minutes.Any leftover filling can be baked separately as pudding.
Cool completely and serve.The swirl of Nutella is totally optional,omit it to keep the dessert low in sugar.
For those Unaware please learn about the health benefits of :
Pumpkins
Dark Chocolate


This kiddie relish is my contribution to Srivalli at Spice Your Life's,First Anniversary with Kid's delight.And to Purva and Priti's Diwali Dhamaka.

Happy and Safe Diwali to all the viewers from India Celebrating the festival of lights.

Milan Cookies.

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

With or\and choice in the challenge I picked what seemed easier ,the Milan cookies,a famous European sandwich cookie with luscious dark chocolate filling.To add to the scrumptiousness I dipped the cookie in some more goodness of dark chocolate and sprinkled with dried coconut.To say the least these make a delicious treat for any cookie monster and a exciting bake for a daring baker.


Recipe
Adapted from Gale Gand's Recipe
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Serves: about 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients for the Cookies
• 2 tablespoons Organic unsalted butter (vegan substitute : virgin pressed coconut oil), softened
. 2 tablespoon organic reduced fat milk or soy milk or almond milk
• 1/2 cup brown or white sugar
• 3 Organic egg whites(vegan substitute : 2 tablespoon arrowroot or corn starch + 2 tablespoon almond or rice milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract(optional)
• 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour + 1/2 cup all purpose flour


for Cookie filling:
• 1/4 cup heavy cream(Vegan Substitute: thick coconut milk)
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate or Dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

some roasted nuts or grated coconut for sprinkling.

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl whisk butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the egg whites ,milk,gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4.For piping use a large ziploc(plastic storage bag),snip the end or a regular pastry bag with plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.
6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.For more chocolate covering dip half of the cookies in the chocolate mixture,place on a large plate or sheet pan to cool.Sprinkle some powdered nuts or coconut before it cools.
10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.
The video here might help for beginner bakers.



Check out other Daring Bakers creative variations.

Dodol.

A beloved delicacy in the scenic Islands of South East Asia(Malaysia, Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka) and also Goa(in India),the Dodol is hard to miss on festive occasions like Eid and Christmas.Its made from incredibly simple ingredients,coconut milk ,sugar and rice flour.The method is fairly simple ,but requires muscle power for the constant stirring to achieve a luscious smooth mixture when cooled gets a sticky candy\fudge like texture.I found this droolworthy dodol recipe at Asha's Foodies Hope,a blog with huge collection of delicious recipes from regional cuisines of India and other global cuisines.
Use only thick coconut milk for best results and I used ordinary rice flour instead of glutinous rice flour( which I can't find in stores here),could be the reason my dodol wasn't very sticky like the Original dodol.Pandan leaves are a popular flavoring in this dessert,wish I could them here,I had to be content with some cocoa powder instead.

Recipe :Dodol
Ingredients
2 cups preservative-free coconut milk
*1/3 cup Jaggery(chopped) or brown sugar or white sugar[or use half Agave nectar and half sugar]
2 tablespoon dry grated coconut
3/4 cup rice flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder(optional)
Pandan leaves for fragrance (optional)
1/4 cup roasted nuts

*sugar quantity has been reduced from the original recipe.add a little more if needed.

Method
Heat the milk on medium heat in a non-stick pan or heavy bottom Aluminum or Iron pan.
Season with pinch of salt,mix sugar or jaggery ,stir until dissolves,now add the dry coconut.
Start adding the flour,little at a time while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.Keep stirring until the mixture is nice and thick ,and flour is cooked through.About 10-12 minutes.Transfer in a greased(with coconut oil ) dish ,sprinkle with nuts and any remaining dry coconut,let cool and set for at least 3-4 hours(I kept it in fridge), before slicing and serving.Can be stored in refrigerator for up to a week.

Asha's delectable recipe is marked as Tried and tasted ,the host of the month is Ashwini's Spicy Cuisine .

I'm also sharing this with Let go nuts :Coconuts food event.

Nutrition

Though this is a high calorie dessert ,its very nutritious with goodness of coconut milk.The fat from coconut milk is far healthier than other kinds of saturated fats like butter.Coconut milk is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Iron ,calcium ,magnesium and Manganese.Learn more about its health benefits in my post.

