Reddit mentions: The best baking chocolates, carobs & cocoas

It's pretty fun, because (1) there are endless new toys to acquire (if you're into that!), and (2) it's actually fairly budget-friendly after you get the initial hardware out of the way (ex. KitchenAid mixer etc.)...I mean, a 50-pound sack of flour is like twenty bucks, and you can make a zillion loaves of breads & cookies out of that! I do get a few premium ingredients for specific recipes here & there, but mostly I just use run-of-the-mill ingredients & get really great results!

It's also really fun amping up both the quality of your results & the experiencing of your cooking & baking time. For example, I cook these amazing five-hour carnitas in the oven, which is one of the things that got me into using leaf lard (which then turned into other incredible things, like lard-based oatmeal cookies). But then the off-the-shelf tortillas were disappointing with those stellar carnitas, so I picked up a cast-iron tortilla press (for smashing, not baking!). I then combined that with a lard-based tortilla recipe and oooooh yeah that's an awesome combination of textures, flavors, warmth, and happiness, hahaha! So going down rabbits holes is quite fun with baking!

I do a lot with my 8-cavity mini-loaf pan, which surprisingly freeze well! Banana bread & pumpkin bread with sweet cream cheese spread, cornbread, chocolate chocolate-chip bread, the list is endless! I also bake excellent homemade Twinkies in various flavors on a regular basis. I was never an overly-huge Twinkie fan, but one of my favorite bakeries makes them in a million flavors with a million different fillings & coatings (chocolate-dipped, white-chocolate dipped & dark-chocolate striped, peanut-butter filled chocolate twinkies, raspberry cake coated with coconut, etc.). So endless variations are also quite fun with baking!

If you want to build up your skills on the more technical side, Bigger Bolder Baking is a fantastic website to check out. If you want a few top-notch (I'm talking like "WOW!") recipes to try out right off the bat:

• Chocolate-chip cookies with this specific dark chocolate (only for very special occasions, because $$$)
  
• Glossy fudge brownies with this specific pan ($$$ but will last forever) & this particular cocoa powder ($$$, but the economics actually aren't bad, once you calculate out the price-per-batch, haha!)
  
• Sour-cream pancakes (without blueberries) - great way to test your Danish dough hook!
  
  You'll discover a lot of little tricks over time. For example, which those chocolate-chip cookies above, whipping the cream & sugar & butter & eggs into something that literally resembled whipped cream is a really great trick to know about...most people just stir those together until combined, but they will actually change color, texture, and consistency when whipped long enough! Side note, if you have a KitchenAid, I highly recommend getting a SideSwipe blade (available on Amazon, be sure to get the right blade for your mixer!).
  
  On that topic, I also recommend getting a coated dough hook & an 11-wire whisk. Wait until you try homemade marshmallows! (super easy with that whisk attachment!) When it gets cold out, I cut those bad boys into 2" chunks, skewer them, heat up some water for the delicious Stephen's hot cocoa powder mix, and then torch the marshmallows. That combination came out so good that I started hosting annual hot chocolate parties, lol!
  
  You can get as creative as you want to with baking, too...like with cakes, you can airbrush them, do drip cakes, mirror glaze cakes, you can torch the tops of cupcakes, make cake pops, the list is endless! Depending on what stage you're at in life, especially in my case as a working adult with a family, I don't get a lot of opportunity for creative outlets due to a lack of free time (and energy, tbh lol), but my family has to eat, and baking is a fun way to amp up your enjoyment in life by making cool stuff you can eat & having fun doing it!
  
  Plus pretty much everything is actually really easy, no matter how complicated it looks...you're just following someone else's step-by-step directions, that they have painstakingly figured out for you through probably dozens of iterations to get it perfect (as Stella did when perfecting her lacy brown-butter cookies!), and that mostly boils down to (1) mix stuff in a bowl, (2) bake it, (3) don't burn it, (4) let it cool down & "set". That little four-step process yields amazing no-knead bread, pan pizzas, twinkies, cookies, brownies, you name it!

