Venezuelan Black Chocolate Recipes

March 15th, 2008 Posted in entertainment, me, web

Since my earlier post on Willie Harcourt-Cooze’s chocolate exploits proved so popular I thought it would be appropriate to post up some of the recipes mentioned in the Channel 4 TV show including the much sought-after, Venezuelan Black Chocolate truffles!

All of these Venezuelan Black recipes are currently available on the Channel 4 website, however I’ve taken the liberty to post them here too should the link to the recipes page change.

Wondering where to buy Venezuelan Black Chocolate? Well Selfridges are the “official” stockist and they offer a mail order service but they’re out of stock as the time of writing this so some enterprising souls have listed bars of the lovely 100% cacao on eBay too.

…whichever you choose, the food you make is going to be chocolate heaven!

As these recipes show, using any of the three varieties of Venezuelan Black Cacao (Hacidenda El Tesoro, Rio Caribe Superior or Caranero Superior) is very simple - the decision of which bar to use is yours to make, but I’m sure whichever you choose, the food you make is going to be chocolate heaven!

Anyway, on to the recipes!

Chocolate Truffles

By Willie Harcourt-Cooze. Makes about 40 truffles

Ingredients

• 250ml double cream
• 150g caster sugar
• 180g cacao, finely grated
• Cocoa powder, for dusting (such as Green & Blacks)

Method

1. Heat the cream and sugar in a small pan until almost boiling.
2. Stir in the cacao, then remove the pan from the heat.
3. Transfer the truffle mixture to a plastic container. Cover and place in the refrigerator until cold and firm.
4. To shape the truffles, scoop a teaspoon of the mixture and roll quickly between your palms. Dust the truffles in cocoa powder and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Hot Chocolate

By Willie Harcourt-Cooze. Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 25g cacao, finely grated
• 100ml water
• Honey or sugar, to taste
• Gold rum, to taste. Choose a gold rum like Bacardi Oro or Anejo Especial, generally white rums like Bacardi Superior don’t have much of a kick to them… so go for gold!

Method

1. Tip the cacao and water into a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring frequently.
2. When thick and well combined, remove the hot chocolate from the heat.
3. Add honey or sugar to taste. You can thin the hot chocolate by adding extra water or vary it by adding a splash of milk or rum. Vanilla, chilli, cinnamon and nutmeg also make great additions.

Gazpacho Soup

By Willie Harcourt-Cooze. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 large red pepper, halved and de-seeded
• 1kg very ripe tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• ½ large cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
• 10 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp cacao, finely grated

Method

1. Roast the red pepper under a grill or on a griddle until the skin has blackened slightly.
2. Place the pepper, tomatoes, onion, garlic and cucumber in a food processor and begin to blitz. While the processor is going, pour in the olive oil.
3. Blitz the gazpacho until smooth.
4. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cacao and continue to heat until the cacao has melted.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
6. Pour the cacao syrup into the gazpacho. Season and serve.

Black beans and arepas

By Willie Harcourt-Cooze. Serves 6.

Ingredients

For the black beans:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 red peppers, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 300g black beans
• Chicken stock (about 300ml)
• 2-3 tbsp cacao

For the arepas:

• 600ml warm water
• ½ tsp salt
• 450g Masa Harina (corn) flour

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, garlic and peppers and fry until soft.
2. Tip in the black beans and pour over enough chicken stock to cover. Simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile prepare the arepas. Preheat a griddle pan. Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and gradually add the warm water, mixing to form a stiff dough. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
4. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes then form into small balls. Flatten with the palm of your hand.
5. Place the arepas in the hot pan and fry 3-4 minutes, either side.
6. Before serving the black beans, stir in the cacao. Season and serve with the arepas.

Cloud forest chocolate cake

By Willie Harcourt-Cooze. Makes 1 x 25cm cake.

Ingredients

• 180g cacao, finely grated
• 250g unsalted butter
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• 6 eggs
• 100g ground almonds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC. Line a 25cm spring-formed cake tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the cacao and butter by placing them, along with half the caster sugar and all of the muscovado sugar in a large heat-proof bowl. Sit the bowl over a pan of simmering water.
3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the remaining caster sugar until they have tripled in size.
4. When the cacao and butter has melted, add the almonds and stir to combine.
5. Gradually fold the cacao mixture into the eggs. Tip the cake mix into the prepared tin.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, then leave to cool in the tin.
7. The cake can be iced by heating 500ml double cream with 150g caster sugar. Stir in 180g grated cacao, leave to cool and spread over the cake.

Chocolate-basted Partridge

By Willie Harcourt-Cooze. Serves 8.

Ingredients

• 8 oven-ready partridges
• 75g goose fat
• 4 tbsp cacao, finely grated
• 4 shallots, peeled and sliced
• Olive oil
• 24 slices pancetta
• Thyme sprigs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.
2. Place the goose fat and cacao in a small pan and heat until the goose fat has melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the shallots and fry until soft.
4. Season the partridges then add them to the pan, along with the shallots. Fry the birds until golden brown then remove from the pan. Leave to cool slightly, reserving the shallots and cooking juices for gravy.
5. Use a pastry brush to paint the birds with the chocolate goose fat. Wrap 3 slices of pancetta around each partridge, sprinkle over the thyme and roast for 25-30 minutes. Leave the birds to rest before serving with gravy and roast vegetables.