Grapefruit Dark Chocolate Cake,Celebrating Nabeel's Birthday

It was this time of the year with nature's beauty at its best, budding greenery ,blooming flowers and signs of new life everywhere,my darling boy was born.The joy of cuddling with precious new born was indescribable.Nabeel(meaning "noble") was a chubby baby with angelic eyes , reached his milestones crawling to walking earlier than an average baby.He was healthy toddler who always appeared bigger than his age.
Nevertheless his diagnosis of asthma,didn't stop from being a sportive kid,which he loved to be,plays soccer and has an amazing interest in Math and reading.
My noble prince turned 6 last week,more than the cake he was excited about the kiddie laptop which he was patiently waiting to be gifted,a very small price indeed considering all the pain and discomfort he went through after a recent asthma episode. With tears trickling even while I write this post,he never gives up his fight for the healthy life he deserves and bounces back each time with vigor of a fighter and charm of an angel.

Grapefruit Dark Chocolate ganache Cake
I was inspired by Muneeba's incredible Red orange yogurt cake ,but with no luck finding the red oranges,I used a similar citrusy grapefruit.With good quality dark chocolate ,that makes lot of difference ,not too sweet and the dose of antioxidants in the fruit and cocoa made this an incredibly good celebration cake.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup reduced fat or fat-free yogurt
1 cup grapefruit juice,freshly squeezed
2 teaspoon,zest of orange and\or grapefruit
3 large Organic eggs
1/2 cup brown or white sugar
1/2 cup Dark chocolate chips(I used ghirardelli 60% cocoa )
1/2 cup vegetable oil
For sprinkling on Cake
1/2 cup freshly squeeze grape fruit juice
2 tablespoon Orange blossom water
Ganache frosting
8 ounce semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips(I used ghirardelli 60% cocoa )
1 tablespoon Organic butter
3/4 cup Organic whole milk.

Nuts for coating the sides
1 cup nuts(Walnuts,almonds,macadamia nuts ,pecans or pistachios),finely chopped or coarsely processed

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 F.Grease 2 baking pans(8-inchs) with a non-stick cooking spray or little bit of butter and light sprinkle of all-purpose flour over the butter coating.
Prepare the batter
In mixing bowl,whisk the eggs for a minute combine with the sugar, oil ,yogurt,milk and juice.Set aside.In another large bowl,sift the dry ingredients flour,baking powder,soda and salt,mix in the chocolate chips.To the flour mixture slowly add the egg mixture,combine until smooth and well blended.
Bake
Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool at room temperature.

sprinkle the Juice and blossom water
After the cakes are completely cooled.flip and lay each of then on a rack or clean cutting board.Sprinkle the mixture of juice and orange blossom water all over.Allow to soak up for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Ganache
Place the Chocolate chips in a glass or steel bowl. Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling milk over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

Layer and frost the cake
Place one of the cake on a wire or metal rack placed on a clean plate to collect the drips.spread about 3 table spoons of the ganache over the top using a spatula.Place the other cake over the top,now pour the remaining ganache evenly all around the cake,allow to drip.The drips in the plate can be melted and used again in baking or to make chocolate truffles.
Coat the sides with nuts
Before the chocolate sets,take a tablespoon of nuts mixture at a time and stick them along the sides until coated all around the cake.

Garnish with fresh slices of grapefruit just before serving.Stays moist in a refrigerator for up to a week.



The special cake is my entry for Meeta's Monthly mingle :Spring cakes.

A Well-balanced Chocolate Granola Bar

Don't you love such grab-and-go pick-me-up bars?.With summer around the corner ,which also means travel adventures and excursions,a well-balanced snack like such will not just save few bucks but also satisfy your hunger while avoiding the empty calories from the junk snacking.Needless to say these bar also make a splendid breakfast-on-the-go.
Last week I bought this granola cereal ,only to be baffled by its sugar content,18grams per serving,that's very sweet( nearly as much sugar as in a chocolate candy bar!).I was carried away by the alluring "all natural,low-fat,good source of fiber" catch-words of health foods on the box and overlooked the high sugar content.Now what do you do to mend such mistakes? The only fix I could think of is to make this chocolate granola bar with no added sugar and added nutrition.The result was very satisfying Well-balanced low-sugar bar ,don't you agree?
You could also try my Oats dates or Fruit Dark Chocolate & Almond Granola bars granola made with plain oats in case you don't have such sweet granola in store.Or check the variation of the same recipe with plain oats at the end of the post.