What's more nomalicious than Chocolate??? This is seriously the best dutch process cocoa powder known to mankind. No really! That much might last you until your next bulkish order...maybe. Being a carnivore, I use this to make an awesome rub for pork and poultry along with ancho chile, a bit of chipoltle chile for heat, and a dash of Mexican oregano. It is available in smaller amounts but costs more per pound then. And on to that most excellent of spices Cinnamon! Once again, this is the most nomalicious Cinnamon known to mankind. I make an unbelievable rhubarb coffee cake and amazing monkey bread with this stuff. It seriously takes any recipe with cinnamon to the next level. It can also be used to add heat to savory recipes. And for my last suggestion I give you Powdered White Cheddar!?!? Nomalicious on popcorn, for making sauces, adding to bread, and sprinkling on vegetables. It does look like recent reviews aren't as stellar as they could be but my experience with this stuff has been all good. Were I to win I'd appreciate The Flavor Bible from my wish list which I'd point you to in a PM ;)

Enjoy! =D

Fall is in full swing which means it's PUMPKIN time! This muffins are made with coconut flour and almond flour and sweetened with monk fruit and allulose. So tasty and just 3g net carb, 1g of sugar, and 170 calories per muffin.

Recipe Source: Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (includes pictures, tips, and full nutrition facts)

RECIPE: GLUTEN FREE & KETO PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

SERVINGS: 12 MUFFINS (170 CALORIES EACH)

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

BAKE TIME: 25 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

We were able to grab all of our ingredients from a local Walmart, but you can find the ingredients in most grocery stores or online on Amazon.

• 1/2 cup (56g) Coconut flour (we used Walmart’s Great Value Organic Coconut Flour)
  
• 1/2 cup (56g) Blanched almond flour (we used Nature’s Eats Blanched Almond Flour but Blue Diamond Almond Flour works as well)
  
• 2/3 cup (140g) AlluMonk Allulose & Monk Fruit Sweetener (Hoosier Hill Farms Allulose is also a viable choice if you want to skip the monk fruit; Lakanto’s Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol is another option)
  
• 1 Tablespoon (14g) Baking powder
  
• 1 Tablespoon (6g) Pumpkin pie spice (we used Walmart’s Great Value Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon (3g) Sea salt
  
• 4 large Eggs (200g)
  
• 3/4 cup (180g) Pumpkin puree (we used Walmart’s Great Value 100% Pure Canned Pumpkin)
  
• 1/2 cup (113g or 1 stick) Unsalted butter
  
• 1 teaspoon (4.3g) Vanilla extract (we used McCormick All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract)
  
• 1/4 cup (45g) Unsweetened chocolate chips (we used Bake Believe Dark Chocolate Chips, but Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips or Pascha 100% Cacao Chips could also work!)
  
  INSTRUCTIONS
  
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line your muffin baking pan with 12 muffin baking cups.
   
2. Microwave the butter for 30 seconds to soften, but it should not be melted if possible. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and vanilla extract until completely incorporated.
   
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut flour, almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and sea salt. Make sure there are no clumps. Stir into wet mixture.
   
4. Stir in your chocolate chips.
   
5. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups and smooth the tops. (They should be almost full, not 2/3 or 3/4 full)
   
6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the muffins are very slightly golden around the edges.
   
   Recipe Source: Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I ususally augment the Neiman Marcus $250 cookie recipe slightly:

1 cup butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups oatmeal

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

8 ounces Delightfulls Filled Baking Morsels w/ Peanut Butter (they're much less expensive at my local grocery store, but not everywhere carries them)

Use a food processor on the oatmeal to get it to a flour-like consistency.

Mix the rest together as normal, butter + sugars, then eggs, vanilla. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Stir the dry into the wet. Add chips, add oatmeal.

Cook at 375 for... I don't have an exact time. Halfway through I usually swap the top and bottom racks and rotate the trays though. The cookies harden a ton after a few hours. If you're not eating them immediately, take them out after 12ish minutes, when they are still a bit mushy. They'll harden into perfect chewy deliciousness. If you like them crunchy, leave them in an extra 5ish minutes until they start to brown.

The blended oatmeal makes for a great chewy consistency. The best part is those peanut butter filled chips though. You can play with the ratio of those to normal chips. I do about 2/3 PB filled because you still get some chocolate with them. I've been through dozens of recipes and these take the cake hands down. Everyone LOVES them.

