Recipes

Chocolate tasting tips

Food Pairing

Recipes

Brownies 

Batter:

1 80g Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate Bar (100%)

200g butter

6 eggs

400g sugar*

180g flour

1 teaspoon yeast

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:

1 80g Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate Bar (100%)

100g sugar

200 ml heavy cream

Nuts

Mix the eggs and sugar.  Add the butter (softened in the microwave) and then the chocolate (melted in a double boiler). Then add the flour and the yeast.  Mix well.  Pour batter into a greased cake pan. Bake in pre-heated oven (150 C-180 C) (302 F-356 F) for 40 minutes.

Let cool and cover with the melted chocolate, cream and sugar frosting. When cool decorate with nuts (if desired). You can cut the cake and fill it with the same chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Oranges

1 80g  Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate Bar (100%)

3 large oranges

6 tablespoons of sugar*

Squeeze the juice of one orange and set aside. Peel the other two oranges, trying not to leave any rind (as it is quite bitter), and cut into approximately half-centimeter slices. Place the sliced oranges in the refrigerator to chill. In the meantime, melt the chocolate in a double boiler along with the previously reserved orange juice and sugar. When the chocolate is well melted, remove the chilled oranges from the refrigerator and bathe them in the chocolate. When well-chilled oranges are dipped in the melted chocolate they will harden quickly and maintain their shape.  Let the chocolate cool completely and serve.  Refrigerate unused chocolate oranges to ensure that they remain fresh and that the chocolate does not melt. 

Chocolate Milkshake

1/3 80g bar of Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate (100%)

1 cup of whole milk (you may substitute with lactose free, soy, or low-fat milk) 

1 cup of ice cubes

3 drops of vanilla extract

Sugar* (to taste) (you may substitute with fructose, brown sugar or honey)

Break the chocolate into small pieces and then place them in a glass container with the milk.  Microwave for 30 seconds and then pour the liquid into a blender.  Blend until the chocolate is fully dissolved and then add the sugar and ice.  Blend again until frothy.  Pour into glasses and drink cold.

Enjoy a healthy and refreshing drink full of 100% energy!!!

Hot Chocolate

1/3 80g bar of Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate (100%)

1 cup of whole milk (you may substitute with lactose free, soy or low-fat milk) 

1 cup of water

Sugar* (to taste) (you may substitute with fructose, brown sugar or honey)

Combine milk, water and chocolate in a medium pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until chocolate has melted completely and is hot (not boiling); some small pieces may remain. Remove from flame.  Whisk (or blend in blender) until slightly frothy. Pour in mugs and serve immediately.

Try it without milk!

Dark Chocolate Fondue

1 80g bar of Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate Bar (100%) chopped into small pieces

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 tablespoon of butter or sunflower oil

1 tablespoon of condensed milk

Sugar to taste (after incorporating the condensed milk)

4 tablespoons of liqueur (such as Kahlua, Amaretto, etc.) (optional)

Heat the cream, butter (or oil) and condensed milk over medium heat in a thick bottom saucepot.  Remove the saucepot from the flame and add the previously melted (in a double boiler) chocolate to the saucepot.  Whisk well.  Add the liqueur and sugar and mix.  Transfer to fondue pot.  If fondue becomes too thick add cream, butter, or oil until it reaches desired consistency. 

Any fruit or cookies may be used as dipping items.  Suggested dipping items:

Strawberries

Bananas

Apples

Mangos

Pears

Cookies

Marshmallows

Cookies with Chocolate Chips

1 cup of butter

2 cups of flour

1 tablespoons of baking soda

1/2 cup of sugar*

2 cups of oatmeal

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon of salt

1 80g bar of Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate (80%) chopped into very small pieces

2 eggs

1 tablespoons of baking powder

1 tablespoons of vanilla extract

1 cup of crushed nuts

Beat the butter and the two types of sugar until creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla extract. Mix the flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add chocolate bits and nuts. Make small balls out of the cookie dough and place them (2 inches apart) on a baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 180 C (356 F).  Yields up to 56 cookies.

Learning How to Taste Chocolate

More and more people want to learn how to “taste” chocolate’s sweet delight.  All five senses should be used to experience chocolate.

First Step – Start by Looking: this allows us to evaluate the tones of the chocolate tablet. Every cocoa bean has a characteristic tone.  So you can observe a different tone in accordance with the combinations that are used (e.g. – varying shades of brown, red and virtual black)

High quality cocoa, however, does require this process because its original organoleptic properties remain unchanged.

Second Step – Break Off a Piece and Listen for the “Snap”:  We use the ear because we must pay attention to the noise that it makes. A good quality chocolate, mild in an appropriate manner, will produce a dry sounding “snap.”

Third Step – Touch:  To assess the chocolate’s quality connoisseurs place the tablet in the palm of the hand for a few seconds.  A good properly tempered chocolate will not immediately melt and therefore does not leave a chocolate stain on the hand of the taster.

Fourth Step – Smell the Aroma: There are hundreds of flavor components and combinations that produce a chocolate’s aroma. Aroma is correctly appreciated by taking a piece of chocolate and shredding it in the fingers to release its aromas.

Fifth Step - Taste the Flavor: Once on the palate, quality chocolate should have a delicate texture and soft sensation.  You should not perceive any rough waste of cocoa solids when it melts.

Here we must mention one important factor: neither chocolate nor the mouth should be at too low a temperature, as cocoa butter must melt in the mouth so that the taste buds can fully perceive the taste. The ideal is that the chocolate be at a temperature between 20 and 24° C.

It is also not desirable to perceive an astringent tone that produces dryness in the mouth. This indicates a deficient conching process.

A trained palate distinguishes the chocolate’s prevailing tone - sweet, slightly acid or with a touch of bitterness – each identifies the cocoa’s origin. The ideal product has a balance of the three flavor perceptions.

Of course it takes time to train the senses to discern the correct perception of a quality product’s characteristics … but it is worth the effort!

Food Pairing

Food pairing is the art of combining a red wine with a gourmet dark chocolate to bring about a synergy of aromas and flavors that in a subjective way will lead us to new emotions and sensory experiences.

Slowly savor and enjoy the taste of Hoja Verde Dark Chocolate accompanied by a natural low acidity red wine.

Start with 58% and continue tasting up to 100%.

Our 100% chocolate bar does not contain sugar and thus presents the best opportunity of experiencing the pure taste of fine Ecuadorian gourmet chocolate.