I have been baking a lot lately and I know I have had to prepare seeing that the holidays are going to be around the corner. I was excited to be contacted by the folks at Ghirardelli asking me to try some of their new and old products. I was given some recipes to view and check out for me to try but I had to create some recipes of my own, of course!
What makes their products new? The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has unveiled its new line of premium baking, hot cocoa, candy making and dipping products with zip-up pouches that are easy to open, use, reseal and store. The hot cocoas are made with real Ghirardelli chocolate and are available in 10.5 oz. zip-up pouches, which contain nine servings of hot cocoa and Ghirardelli’s Double Chocolate is also available in convenient, on-the-go individual packets (.85oz.).
I have been using their chocolate for a long time, when I realized it was not giving me allergies like other chocolate companies. I would get runny noses and colds given the lack of natural ingredients. I loved that Ghirardelli made their products pretty natural.
What is great about their cocoa? The Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Cocoa Ghirardelli Unsweetened cocoa is made from non-alkalized cocoa powder and offers home and professional chefs the very essence
of quality cocoa beans – the dark color of the powder and the rich dark cocoa flavors make this an intense experience that bakers prize. Enjoy it in your favorite creations, including cookies, cakes, and drinks.
Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Cocoa This cocoa has been alkalized using the traditional Dutch process. We’ve added the perfect blend of sugar, vanilla and real Ghirardelli chocolate to create a well-balanced chocolate taste. It is perfect for creating brownies or frosting.
What is great about the package?
· New re-sealable pouch that ensures that unused cocoa stays fresh.
· Ease of opening and storage in the pantry or cupboard.
· Ghirardelli’s legendary commitment to quality – the same delicious cocoa but
in a new convenient package.
I used the Sweet Ground Cocoa for my Cherry Bom Bom Smoothie that my husband requested one night seeing he had a hankering for something cold and desserty but healthy. So glad he asked for that because I made a double batch and we wished we had more to drink after that. The chocolate is delicious and rich and it did not require anymore sugar than what the cocoa and cherries provided.
Now the cocoas have been around except now they added the Chocolate Caramel to the line. I have tried all three and I have to say I like Chocolate Mocha the best! Yum! Yesterday I shared a recipe I featured an after-dinner drink using the Double Chocolate Cocoa called Churros y Chocolate After-Dinner Drink.
I decided to make a savory recipe using the unsweetened cocoa. It is a recipe I have in my e-cookbook that I never shared with anyone until now. I tweaked a few ingredients and increased the amount of cocoa it had and it came out to be a hearty and unique chili. Have you ever had a mole’ from Mexico? Well, this chili was a cross between the standard recipe and the Mexican recipe. It was so flavorful and we ate it with elbow macaroni.
I think cocoa in savory dishes is fantastic but not seen quite as often so I knew I had to share my recipe.
Burnin’ Love Chili
by Noelle Kelly
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients (12 servings)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups onions, diced (4 small onions)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- One pound of ground meat (80/20) or 1- 12-ounce package Boca crumbles (vegan)
- 1 vegan / vegetarian bouillon cube
- One 28-ounce cans ground tomatoes in heavy puree
- One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- One 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- Two 16-ounce cans pinto beans, reserve bean liquid
- Two 16-ounce cans kidney beans, reserve bean liquid
- 5 Tablespoons organic cocoa powder
- 8-ounces dark lager
- 1 ½ Tablespoons seasoned salt
- 1/3 cup ancho chili pepper, ground (1/4 cup to keep heat subtle)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 2 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
- 16-ounce package frozen corn
Toppings
- Sour cream or Tofutti cream cheese (vegan)
- chopped green onions
- grated sharp cheddar cheese or Daiya cheese
Serve
- 1 Pound of elbow macaroni
Instructions
Note: This chili is best made a day or 2 day in advance for flavors to combine.
• Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium high heat and add onions. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ground beef or Boca crumbles and cook for another 15 minutes.
• Open the cans of beans and add the bean liquid to the pan along with the bouillon cube. Simmer the mixture until the bouillon cube has dissolved.
• In a large pot, add the canned tomatoes and beans. Heat the mixture on medium heat. Add the meat or Boca and onion mixture to the pot.
• Add the spices, brown sugar, and cocoa and mix the chili with a large wooden spoon. Simmer the mixture for 30 minutes on medium heat.
• Add the lager and corn at the end and cook for another 45 minutes.
• This chili can be placed in a crockpot and heated on high for 3 hours before serving.
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The newly re-packaged products will hit mass and grocery stores nationwide now through September 2013 when the previous brand packaging will be entirely phased out. For more information, visit www.ghirardelli.com or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/Ghirardelli to stay up to date on special coupon offers and exciting product news.