I replaced a lot of the sugar-filled desserts that I love with no-added-sugar "healthy" versions. Some examples:

• Plain Greek yogurt mixed with peanut butter powder (I use PB&Me No Sugar Added)
  
  
• Cocoa powder mixed with canned pumpkin, either microwaved or eaten cold
  
  
• Sugar free, fat free jello pudding. I like using almond milk to save calories then amping up the flavour by adding peanut butter powder or cacao powder
  
  
• Oatmeal replaces a lot of desserts for me. I'll do mix ins like chopped apples with cinnamon, sliced bananas with almond butter or canned pumpkin with almond butter or peanut butter
  
  
• Sugar free jello. I make my own with beef gelatin and then water enhancers like these Kool Aid ones for flavour
  
  Overall, good quality cocoa/cacao powder and peanut powder are key ingredients for me to help to satisfy that dessert craving without sugar. Recently, I bought this cacao powder and it's practically changed my life, it's so delicious.

Cacao powder is made from cocoa beans. Y'know, the stuff chocolate is made from. It's a superfood that gives the oatmeal (or whatever it's mixed in - it's good in coffee too) a nice chocolate taste. The fact that it's so healthy shouldn't be surprising since dark chocolate has health benefits (dark chocolate has more of it than milk chocolate).

> Like chocolate, cacao powder contains flavonoids, which are known to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain and heart. With fewer than 15 calories per tablespoon and containing almost no fat, cacao provides a strong chocolate flavor without the guilt. “For someone who has a chocolate tooth and is looking for heart or circulation benefits, it’s a good call,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian.

> SOURCE: (article) 11 Superfoods You Should Know About

It's relatively cheap - I bought a 16oz bag on amazon and it seems like it's lasting a long time.

Don't take my word for it, of course. Do some research to see if it's something you want to add to your breakfast.

All natural-process (opposed to the alkali/dutch process), unsweetened, 100% cacao powders should be nutritionally comparable to each other (with some exceptions depending on percent of non-fat cocoa solids, see below), the only differences will be in taste, organic status, and price. There's also some minor variations in the micronutrients based on growing region but I can't tell you which regions are better (and this is true of all foods too). You can probably divide iron%DV by calories as a simple heuristic to try to determine which cacao comes from a more fertile/mineral-rich growing region but this test probably won't give you the entire story since iron might be high and other nutrients low in one region and vice versa.

Just follow these general rules:

• Look for a product that is made with the 'natural' or non-alkaline method opposed to the 'dutch' or alkaline method.
  
  
• Make sure it is made from nearly-100% non-fat cocoa solids (NFCS). You can determine this by looking at the fat content of the product. It should be less than about 2-3g per TBSP. Cocoa powder that is truly made from 100% NFCS will have 0g fat per TBSP but I'm not aware of any products on the market that are 100% NFCS. Hershey's is the lowest at .5g per TBSP. Most of the nutrients in cocoa comes from the non-fat portion so the lower the fat content the more nutrients per calorie/serving the product probably has.
  
  
• Sugar content should be 0g per TBSP and "cocoa" should be the only ingredient on the label.
  
  
• With the above in mind then just pick something you like the taste of and pick an organic product if that matters to you.
  
  Some examples:
  
  Hershey's Natural Unsweetened 100% Cocoa is probably the best in terms of nutrients AND flavor per cost at only ~$3 per pound (locally, don't buy online). It has 0.2 %DV-iron per calorie. American Test Kitchen gave this chocolate their highest ranking in the supermarket category for flavor.
  
  Ghirardelli's 100% unsweetened cocoa is probably the best in terms of total micronutrients based on the iron/calorie test, but a lot more expensive at ~$6-9 per pound (much more online, but local stores will sell this for this price). It has 0.75 %dv-iron per calorie, one of the highest iron-content cocao powders that i've seen. American Test Kitchen also liked this one as well.
  
  All of the "raw" and organic products marketed towards the new-ager crowd will be nutritionally comparable to even the incredibly cheap Hershey's chocolate but will cost 3-5 times more. Also most of these are never made with anywhere close to 100% NFCS. They are always cut with cocoa butter, even Trader Joe's cocoa powder is cut with cocoa butter.
  
  
  
  
  
  

I think I would put together a specialty selection of baking/cooking supplies. You could start with one big item, like this Le Creuset Heart Baker or a marble pastry board and add on smaller items if you'd like to give more.

Maybe a maple rolling pin and Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste, or Valrhona cocoa powder, Feuilletine, some really lovely stainless measuring cups, perhaps a gift set from Penzey's Spices, especially the Baker's Assortment 9 Jar (or the 4-jar set).

