Vegan Chocolate: The Impossible?

Vegan chocolate: it might seem like the impossible dream. Can you avoid eating all animal products but still enjoy the delicious taste – and the health benefits – of chocolate? I know at least one friend (a vegetarian who avoids dairy products, which means that vegan chocolate would be appropriate for her) who would love to find this product, and I guess that you probably know a person like this too – maybe it’s you. Is vegan chocolate possible? Or are vegans permanently condemned to carob substitutes while others enjoy the pleasures of chocolate?

It’s easier than you think to make and find vegan chocolate. You have to remember that although we’re used to seeing and tasting chocolate that has had milk or dairy products added to it, chocolate does not come from a cow (or even a goat). Chocolate is made from substances derived from the seed of the Theobroma cacao tree, known as the cocoa bean. The primary ingredients that go into chocolate – cocoa solids and cocoa butter – both come from a plant source, which is good news for vegans. Most vegan chocolate is dark chocolate: the type of chocolate with 70% plus cocoa solids. This is because vegan chocolate is usually dark chocolate, and it’s only the light coloured (milk chocolate and white chocolate) varieties that have to contain milk. Looking at the label of a 72% cocoa solids block of dark chocolate, the ingredient list contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, soya lecithin and vanilla.. Each of these ingredients passes the vegan test – they’re all from plants – this is vegan chocolate, all right. Most dark (70% plus cocoa solids) chocolate is likely to be vegan chocolate, but read the label if you want to make certain.

Many people are getting very interested in vegan chocolate (a.k.a. dark chocolate) because it is rich in antioxidants, and also contains a large number of trace elements, some of which are hard to find in other dietary sources, especially selenium. Nobody should go overboard and binge on any sort of chocolate, vegan chocolate or not, but eating around 50 g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or more) has a number of health benefits: lowering stress, boosting the immune system and supplying the body with good nutrients. Anecdotal evidence also hints that eating small amounts of dark chocolate can help you lose weight, as dark chocolate has a high “satiety index”, meaning that eating a little of it makes you feel full and satisfied, so you don’t go and eat large quantities of other food.

It’s also possible to find fair trade vegan chocolate and organic vegan chocolate.

You can also enjoy using chocolate in other vegan foods, including baking, by using ordinary cocoa powder. A very easy recipe for vegan chocolate cake that is so simple that children can cook it is given below:

1 ½ cups flour.

1 cup sugar.

1 t baking soda.

¼ t salt.

3 T cocoa powder.

6 T vegetable oil (not olive oil – the flavour is too strong).

1 T vinegar.

1 t vanilla.

1 cup water.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Scoop three holes in the mixture, one large and two small. Fill the largest hole with the oil, and put the vinegar and vanilla separately into the other two holes. Pour in the water over the entire mixture and stir well to make a smooth batter. Place into a greased cake tin and bake at 170°C for 30-40 minutes. For variation, cinnamon and/or sultanas can be added to the dry ingredients.

To find delicous vegan chocolate treats and gifts or to ask more about vegan chocolate, visit Luna Mare Vegan Chocolate. (Click now to get SEO for real readers, not robots, using Semantic Writing by Rick Rakauskas)

How to Decorate Your Cake Without Overdoing It

There is a cake available for every occasion. Indeed, cakes can add more fun to the celebration. Just imagine your loved one preparing a cake for the family. Guests and family members would be expecting the moment when the cake will have to be sliced. The growing excitement cannot be easily measured.

Age does not matter with regards to cakes; young or old, they never lose the taste for that sweet piece of delight. Everyone would have one’s own preference as to the type of cake, and there are a number of choices – a chocolate cake, a strawberry cake, or a vanilla cake.

A cake can either make or break a celebration. If not decorated according to the occasion, or if the design is terrible, the guests might lose appetite for it. If you want to make a cake without over-decorating it, here are some tips that will surely enliven the appeal of your cake.

Plan ahead

Before you decorate a cake, you have to plan ahead. You also have to determine what theme you are going to follow for your cake. If you do this, chances are, there will be no room for over-decorating your cake because you precisely know what you want to create.

