Visiting a Chocolate supplier and Seeing Chocolate Growing in Ecuador First Hand…
Dear Chocolate Lovers!
January is the time we light the fire, settle in and finish up all those chocolates and leftover treats, but I decided to leave the country in search of more and headed to Latin America.
The Chocolate Adventure…
Having travelled 19 hours, I arrived in Manta, Manabi in Ecuador on 11th January to spend a week with my dear friend Susana Cardenas, founder and owner of Cardenas Chocolate. I know many of you have enjoyed her chocolate, my Christmas Cranberry & Hazelnut Mediants were made with this beautiful chocolate.
The weather was such a contrast to the UK averaging around 28 degrees. After a few days of relaxing by the beach, we travelled up to Chone to the La Providencia Estate to visit the first cacao harvest of the year.
On arrival at the estate, I was blown away by its beauty. As we walked through the cacao trees the temperature cooled slightly thanks to the shade of the branches. On the ground a blanket of fallen leaves crackled underfoot, baked from the intense sun.
‘As I looked up I saw the cacao pods, green, yellow, and all shades in between! Finally, my dream had become a reality, I was next to the trees that produced the cacao pods I have used to make so many of my delicious creations over recent years.’
I could hear rustling in the trees and saw Marcelo (the estate caretaker) carefully removing the pods from the branches with a long sharp knife. Susana asked Marcelo to cut open a pod which revealed the cacao jewels. A stunning white flesh with the scent of fresh green bananas, and floral notes from the Nacional cacao variety. With my first bite, I could taste light mango, jasmine, and orange blossom, a lovely sweetness that wasn’t overpowering. The white pulp has a direct relation to the flavour of the chocolate produced from the cacao beans. The cocoa beans are removed by hand from the pod and then put into sacks to be transported to the fermentation centre, but that is a story for the next blog post!
Cacao Pod from the trees in Ecuador
For the February half term, I’ve put together some workshops inspired by my adventure…
It's all about Love – Join me on Monday 13th of February for our much-loved half-term workshops for children and teens times 10.30 to 11.30 am or 2 to 3 pm
£20.00
You will make a large chocolate heart with a choice of sweet decorative toppings and four chocolate heart lollipops.
Keep them to enjoy yourself or maybe give them to a loved one.
Skills you will learn:
How to temper chocolate using the seeding method
How to use a piping bag to outline the heart
How to make four chocolate heart lollipops
How to use cocoa butter prints
While the chocolate hearts are setting, you will have a chance to decorate your boxes.
A Chocolate Adventure - Wednesday 15th February & Friday 17th February
Learn all about chocolate's origins with me. Fresh from my adventures, walking through my supplier’s cacao estate in Ecuador and seeing first-hand the cocoa pods growing on the trees. You will have a chance to see a real cocoa pod and taste the chocolate that is made from the previous year's harvest.
You will make 12 chocolate discs inspired by the flavours of Latin America with four being made with dried mango, which is grown next to the cocoa trees.
£20.00
There will be a choice of marshmallows and sprinkles to decorate your remaining chocolate discs.
• How to temper chocolate using the seeding method
• How to tell when the chocolate is tempered
• How to make 12 chocolate discs
• How to use cocoa butter prints
While the chocolate hearts are setting you will have a chance to decorate your boxes.