She sounds at least a bit like me, so feel free to include more information on what she might like and I'd be happy to help. :)

Oooh. I would suggest some fancy ingredients like some Nielsen Massey vanilla paste (I have the gigantic 1 quart size myself and it's pretty much my favorite thing ever) or some Valrhona cocoa powder or feves (fancy chocolate chips). Some high quality measuring cups like these ones from All Clad would probably make her over the moon (as others have said, you can never have enough measuring cups and spoons, and heavy-weighted ones like those are a delight to use). You can round out your gift with a few cookbooks you think she might like -- some suggestions are the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook (since you mentioned she makes lots of cupcakes), the Tartine Cookbook (I love this one), and Rose Levy Berenbaum's Cake Bible or Heavenly Cakes.

If you are craving chocolate, look for baker's chocolate or cacao powder. I included links for the two that I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Unsweetened-Baking-Chocolate-KOSHER/dp/B00Q9EX6IY

https://www.amazon.com/HERSHEYS-Cocoa-Natural-Unsweetened-Cacao/dp/B005CUM0J2/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1524666194&sr=1-4&keywords=hersheys+cacao+powder

With the first one (baking chocolate), I melt it, then add a little honey to it (since it is extremely bitter, as is). Then, I either dip nuts (almonds or macadamia nuts) in the chocolate honey mix to make my own nut clusters or dip fruit into this mixture. Drizzling the chocolate over the fruit (if you only want a hint of chocolate) works well too. While it does have some "sugar" in it because of the honey, it is a lot less than what you get at the store. Plus, you are able to control the sweetness, so you only have enough sweetness to make it edible to your tastes.

With the second one (cacao powder), it is great for "smoothies" or in Greek yogurt, as was mentioned before. A really tasty combo is the cacao powder with peanut butter (powder) and your milk of choice (with strawberries).

For sweet drink cravings, I tend to add Sweet Leaf drops (liquid Stevia) to my water. They have one called Lemon Drop that tastes like sweet lemonade. There is also a Root Beer that would taste just like root beer, if you add sparkling water.

Since I am on Metformin and Ovasitol, I think that cut out a lot of the carb/sugar cravings. So, I haven't been eating traditional sweets as often. Once your taste buds get used to less sugar, an apple/a banana with nut butter can taste like a dessert...same thing with just plain fruit. If I do eat the nut clusters that I mentioned above, I will eat a few clusters and be satisfied because of the fat content in the nuts.

> I’m wondering is the reason for this because Americans prefer that kind of chocolate?

Chocoholic here.

I'm fond of Ghirardelli, a San Francisco brand which was recently acquired by Lindt. It was the third oldest chocolate company in the United States (incorporated in 1852) and its chocolate is on par with some of the best I've had in Europe.

I'm also fond of Guittard Chocolate, if you can find it. They supply the chocolate to See's Candies, and they're basically a bulk supplier--which means you'll really only find it at baking supply stores such as Williams-Sonoma. (So that means the best thing to do is buy a small mould, carefully melt the chocolate bars and pour your own moulds or make your own chocolate covered candies.) It blows the socks off of Nestlé, though Nestlé is my go-to for chocolate for chocolate chip cookies.

You also find a lot of local chocolate makers in the United States; Raleigh has its own chocolate maker, for example, though thanks to concerns over my waistline I haven't tried them. Yet. (I suspect, based on what I've heard, that the quality of their chocolate is on par with the best local chocolatiers in Europe.)

We also get some brands of chocolate imported from Europe; most grocery stores around here carry Toblerone, and we have a Lindt outlet at the local mall. (I can't buy them because to me, a bag of 30 Lindt truffles is one serving--then I crawl into bed, sick.)

----

The problem with chocolate is that to make really good chocolate you need the best, freshest ingredients and a near fanatical attention to detail. Companies like Hershey's, Mars and Reeces, along with Cadbury, often cut corners here--and so the quality of their chocolate ranges from fair to good (though I think Dove chocolate, made by Mars, is actually pretty good). (Yes, I know, Cadbury used to be very good, but then they got bought out--and now their candies are on par with Hershey's.)

So I don't think there are any logistical limits to making really good chocolate; just economic ones.

85% I'll eat but 90% is what I love. Also, try this... take a tbsp or two of raw cacao ( I like this brand http://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-Powder-Pouches/dp/B001E5E0Y2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420561149&sr=8-3&keywords=raw+cacao ) and add it to a travel mug of hot water... stir it really good and drink that, it's sooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. If you don't drink it relatively quick though the cacao settles to the bottom of the cup. Don't add anything to it either, just the raw cacao (I'll have it before bed sometimes and almost ALWAYS have crazy, in a good way, dreams that night).

