At Easter, we Swedes eat lots of candy like chocolate in all forms. And chocolate is certainly wonderful!
There's something special about chocolate we think, as it gives such a satisfying feeling. We often prefer raw, organic chocolate with fine ingredients without white sugar. Consuming chocolate can give an inner feeling of wellbeing and comfort while also providing a taste sensation. Why are there so many of us who love chocolate so much? Could it have something to do with its contents?
Raw cacao/chocolate is very rich in antioxidants but also magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron.
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a chemical that increases feelings of love, focus, and attention span. PEA is notably abundant in the brains of happy people, and when we're in love, our PEA levels increase. Cacao has been proven to be an excellent source of PEA (also found in blue-green algae). This is likely the reason why chocolate and love are often linked together. Note however that PEA is sensitive to heat and is destroyed during conventional processing of cacao beans (roasting).
There is a connection between eating chocolate and being happy. Chocolate releases anandamide, which is a neurological transmitter produced in the brain that is believed to regulate feelings of happiness. Anandamide is produced in the body during exercise. Cacao contains enzyme receptors that reduce the body's ability to break down anandamide. This means that natural anandamide in the body can be preserved for a longer time when we eat cacao, thereby providing an extended "feel-good" sensation.
The amino acid Tryptophan is naturally found in cacao. Tryptophan is essential for the production of the neurotransmitter Serotonin. Serotonin increases wellbeing and relaxation.
Plus, it tastes so good! You can easily make your own raw and organic chocolate at home, here's a basic recipe:
Recipe for raw chocolate
Ingredients
2.5 dl cacao butter
2.5 dl cacao mass or 2.5 dl cacao powder. The cacao mass gives a darker, richer chocolate. The cacao mass is the whole cacao bean ground down to a homogeneous mass. That's why it's brown and has a very intense cacao flavor. Cacao butter is only the fat from the cacao bean; it has a white color and a mild flavor similar to white chocolate and needs to be mixed with cacao powder.
2-3 tbsp honey, coconut sugar, yacon syrup or other sweetener of your choice.
Instructions
Place cacao butter in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. Let the butter melt slowly while stirring. Also place the cacao mass in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. Let the mass melt slowly while stirring. Cacao butter and cacao mass need to be melted separately. Then mix them in a bowl and add the sweetener and cacao powder if you're using it instead of cacao mass. Stir thoroughly. You can now add other ingredients such as coconut flakes, blueberries, raspberries, chopped nuts, a pinch of sea salt, puffed quinoa, gojiberries, spirulina, licorice powder, chaga, lucuma, maca, mesquite, baobab, vanilla powder, cardamom, cinnamon, mint flavor, pink peppercorns, etc.Place a chocolate mold (preferably silicone) on a tray, pour the chocolate mixture into the mold—this can get messy and requires patience =). Place carefully in the freezer and let it set for 15-30 minutes, or until completely firm. Panduro offers many beautiful silicone molds, including one shaped like an egg. If you want to fill your chocolate eggs or pralines, put a little chocolate mixture in the bottom of the mold cavity, pour in the filling, and cover with more chocolate mixture. Silicone molds make it very easy to release the chocolate when it's ready. Now all that's left is to enjoy.
Happy Easter!