(Makes about 6 rectangular bars)
Ingredients
2 cups Granola Cereal(I used this),coarsely ground in a food processor or blender.
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Brown Rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup nuts(Almonds or pistachios or walnuts),coarsely pulverized in a processor or grinder.
1/4 cup raisins or cranberries or cherries,coarsely chopped[I didn't use any dry fruits,the cereal was already mixed with raisins]
1 large Organic egg ,Vegans could substitute with 1/2 cup firm tofu
1/4 cup flax seed meal
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced fat milk or soy milk[add a little more if the mixture is too dry]
2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil

*you could use 1/4 cup of brown sugar if the cereal is low in sugar(i.e <6grams).
** the brown rice flour adds a little crunch to the bar besides the nutrition.Whole wheat flour or all purpose flour can also be substituted.

Method
Preheat Oven to 350F.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.Whisk egg in another smaller bowl,mix in oil and milk.Now gradually add this to the dry mixture until well incorporated.
Spoon the mixture on to a baking pan(8X8 inches).Now is the time to score using a table knife in to required size portions.
Bake for 20 minutes .Remove from the oven;leave in the pan to cool slightly.Separate along the cuts.cool on rack,store in air tight container in a refrigerator for up to a week.

Variation with Plain rolled oats
2 cups whole or quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Brown Rice flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nuts(Almonds or pistachios or walnuts),coarsely pulverized in a processor or grinder.
1/4 cup raisins or cranberries or cherries,coarsely chopped
1 large Organic egg ,Vegans could substitute with 1/2 cup firm tofu
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup brown or white sugar
1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced fat milk or soy milk[or use 100% fruit juice]
3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil


The Grab n Go Healthful bars are off to Ben's Homemade # 3 - Bars and Poornima's For the love of chocolate.

Chocolate Sweet Potatoes Marble Bundt Cake

The sumptuous chocolate cake with the hidden nutritional benefit of sweet potatoes was a fitting treat to celebrate our little one's second birthday.In just one year ,the apple of my eye has grown from being a crawling baby to a jumping ever so naughty toddler.Though just beginning in his vocal skills , babbling pretty much ,except for few simple words,my most loved one being thaan chu(for thank you);he has excelled in delighting himself with his explorations around the house,kitchen in particular is his favorite territory.Very often he sneaks in to the kitchen looking for reachable sweet munchies or grab some of his favorite pot and pans for a kitchen Orchestra.
As one would expect from a Health Nut Mom,I'm concerned about his big sweet tooth and prefer giving naturally sweet foods like fruits and dry fruits ,and almost never buy candies or chocolate treats.Thankfully besides chocolate the little guy absolutely loves fruits.
However I do allow occasional homemade goodies made with chocolate.And What's birthday without chocolate?Nothing quite says Happy birthday like Chocolate.The nutritional sweet potatoes add a silky moist texture to the cake and its mild flavors let this cake be predominately chocolate flavored.
This is a lofty cake rightly suited for feeding a crowd.But one can even make the same cake in a regular baking pan or a loaf pan,adjust the quantities proportionately.

Ingredients
For Chocolate layer
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Organic eggs
2 tablespoon Fat free Sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar or use a natural sweetener like agave
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoon(1/2 cup)Organic butter,melted and cooled,divided
1/2 cup reduced fat Organic milk

For Sweet Potato layer
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1 1\2 cup Sweet potato puree(1 whole medium size sweet potato),see how to cook sweet potatoes.
2 tablespoon Fat free Sour cream
2 Organic eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar or use a natural sweetener like agave
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoon(1/2 cup)Organic butter,melted and cooled
1/2 cup reduced fat Organic milk


Method
Preheat oven to 350F.Prepare the Bundt pan,first butter then dust with all purpose flour,tap out any excess flour.

Prepare the Chocolate ganache for the Chocolate layer
Melt 2 tablespoon of butter and the semisweet chocolate chips in a bowl(glass or steel) placed over saucepan with gently simmering water(double broiler).Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth.Set the bowl aside.

Prepare chocolate Layer
Sift all the dry ingredients(flours and powders) in large mixing bowl.
In another mixing bowl whisk together melted butter and sugar ,Crack the eggs and whisk then add the prepared chocolate ganache, stir in milk ,sour cream and combine until mixture comes together. Now add the dry mixture slowly in to the wet mixture while stirring it.