I subbed erythritol for the honey and protein powder for the cocoa. If you don't have almond milk you can sub with water and a couple tablespoons of peanut/almond butter. Make sure you blend the full 1-2 min

• 2 cans full fat coconut milk OR 2 1/2 cups almond milk
  
• 1/2 cup maple syrup/honey or to taste
  
• 1 cup white chia seeds
  
• 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
  
  

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
   
2. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes or until pudding is desired thickness. You may need to scrape down the sides of your blender once or twice to make sure all ingredients are well blended into the pudding. Taste for sweetness and add extra maple syrup/honey if desired.
   
3. Portion out into 6 small containers. Either enjoy immediately (it will be slightly warm from the blending process) or chill in fridge until you are ready to enjoy it (and you will!)
   
4. Will last in fridge 5-6 days

Raw cacao butter has been the best thing I've ever bought for PMS. If I'm feeling fancy I melt it down with cocoa powder and liquid stevia, if I'm feeling lazy (which let's be honest, is most of the time) I just weigh out a portion, add a drop or two of chocolate flavored liquid stevia, and let it slowly melt in my mouth. Amazing.

Also, chocolate flavored protein powder. I get /r/ketochow, and make a single serving every morning for breakfast with just powder & water, no cream (dairy makes me hungry, I try to minimize it).

Other than that I really like iron rich foods, I get a container of chicken livers the week before and work my way through a couple ounces a day. Soooo satisfying.

Recipe is located at https://www.certainlyketo.com/keto-chocolate-eclair-ice-cream-bars/

Sorry I have to post in two comments because the recipe is long.

We have a Strawberry Shortcake one too.

These bars are kind of like the Good Humor bars. This is a great end of the summer treat that would be great any time of the year.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Center:
  
• ½ cup heavy cream
  
• ¼ cup half and half
  
• 2 oz. unsweetened bakers chocolate
  
• Liquid stevia(to taste)
  
• Ice Cream Base:
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
  
• ¼ cup half and half
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• Liquid stevia (to taste)
  
• Outside Crumb Coating:
  
• Vanilla Crumbs
  
• ¼ cup almond flour
  
• 1 Tbsp. butter (melted)
  
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  
• Liquid stevia (to taste)
  
• Chocolate Crumbs
  
• ¼ cup almond flour
  
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter (melted)
  
• Liquid stevia (to taste)

The very best chocolate cake I've ever eaten was first made and presented by my baking bestie. When I fell in love and asked for the recipe, she tossed the container of Hershey's baking cocoa at me. Not only is the recipe LITERALLY on the back, the frosting calls for MELTED butter, so both my sweet tooth and lazy ass are happy!

https://www.amazon.com/HERSHEYS-Cocoa-Natural-Unsweetened-Cacao/dp/B001EQ5AHW

You could make hot chocolate kits.

Get some dollar tree mugs to personalize , gourmet hot chocolate packets , awesome magic color fire shit , and throw some packets of marshmallows and peppermint sticks in there. Add cute holiday wool socks if you love them, and you have a fantastic gift basket for $33 ($3.3/person), or $77 ($7.7/person) with socks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LNXOTDW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this price is excellent for the quality and amount. they can be easily ground in a blender to be eaten, brewed like coffee/tea, used in place of chocolate chips, and have massive health benefits.

I like this one. It's delicious and rich, the packet makes it fairly convenient, it's designed to be made with hot water and not milk, and one packet is usually enough for my gf and I. 170 calories for 1.5oz so ~113 calories/oz. We also add peppermint schnapps to it, which we bring in a small gatorade bottle.

Edit: I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make the hyperlink work properly so here's the link again: https://www.amazon.com/Ghirardelli-Indulgence-1-5-Ounce-Envelopes-15-Count/dp/B0085SN7J0/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3BOZM4NOPW1C&keywords=ghirardelli%2Bhot%2Bchocolate%2Bmix&qid=1574023908&sprefix=ghir%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-4&th=1

Something that might help darken the cupcakes is using black cocoa - it makes for a dramatically dark cake without the risk of food dye flavor coming through! It gives more of a dark chocolate taste though, so do watch out for that. :)

Black cake with black frosting

The Man About Cake episode where I first heard about this magical substance

Food Network Recipe that looks pretty dang tasty

Just so you know cacao powder is a superfood, too. And it makes your smoothies taste like chocolate milk :) I make it with frozen kale, cacao powder, chia seeds, and stevia. Plus it has less than 50mg of caffeine.

