How To Make Raw Chocolate

This is a guide to raw chocolate and how to make raw chocolate, by hand, in your home. Making raw chocolate is one of the finest culinary experiences there is, filling your kitchen with the delicious smells first unlocked by the ancients of Meso-America. And for the first time we at Indigo Herbs are giving away our secret recipe for free!

Why Raw Chocolate?

Much of Cacao's natural goodness is destroyed in the heating process, of conventional chocolate making. So the feel good factor often experienced when eating raw chocolate is stronger because much more of the feel good chemical compounds responsible remain intact. Also, when eating chocolates made following our Pure raw chocolate recipe, they are not inhibited by dairy or sugar.

Chocolate folklore & history

It was the Mayans that really got into this “food of the Gods”. According to Maya mythology, the Plumed Serpent gave cacao to the Maya after humans were created from maize by divine grandmother goddess Xmucane. In a similar creation story, the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl discovered cacao (cacahuatl: "'bitter water"'), in a mountain filled with other plant foods. There are several recipes for cacao described in ancient texts, for ceremonial, medicinal uses as well as culinary purposes. Some recipes included maize, chili, vanilla, peanut butter and honey. 

Why do we feel so good ?

Well, the raw cacao bean contains over 300 nutritional compounds, is high in anti-oxidants and rich in essential minerals. It contains various exotic phyto-chemicals including the highest natural source of theobromine (widens blood vessels and stimulates the heart). It even contains the natural 'love molecule' PEA, believed by scientists to be responsible for the feelings associated with being in love. These phyto-chemicals, which raw chocolate is packed with, trigger the brain's happy feel good neuro-transmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and anandamide.

So in other words as well as being good for your physical nutrition, it can also promote your mental wellbeing.

The Pure Raw Chocolate Recipe

It’s simple, and here isour recipe. We believe that it is all about the intent, so enjoy the sensuality of the colours, tastes and smells and don’t forget to make a wish…..happy creations.

You will need...

A bain marie (ie. a large saucepan of boiling water with another heat proof bowl floating inside it).

A mixing spatula or spoon.

Molds for the chocolates to set in. You can use ice trays or cake cases.

Roughly equal proportions by weight of Raw Cacao Powder, Raw Cacao Butter and Agave Syrup. (You can vary your proportions of Cacao and Agave depending on how you like your chocolate).

Vanilla or other flavours to taste.

Method

Boil the water for the bain marie then remove from the heat.

Gently heat all the Cacao Butter in the Bain Marie until the last of the solids have just disappeared.

Add the Vanilla and stir into the melted Cacao Butter.

Add in the Cacao Powder and mix until it is smooth.

Add in the Agave and mix until completely blended.

If you are adding any other ingredients do this now.

Pour out the molten Raw Chocolate into molds and allow to set.

Pop out your Raw Chocolates and share them with those you love ... if you can!

Making varieties of Raw Chocolate

You can make all sorts of varieties of raw chocolates by adding in various flavours, herbs or other delicious superfoods to your recipe. We have six different recipe with different herbs for men, women, lovers, etc. We also like to make delicious raw chocolate meusli bars with Inca Berries and oats ... very popular with the kids and good for them too.

Acquiring the Ingredients

Here at Indigo Herbs we go to great lengths to ensure a consistent supply of Raw Chocolate ingredients that are reasonably priced, of top quality and where the farmers themselves get a fair deal out of it. Our Cacao supplies come from a small village in Ecuador where our supplier is working with the farmers towards achieveing organic certification.

We supply complete chocolate making kits which are ideal for making your own raw chocolate and come with instructions and our secret recipe. We also supply all the ingredients separately and also the finished, neatly wrapped, Raw Chocolates hand crafted here in Glastonbury. Click on a button below to buy...