Prepare the Sweet Potato Layer
Repeat the same.Sift all the dry ingredients(flours and powders) in large mixing bowl.In another mixing bowl whisk together melted butter and sugar ,Crack the eggs and whisk then add the sweet potato, stir in milk ,sour cream and combine until mixture comes together. Now add the dry mixture slowly in to the wet mixture while stirring it.

Bake
For marble pattern,add spoonful of sweet potato and chocolate mixture alternately. Then make a swirl pattern using a table knife through the batter to marble them.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.Cool on rack for 30 minutes before trying to unmold it.Cool,slice and serve.Prepare extra chocolate ganache and drizzle on the cake,if desired.

Daring Bakers Challenge February: Flourless Chocolate cup cakes with No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.They have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

The flour less chocolate cake was total chocoholic's delight,reminded me of the Chocolate Espresso Mousse cake I baked earlier,that was also flour-free.I don't miss making low-fat recipes whenever possible,since I already experimented this kind of cake with no-fat I use just quarter of the fat as mentioned in the Original Daring Baker's recipe,it worked just fine for me.
For the Ice cream thankfully we were allowed to choose our own flavor,Pomegranate was ultimate pick.Since fresh fruit is not in season I choose the store-bought 100% Pomegranate Juice.To make it easier I made a No-churn Ice-cream that does not require the Ice-cream maker.
Bringing the Ice cream together with Cupcakes was a little messy,but worth the effort.These Frozen Cupcakes would make a perfect dessert on hot summer days,speaking of warmth,its still predominantly chilling here,and I'm yearning for a warm change.



Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe from Sweet Treats by Chef Wan

Makes 10 Medium cupcakes

Ingredients

16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of unsalted Organic butter
5 large Organic eggs ,separated

Method
1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling,line with the muffin pan with parchment cups or spray a little non-stick spray.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into the prepared muffin pan, the batter should fill the cups 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until crust appears like brownie cake.The cake will puff up considerably but will collapse later.
10.Get the cup cakes out and cool on a rack.

Recipe adapted from Nigella's recipe.And David Lebovitz's method of making Ice cream without machine.
No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream
3 cups of pomegranate juice,preferably POM
2 cups Coconut milk(or use 1 cup half & half milk and 1 cup light cream)

Method
Whisk the cream with the juice until soft peaks forms.Transfer in a freezer proof container,cover tightly and place in freezer.After about 30 minutes,while the mixture is just starting to set ,stir and return to the freezer.Repeat this 3-4 times i.e every 30 minutes until mixture is almost frozen takes about 2-3 hours.Cover and keep in refrigerator until time to serve.


Assemble the cupcakes and Ice cream
Check out this cool page,which gave me the idea of making Ice cream cupcakes.
After the cup cakes are completely cooled,removed its parchment cups if used.Transfer cupcakes back to the muffin pans,even out the surface,since the chocolate cupcakes were a little hallow on the inside after baking,I simply had to lightly press it until almost half full.Cover with plastic wrap and freeze the cupcakes for at least 2 hours until hardened.
Get the Ice cream out ,let sit for 30 minutes until softened to work with.After the cupcakes are frozen,scoop the ice cream and set over the cupcakes just until the cups are full.Cover and return to freezer,let set for 2-3 hours before trying to get it out.Warm a small sharp knife under hot running water ,run the warm knife along the edges of the ice cream cupcake until it’s easily lifted out of it’s tin.

Serve
I made some pomegranate syrup,by reducing 1 cup Pomegranate juice with a tablespoon of brown sugar to 1/2 a cup.Cool completely before drizzling on the cupcakes.Garnish with fresh berries,I used the tangy sweet blackberries.

Thank you Wendy and Dharm for the Sweet Chocolaty challenge.Check out how other Daring Bakers have whipped up this delectable delight.

Hot Chocolate Vs Hot Cocoa

Which is healthier, Hot Chocolate or Hot Cocoa ? Intriguing ,I assumed both were same.Investigating in to the ingredients,apparently the Hot cocoa made with cocoa powder is certainly more concentrated in antioxidants(called Flavonoids) than the Hot Chocolate made with melted chocolate.Although a hot chocolate can also be healthier if Dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa is used instead of sweet Milk chocolate.

