No, it’s not a typo!
Seems strange to be making this and writing about it in what are supposed to be the dog days of summer, but it was pretty cool evening outside the other night and I was in the mood for something sweet and warm. I also got this bag of organic raw cacao powder and decided to see what I can do with it.
1-1/2 cups of raw milk
1 Tbs + 2 tsp (5 tsp) of raw cacao powder
3 Tbs maple syrup (the kind made from sap; if you are using store-bought, use much less)
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until the mixture reaches about 150°. Serve it with a spoon in the mug because it will skin repeatedly.
Be aware that the super duper antioxidants of the raw cacao are canceled out by the dairy product, the raw-ness of the cacao is compromised at 116°, and the value of raw milk is significantly diminished by heating past 110°. But it’s really rich and tasty the way I made it and there’s nothing evil in it!
It turns out that this is also a delicious recipe cold!
Sadly, the cacao isn’t local; I’m treating it as a seasoning! (Cacao will never grow in CT so it’s fair game to get it from elsewhere, just like coffee, olive oil, and Scotch. Marco Polo!) Everything else in this recipe is local.
Here’s another thing I discovered you can do with organic raw cacao powder: add one tablespoon to four ounces of red wine (not even an expensive one) and give it a few whirrs with the stick blender. Not a bad flavor at all and the antioxidants stay intact.
For more information, read about Cacao on Wikipedia.
It was pretty chilly for a few nights there, wasn’t it? This sounds delish. Where do you get your cacao powder?
I love the idea of stirring it in red wine. Brilliant.
When you refer to maple syrup, “the kind made from sap” do you mean real syrup (as opposed to say, Mrs. Butterworth’s) or a third form of maple syrup that you really cannot buy at stores?
Sarah: This particular bag came from Chamomile Natural Foods Market in Danbury. They got it from a company called Organic Necatars in Woodstock, NY. Organic Nectars got the cacao beans from Peru.
Zoe: Yes, that’s what I mean: real maple syrup, not Mrs. Butterworth’s and those guys. Apart from the fact that those are not actually maple syrup (even the label is honest enough to just say syrup), they’re super sweet (HFCS) and would throw the proportions off.