Having watched Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory on television recently, I was fascinated by the concept of these 100% cacao blocks – pure unsweetened chocolate with nothing else added to it.
They’re not available in Australia yet, so my friend Jo very kindly mailed me a couple of blocks, and they serendipitously arrived at the same time as the cookbook, which I’d ordered from Amazon in the UK.
The book is a great read – half autobiography and half recipes – although at £6 per 180g block, the cacao is an expensive ingredient to use regularly (even if I could buy it here). It has a strong aroma of fine chocolate, and tastes as you imagine it would – dark and very bitter, without a hint of sweetness.
I couldn’t wait to try it, and began with a half sized version of Willie’s Tartuffo, which is basically solid ganache set in a loaf tin. It needs to be refrigerated overnight before slicing, and it’s very rich, so a little goes a long way.
- 90g cacao, finely grated
- 150ml heavy whipping cream
- 75g pure icing sugar, sifted
1. Line a small loaf tin or bowl with cling film.
2. Melt the cacao in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. I actually used a microwave for this, and I’m not sure it worked as well as it could have.
3. Whip the cream and 25g of the icing sugar together until it forms soft peaks.
4. Stir the remaining icing sugar into the cacao and leave to cool slightly. My mix seized up when I did this, but I was able to loosen it up again with the whipped cream.
5. Stir a scoop of whipped cream into the cacao mixture until softened, then gently and gradually fold the remainder of the cream and cacao together. Pour into the lined tin or bowl, and refrigerate until firm.
. . . . .
Here’s my reworking of Le Chocolate Chaud recipe from David Lebovitz’ The Sweet Life in Paris, using the cacao. It creates a very different drink to one made with dark chocolate.
- 50g of Willie’s 100% Cacao, grated into a small saucepan
- 20g white sugar
- 375ml (1½ cups) milk
- pinch of sea salt
Gently whisk all the ingredients together in the small saucepan over a medium heat – keep whisking until the chocolate and sugar are melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, and barely simmer the hot chocolate for three to five minutes until the liquid is thick and viscous, whisking regularly. Pour into little demitasse cups to serve, and top with whipped cream if desired.
. . . . .
And with the last 30g of my first block, I made a scaled down version of Anna’s Jewel Bites, using cacao and tiny quantities (at least for my small batch) of cinnamon, dried fruits, nuts, vanilla, rum and a scant teaspoon of honey. Very dark and delicious!
It’s amazing how many things I was able to make with a single block of cacao. Maybe it’s not such an expensive ingredient after all!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Yum. Celia could you please take pity on me and not post anything chocolate related until at least later in the day? It is very bad to start my day craving for chocolate just because I have read it on your blog! In fact, if you could go sugar-free for the month with me that would be even more appreciated… :)
Well, the Cacao is sugar-free.. :) Sorry, love, it’s been a big chocolate month, so there’s a couple more posts coming…
My plan for the month is to stick to 1500 calories a day (so old-fashioned, I know), which is tricky when I have to allow 160 cals each day for my 30g of chocolate..hahaha…
Ah I see you have the same approach to “dieting” as I do. First work out the calories for the “essentials” (in my case it is cake), then fit everything else in around that. Makes me feel clever doing it but I don’t actually lose any weight. Not sure why… :)
I made up another batch of your recipe canele batter this morning…went for a double quantity. Hmm…wonder if I will be able to stay strong tonight or if I will fail again on my third attempt at “day 1 of the sugar-free month”?
I have to admit, it hasn’t been all that successful for me either so far.. :)
I’ve made the Cloud Forest Cake, from the Chocolate Factory Book, twice now. (At least, I assume it’s in the book – I got the recipe from the wrapper on the cacao block and online) As it uses a whole block of cacao it’s kept for special occasions, but it’s a recipe which really allows the flavour of the cacao to come through without any distractions – as would the Tartuffo, I guess.
I know I’m being stingy, Suelle, but I can’t bring myself to use a whole block on just one cake! I’ve only got one more..though hopefully a friend might be able to bring some for me when she comes over in Feb… :)
Hmm – that hot chocolate looks like it is in one big mug rather than several little delicate cups!
I also recently watched Charlie and the Chocolate factory……. and have seen those cocoa blocks before……… You are….amazing!
What’s amazing is that there are people re selling this on ebay and other sites and asking up to double the price for it. You wonder who bothers when they can google and get it either direct from Willie’s online shop or from somewhere like Waitrose in the UK. Maybe the Easter bunny will send some more? hop hop…. I love the photo of the jewel bars.. :)
I have not eaten breakfast yet, but I’m feeling a bit like a child now and want something very rich and chocolatey!
Anna, I thought that too! But it really is just a little demi-tasse cup. Honestly, you couldn’t drink a big mug of this, it was too rich!
Oz, thank you! Did they screen the Willie Harcourt-Cooze documentary in the Netherlands? It’s well worth watching – Gillian at Some Say Cacao gave me the headsup a while ago, so I was pretty excited when it came out here on free to air!
Dear Easter bunny, you have already been most generous, please don’t go to any more trouble! :) And yes, bizarre that they should be selling the cacao on ebay!
Cassandra, aren’t you the one who used to have brownies for breakfast? :)
Cheers, Celia
Yay! I’m so glad your cacao bars arrived and you ‘seem’ (understatement) to be enjoying them.
I have some in the press but I am tempted to use it for savoury dishes – it made my spag bol richer. I feel that for less money I can buy decent chocolate bars for sweet things. But the cacao seems soooo suited for savoury … maybe grated on top of that divine looking pizza?
Yes, that’s a very good idea, Gillian, thank you! I might try and dedicate my second block to savoury – I keep trying to build up the energy to try that mole recipe in the cookbook.. :)
They look like a fascinating ingredient. I must try and get my hands on some (probably via similar means i.e. generous friends in the UK!)
Yr pics are amazing. It’s 11pm and still I’m feeling hungry reading your blog!!!
Lorraine, you’d love this – it’s so unusual!
Pavlover, thanks for stopping by! :)
Celia, did you spot that pic of David Lebovitz in the group photo in the Paris kitchen. Roz