The Mayans who discovered the cocoa ,consumed it with spices and no sugar,so next time you see cocoa or chocolate in a savory dish,you know its the original Mayan style to relish cocoa.The sweetened form of cocoa called the milk chocolate was later introduced by the Europeans which quickly became popular and addictive.
How important are the antioxidants for good health?,simply put ,antioxidants helps stay younger,heart healthy and protect against cancers.

So whether hot chocolate or hot cocoa try to incorporate more of the cocoa instead of the sweetness to get the most health benefits.
For Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
2 tablespoon Cocoa powder
2 cups of reduced fat Organic Milk
2 tablespoon sugar or 2 teaspoon honey or date syrup
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoon water.

Method
Mix the cocoa powder with water and keep aside.Bring milk to a slow boil along with the cinnamon stick and add the cocoa mixture and sugar in to the milk,stir well until nicely incorporated.Remove the cinnamon stick.Pour in the serving mugs.

For Hot Chocolate with Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
2 cups reduced fat Organic Milk
1/2 cup(about 4oz) good quality dark chocolate ,coarsely chopped

Method
Heat the milk with the chopped chocolate and stir occasionally until melted and smooth about 10 minutes on medium heat.Serve in latte cups and serve hot.

An Interesting Read
Antioxidant activity of Flavonoids affected by addition of milk to cocoa.

Snowed Under!
That's my Camry snowed under.Average snowfall a year is between 60-100 inches in the snow belt of North East Ohio,Cool!


Snow cones any one?

Icicles,feels like Arctic Wonderland.


Blessed to be sipping the mug of Hot cocoa to beat the nip in the air.

Dark chocolate Pecan Cookies-simple to bake and scrumptious to eat

I always prefer fresh home made cookies to store bought ;all for good reasons ,I have total control over the sugar and fat in the cookies and can avoid all the preservatives and additives hard to interpret.I usually bake my cookies with nuts and fruits with dark chocolate or cocoa powder.And there is nothing better than the aroma of fresh-baked cookies filling the home and delighted faces of my little ones on seeing a cookie(with chocolate in particular).Dark Chocolate pecan cookies are simple to bake and scrumptious to eat,you can top with any nuts and mix in any dried fruits or use a tablespoon of cocoa powder instead of dark chocolate.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Almond meal or finely ground almonds
1/2 cup Brown sugar
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon Organic milk,little more if needed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 organic egg
1 teaspoon flax seeds(optional)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks(use any dark chocolate bar)
1/4 cup(12) whole pecans or almonds

Makes a dozen cookies

Method
Whip butter and sugar in a bowl,until creamy.Whisk in egg ,milk and beat until well combined.
In another mixing bowl,combine flour, baking soda,flax seeds and salt.Add the egg mixture and mix until mixture comes together,add little more milk if needed.

Grease a cookie sheet lightly with oil and drop a spoonful of the mixture in 2 rows about one inch apart.Top with a pecan and dark chocolate chunks and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove a and let cool completely on a rack.

These cookies are my entry for sharmi's Holiday cookie event and Vandana's Baking for beginners and JZ's Santa's holiday challenge and Purva's Christmas feast Event .

Banana Chocolate Bundt Cake

An overly ripe banana sitting in a fruit basket is an invitation for me to bake a cake or muffins or bread or even cookies to get the most of the sweetness of the bananas.
Considering my enthusiasm in baking ,a close friend of mine felt it was appropriate to gift me a bundt cake pan as an Eid gift.She was right on with her instincts,I was excited to bake using the sumptuous bundt pan.Banana Chocolate Cake was an elementary chocolate cake to start with, there isn't much you can go wrong with the simple recipe. Succulence of Chocolate and sweetness of bananas makes this an incredibly flavorsome cake.I made this cake for a food festival at my husband's work.Evidently his colleagues had gulped every crumb..he brought back the platter clean.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup Cocoa powder unsweetened
1/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate
2 ripe bananas,mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Baking powder(Aluminum free)
3 large Organic eggs
1/2 cup light Olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoon butter ,at room temperature
1 cup Organic Whole Milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

Method
preheat oven to 350ºF and adjust oven rack to middle .Lightly grease and flour a 10-cup (10-inch) nonstick Bundt pan or a loaf pan or a cake pan.
Sift all the dry ingredients(flours and powders) in large mixing bowl.Mix in the chocolate chips and toss to coat the flour on the chips.
In another mixing bowl whisk together softened butter , oil and sugar until creamy. Crack the eggs and whisk some more, stir in vanilla and milk. Gently fold in the bananas, being careful not to over-mix.
Now combine wet and dry mixtures. Pour in the prepared bundt pan or cake pan or loaf pan and set in the oven for 50-55 minutes(for bundt pan and lesser for cake pan or loaf pan) until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool cake completely and loosen the edges before flipping onto a serving dish.Just before serving garnish with sliced Banana.