Furthermore, you should figure out exactly what kind of materials you will be using for your cake. Usually, you can find them in stores that sell cake decorating supplies. Decorations should always be made initially before placing them on a cake. This way, you will have an idea on how the cake will look like when it is completely done.

Making the icing

The icing placed on the cake has an important role. So, the icing must be done appropriately and correctly. To be able to decorate your cake well without overdoing everything, you have to make a perfect base of icing. This will ensure that the design of the cake will look great.

For the frosting that’s located at the top and side of the cake, the appeal would be enhanced by using two different colors. This is better than monochromatic design. Moreover, the two-color combination would not make the cake too decorated.

Using the decorating tip

Using decorating tips is advised for people who are not experienced when it comes to decorating a cake. Even professional cake decorators find them essential when crafting a cake.

There are many kinds of decorating tips. There are those that can make stars, flowers and frills. You will never run out of choices on what decorating tip to use, just be sure that it is just right for your cake.

The decorating tips also come in different sizes. You should know which size you will use for your cake. Otherwise, the pattern might overshadow the rest of the cake.

To make the decoration of your cake look awesome, you should buy decorating tips made of metal and not plastic. They are also available in shops and stores with cake decorating supplies – many stores, will have plenty of these metal decorating tips in stock so make sure you ask at the counter.

Making waves

If you are unable to get hold of decorating materials, you can use some of the utensils you have at home like knives, spoons and forks. Although the effect of using these on icing looks simple, it’s enough to make anyone want to eat the cake you have decorated. It also helps you avoid over-decorating your cake. Remember, too much of anything is always bad.

To make zigzags, you can use fork. For stripes, use a knife. And for the waves, using a spoon would do the trick.

Count the number of guests attending the occasion

The number of guests who will be coming to your party is imperative as to how many layers of cake you should make. Having a five-layered cake when only twenty guests are coming will make it look overly decorated. This is why you have to base the number of layers of the cake on the number of guests invited, plus the members of your family.

Lastly, to avoid over-decorating your cake, taking into consideration the number of guests, you may seek the advice of an experienced baker.

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Desserts to Include For a Cheese and Wine Night

It is indeed a wonder how the taste of wine can be different when paired with certain foods. When having wine with a meal most people only consider the wine pairing of the main course. They completely overlook pairing a great wine with their dessert dishes. Wines are great with cheeses and dessert dishes and can give the meal a new direction.

When serving wine with cheese, present your guests with a beautiful array of cheeses. French cheeses that range from the very mild to the extremely pungent can be paired with most wines. Start with the mildest cheese and graduate to the stronger varieties. The Camembert is a great beginning and goes extremely well with Champagne. Brie is an excellent creamy and mellow cheese that goes great with a young red wine. If you are serving a Beaujolais try the Morbier and the Bucheron, an aged and pungent goat cheese, paired with Pouilly Fume or the robust Bordeaux.

For dessert pairings it will take a bit of planning but you can pair wines with most any desserts. Crème Brulee, for instance goes well with a crisp Pinot Gris. This will bring the meal to an end on a mellow note. The character that is brought out in the Pinot Gris when it is paired with this dessert will blow you away.

What is not to like about chocolate cake. Pair your favorite chocolate cake with a hearty Port wine. Vintage port is a fine way to end a meal by itself but when paired with chocolate cake the meal ends in orgasmic culinary delight. It may be a bit much for hot summers but this is one dessert and wine pairing that can really make a statement during the cold of winter.

For those who want something light and tasty pair Champagne with a berry dessert. A simple berry tart becomes a dessert fit for royalty when paired with Champagne. This is a simple, yet elegant end to a fantastic spring or summer time meal. If you really want to go for a classic dessert fresh strawberries in cream will do nicely paired with Champagne. Melons are also a perfect match with Champagne.

Finally, for a taste treat that is a tad on the adventurous side pair a fine Madeira with a dessert like vanilla ice cream with caramel topping. Serve the Madeira at or near room temperature for optimal effect.

Mr. Lindle is a wine broker and a wine aficionado. When he buys wine, he makes sure to always a buy wine online at his favorite stores.