Mexican chocolate - savory uses?
Hi, I purchased Mexican chocolate for a wonderful Mole class you all did last year but I've yet to find uses for the remaining chocolate. We're doing less baking frankly, and I'd love to find a savory application. Thanks for any ideas you may have to share!
Comments
Hi Karmen -
Any slow-cooked sauce or braise could benefit from the addition of Mexican chocolate. It does a great job of toning down bitterness and adding a little bit of sweetness and fuller flavor to your food. It would work well in chilis and sauces for pulled pork or pork ribs, posole, or enchiladas. You could also grind it up in a blender and combine with oats, dried fruit, and nuts to make a granola (or granola bars) with the unique flavor of Mexican chocolate.
If you do decide to use it for baking, make sure to find recipes that call for Mexican chocolate specifically. Because of the difference in sugar content and cocoa butter between Mexican chocolate and bittersweet/semi-sweet chocolate, they aren't interchangeable.
Best,
The Milk Street Cooking Team
I love this idea and appreciate the feedback! I recently added cacao nibs to a nut/seed mix topping for oats and yogurts. She said not to add cocoa powder in place as it won’t melt and can taste bitter - float in cereals etc. I’d think that wouldn’t be the case with Mexican chocolate?!
Hi Karmen -
I’m not exactly sure how the nut-seed mix is made, but if you grind up the Mexican chocolate as we mentioned for the granola, it should work fine. Mexican chocolate *will* melt but will be grainy which is why it’s best to melt it into something with fat in it, like milk, to alleviate the graininess. Grinding it will also help with graininess.
Best,
The Milk Street Cooking Team