This is really good stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Organics-Cacao-Powder-Bags/dp/B001E5E0Y2?th=1

Just remember to keep it in the freezer.

The bottom tiered cake was a vegan chocolate cake recipe I use, even though the rest of the cake is definitely not vegan. It taste incredible, especially if you go the extra mile and get really good cocoa and coffee. Recipe here.

The top cake was just the vanilla cake version of the above recipe, sans the cocoa and coffee, but add in actual vanilla bean.
I made a white chocolate pastry creme for the bottom tiers filling and then added black cocoa powder to the leftover pastry creme and used that on the top tiered vanilla cake.

The frosting was Swiss meringue buttercream. To get that dark sky color I used a combination of royal blue and black Wilton gel food coloring and black cocoa powder from [Amazon]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K89SKKK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_iaiXDbMAHSWES). The accents were fondant and the moon was white chocolate from a mould for desserts and just dusted with silver edible shimmer.

Note: The black cocoa powder when added to any type of vanilla frosting makes it taste like oreos or cookies n creme.

Recipe by Navitas Naturals. Follow the link or look at my substitutions in case you don't have one of the ingredients or are making one serving.

1 Cup Water


1 Tbsp Mesquite Powder (Navitas discontinued theirs, and although I have never tried it, I have found Sunfood is a great brand equal in taste and quality).


3 Tbsp Cacao powder. (Instead of nibs. I don't usually keep these around anyway since most of my raw baking requires Cacao powder).


2 ice cubes


2 TBSP Chocolate Protein Powder (or any whey and casein-free option). I used Healthforce Nutritionals Warrior Food Extreme Chocolate Plus.


1½ Bananas (peeled and chopped). I used one banana, plus half of a frozen one to thicken and make the smoothie extra cold.

Sprinkle of cinnamon

This morning I made this as my breakfast. I wanted something different from my usual green smoothie and mesquite was begging to be used.

The top layer was frothy like a latte and the cinnamon complemented the chocolate so well. The smoothie/shake kept me full for quite a while! This may also make a decent pre/post workout smoothie, as Mesquite powder is a decent source of protein, calcium, and iron, essential for the recovery of muscles. Also, in abundance of zinc, why not support the health of your memory, skin, and eyes at the same time?

You can fat-infuse bourbon with chocolate. However, I would recommend infusing the bourbon with cocoa nibs; something like this. This is how creme de cacao is made. Washing with chocolate may leave more sugar (and vanilla, etc) behind than you want. This way you sweeten and spice to taste.

You'd have to have to decide how chocolatey you want the finished product and experiment with the amount of nibs and infusion time. You want to use a high-proof (BiB or 101) bourbon.

There are many tutorials on the interwebs to do exactly what you're looking for; such as this.

~Good luck

I buy quite a lot from Amazon since I live in a rural area with limited access to paleo friendly stores.

Kelp Noodles

Nogii Bars

Cocconut Oil

Fish Sauce

Cacao Powder

Epic Bars

Almond Flour

Kale Chips

Ghee

Note: Not all are subscribe and save

HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK 100% Cocoa is the bomb.

I actually like it. I purchased this and make chocolate milk out of it with honey or maple syrup, to satisfy my chocolate tooth. It doesn't blend as well as cocoa so might be better in smoothies, but I have liked it.

Not cocoa mixes like SwissMiss or Nestle but the unsweetened cocoa powder that's used in baking. I use Hershey's Special Dark like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Hersheys-Special-Chocolate-Cocoa-8-Ounce/dp/B001EQ4SHK

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

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Never forget to smile again | ^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

BPC was a big help for me in starting Keto, and it has been hugely motivating for me to stay on Keto. It's delicious. In the beginning when I was having carb cravings I would remind myself that I could have BPC, but BPC + a pastry wasn't possible. The caffeine buzz from BPC is a lot... clearer, is the only way I can describe it. I don't experience the 10am crash the way I did with regular coffee, either.

I use my AeroPress and Magic Bullet. Sometimes I use my Coffee Grinder to grind he beans, but lately I've been using pre-ground beans. If you use an AeroPress, you'll want the coffee ground for an espresso maker.