This simply festive cake is my entry for Aparna's of My diverse Kitchen Anniversary celebration. And Srilekha's EFM:Sweets.

Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake

Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake is pleasurable way to satisfy your coffee and chocolate cravings. I fiddled a little with the David Lebovitz's original recipe by using just Organic eggs which are relatively low in fat, added no extra sugar and used Organic whole milk instead of heavy cream.And I had to use Decaf coffee to make it edible for my little ones.



Ingredients
10 ounces Dark Chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Organic Whole Milk
2 tablespoon Instant espresso powder(I used Decaf), dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water.
4 large Organic eggs, at room temperature
pinch of salt

Method

Preheat Oven to 325F.Lightly grease a cake pan or a spring foam pan with butter and set aside.

Melt the Chopped chocolate along with milk and espresso in a double broiler i.e set a heatproof bowl on pot of simmering water.Stir gently ,when melted remove from heat.

Whisk eggs using an electric mixer or whiskers until soft peaks form about 5 minutes in a electric mixer.Gently fold in half of the whipped eggs in to the melted chocolate mixture, then finish with the remaining eggs.

Transfer this mixture in to the prepared cake pan .Make a water bath by setting the cake pan in another bigger pan like a roasting pan and carefully pour hot water just half way up the pan. Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove from the water bath and let cool on rack. Slicing the delicate cake can be tricky ,for perfect slices David suggests to cut it with a thin, sharp knife dipped in very hot water and wiped clean before making the next slice. To serve,top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream(sugar free if you prefer),sprinkle some silvered almonds and instant coffee granules.

I'd love to share a slice of this luscious mousse cake with Meeta ,the host of Monthly Mingle : Coffee and Tea event.

Learn about positive effects of coffee.

Pumpkin Chocolate Biscotti(Conjoined Biscotti)

I loved the idea of adding pumpkin in a biscotti in Prudy's dark chocolate dipped pumpkin biscotti.I was keen about creating a conjoined biscotti ,but was very indecisive about binding a biscotti with 2 different flavors,unsure if the logs would attach without any binder.But to my amazement the two logs with my favorite flavors of chocolate and pumpkin attached firmly. Everyone in my family loved the 2 flavors in one biscotti,as its low in sugar and fat,Nabeel packed a few in his lunch box,my hubby dear enjoyed with his coffee,the littlest member(he is 19 months) of the house was more curious about chocolate and just gobbled the chocolate part and I was snacking on it till their were none.

Here is the recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of All purpose flour,divided for each log
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree fresh or canned
1/2 cup of Cocoa powder
1/2 cup of brown sugar or sugar substitute like Agave nectar,divided equally for each log
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder,divided
1/4 teaspoon of salt,divided equally for each log
2 Organic eggs,1 for each log
4 tablespoon Olive oil, use 2 tablespoon for each log.
1 teaspoon of Pure vanilla extract,divided equally for each log

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make Pumpkin log
Sift together 1 1/2 cup of flour, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar,3/4 teaspoon of baking powder into a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together one egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and using a spatula and stir to make a cohesive mass.Sprinkle generous amount of flour on the work surface, get the dough out of the bowl and shape the dough into a large log.
Make Chocolate log
Similarly sift together 1 cup of flour, Cocoa powder,salt, 1/4 cup of sugar,3/4 teaspoon of baking powder into a large bowl.In another bowl whisk together one egg and vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture . Add few drops of milk if the mixture is too dry.Make a log just like the pumpkin log.
Attach the logs and bake
Bring the both the logs together,place them side by side and lightly press to attach.Carefully place on baking sheet lightly grease or lined with parchment paper.Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F until puffed and lightly brown.Let it cool for 30 minutes and then using a serrated knife cut cross wise in to about 15 thick slices.Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes until crisp. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Stores up to a week in a tightly covered container.

Makes about 15 biscotti.


This is my entry for Lore's Original Recipe Event