Once you've had black, you never go back.

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Cocoa Syrup.

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used 2/3 cocoa powder, 1/3 black cocoa powder)
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Stir in enough boiling water to form a smooth paste and whisk in the remaining water. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Let simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool and transfer into a squeeze bottle. It will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.

What worked: It's like commercial chocolate syrup, but it tastes like good chocolate! Who knew there was such a thing now that Hershey's is "chocolate flavor syrup"?

What didn't: Um, letting it cool made the pan harder to clean? (Until I added a bit more hot water and stirred, and then I drank it. Can't let it go to waste.)

Will I make it again? Damn straight. This was so easy I can't imagine wasting money on commercial inferior stuff.

Comments

[originalsnarf.livejournal.com]

Why have I never thought of making my own chocolate syrup?! Thank you!

[http://users.livejournal.com/aneska_/]

Looks neat. I will have to try it as I can not stand the cheep commercial stuff.

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Forgive the ignorant food barbarian here: what is "black" chocolate?

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Black cocoa powder can be purchased from places like King Arthur Flour. (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/black-cocoa-16-oz) It is highly alkalized cocoa powder, making it blacker and drier. It's mainly used to make things like Oreos.

I often throw some in with regular cocoa powder because it amuses me to have darker chocolate goods.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Probably for the same reason that I never did until now... 'cause it always came in a can from the store.

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

On which side of the 'add a teeny-tiny pinchette of cayenne to Cocoa' equation do you fall: 'Do' or 'Do Not'?

Answer a question with another

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

On which side of the "that sounds like a really, really terrible idea" equation do you fall?

Re: Answer a question with another

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

Point taken.

That said, I thought it was a bad idea until I tried it -- and now whenever I'm working with cocoa, I add a bit of cayenne. It works out to a really tiny amount -- I'd guess 1/32 tsp (or less) cayenne per cup of cocoa powder.

The woman who introduced this to me said she learned it when she was living in Mexico. Apparently, it's the way things are done in the village she lived in. The cayenne isn't tasted so much as it brings a 'warmth' to the finished product (which has nothing to do with spiciness or heat). I can't recommend it enough.

cayenne, eh?

[dame-cordelia.livejournal.com]

When I bake brownies I usually add a large pinch of black pepper to a 9x13 pan. You can't taste it as pepper, but it seems to intensify the chocolate flavor.

I picked that tidbit up from one of Maida Heatter's dessert books.

[etaine-pommier.livejournal.com]

It is indicative of something that I just read
"it amuses me to have darker chocolate gods."

???

Re: Answer a question with another

[originalsnarf.livejournal.com]

I admit that I've taken to adding a bit of dark cocoa powder or some shaved bits of a Dagoba New Moon bar to my chili when I make it, of late. It adds more complexity to the flavor, and depth without adding any more heat. I can see how it would work in reverse!

Re: cayenne, eh?

[tafelspitz.livejournal.com]

My Scots grandmother's recipe for gingerbread calls for finely ground white pepper. It intensifies the flavour of the ginger without being tasted itself.