Archive for the ‘Cocoa Powder’ Category

This is a Colombian dish, sort of like little cocoa cakes. Again, notice the use of salt along with the cocoa, to bring out its full flavor!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon Baking powder
1/3 cup Organic Agave Nectar
a pinch of Salt
3 Eggs
2/3 cup Milk
3/4 cup Conuco Reserve Organic Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup Flour

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat butter until creamy. Add agave nectar and continue to beat until light and very fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, again beating well each time. Combine cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix dry ingredients then add to egg mixture. Add milk. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla and beat well.

Transfer resulting batter to greased, floured muffin tins. Each cup should be about 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from tins and cool on wire racks.

This one is for when you’re ready to go all out on a dessert, probably for that dinner party you’ve been preparing for, or a super hot date that requires you to pull out all the tricks left in your pantry.  But after all, when you’ve got the chance to go all out, do it right.

from www.epicurean.com

Ingredients:
2 8-oz packages light cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
coffee flavor liqueur
2 tbsp Conuco Reserve Organic Cocoa Powder
1 8-0z container frozen light whipped topping, thawed
1 tbsp instant espresso coffee powder
1 3-to 4 1/2-oz package sponge type ladyfingers
1 1/2 pints strawberries
mint leaves for garnish

In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat light cream cheese, sugar, milk, vanilla extract and 3 tbsp coffee flavor liqueur until blended. Increase speed to high and continue beating until smooth, frequently scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Remove half the cheese mixture to medium bowl. To cheese mixture remaining in large bowl, add cocoa; beat on low speed until blended. Gently fold half the whipped topping into each cream cheese mixture. In 1 cup measuring cup, stir together espresso powder, 1/3 cup coffee flavor liqueur, and enough water to equal 1 cup. Separate each ladyfinger into halves. Line bottom of 2 1/2 quart glass bowl with 1/3 of the ladyfingers. Brush with 1/3 cup espresso mixture. Spoon half the plain cheese mixture over ladyfingers; top with half of remaining ladyfingers. Brush ladyfingers with 1/3 cup espresso mixture. Spoon all the cocoa-cheese mixture over ladyfingers; top with remaining ladyfingers and brush with remaining espresso mixture. Spoon remaining plain cheese mixture over ladyfingers. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hrs. Arrange strawberry halves on top of dessert; garnish with mint leaves. Makes 16 servings and it is really delicious.