I use grassfed unsalted butter (sometimes salted adds a zing to the taste but I'm not a fan), Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, a raw egg (for protein -- I get migraines and protein in the morning is essential in warding them off) and 1/4 teaspoon of Ghiradelli Baking Cocoa. Whip it up for 30 seconds and life is glorious.

The BPC and drinking water keep me full from about 6:45 am until 11:30.

The AeroPress is good because you can make one cup at a time, so it conserves coffee grounds. You can also bring it anywhere - it's a portable espresso/coffee maker. Some people put sugar-free sweetners in the coffee, but I prefer to avoid them. If you drink it without the sweetner after a while you get used to the taste anyway.

I love this stuff, put about a tablespoon in my black coffee everyday.

http://www.amazon.com/Healthworks-Certified-Organic-Cacao-Powder/dp/B00EKLPLU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417557608&sr=8-1&keywords=cacao

All things are possible with Amazon, my friend. These were that last ones i bought: https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Pounds-Anthonys-Verified-Gluten-Free/dp/B00LNXOTDW

2 TB unsweetened cocao powder

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 bag Soylent

Turns Soylent into a delicious smoothie while retaining the healthiness.

So are these ingredients ok to use?

Raw Cacao, Nutmeg(I simply throw the whole nut in a blender?), and Guarana(Do I have to get the nuts, or can I just get the powder?)

Thanks!

these wafers taste the best and are easiest to use in my opinion, but this is the one I got from amazon which you have to break up into smaller chunks

Get your cafe to order something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Viva-Naturals-Tasting-Certified-Organic/dp/B00HES9CMS?th=1

Melt it down with some stevia, and make your mocha from that. You can even top it with whipped heavy cream.

Thanks! I ordered the cacao butter from Amazon.

They are common in stores. Hershey's usually has a regular cocoa next to their Dutch processed cocoa. Dutch processed is usually labeled clearly, so you know what to avoid.

The reason Dutch processed has fewer antioxidants is because heat destroys antioxidants and Dutch processed is a higher heat form of cooking. I actually buy uncooked cocoa powder since it has the highest antioxidant levels. You will often see it labeled as 'cacao' powder, which is confusing. But cacao is simply the term for 'uncooked cocoa'. I buy my cacao powder in bulk from Amazon. There are a few good options, but I like this one.

Good question -
1 net carb per serving, I used 2 entire bars so thats 16 net carbs for the entire pan (specifically from the chocolate).

Here is the actual brand I used with more dets

https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Unsweetened-Baking-Chocolate-Pack/dp/B00OO01V8M

If you want 100% cacao, I'd buy the beans or you can find cacao powder. Like hershey's. Or the "special dark" like catjuggler said, which is "dutch processed" to make it less bitter and mix easier, but lowers the antioxidant score and polyphenol/flavanoid count.

What about things like drinking a green tea and taking curcumin supplements? That's 1.5grams of something.

Or taking a tablespoon of cocoa powder (10 calories, some carbs and fat):
https://www.amazon.com/HERSHEYS-Natural-Unsweetened-Cocoa-Ounce/dp/B005CUM0J2/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1497997932&sr=8-1&keywords=cocoa+hershey

A tablespoon of cacao powder helps mask some of the crappier flavors of whey that I've bought in the past. You can get a 1lb bag of it on Amazon for under $10.

Hershey's 100% Cocoa Powder and a handful of almonds.

Sometimes I'll make it really thick, other times I'll put so much water in the oats it's almost like a soup. Depends on the mood.

You can ask the cake decorator to use black cocoa in their buttercream or frosting like I did!

It will appear a deep grey at first but then darken to black over a couple hours. This is the brand I use:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K89SKKK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Try unsweetened chocolate. After you have been low carb for a couple of weeks and have adjusted a bit, it’s actually quite good.

https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Unsweetened-Baking-Chocolate-Pack/dp/B00OO01V8M/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1PVPXTHMQWHAP&keywords=bakers+chocolate+unsweetened&qid=1574422104&sprefix=Bakers+ch%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-4

If you’re dreamless, take 30g of cacao powder and 3mg of melatonin. You’ll fucking dream like crazy, but if your sensitive to caffeine you might not sleep.

Pricewise it isn't that awful:

• Healthworks
  
  
• Hershey's
  
  REgarding box mixes; You can also get them without so many nasty additives...

Chocolate Substitute

I would use Cacao, it isn't processed and it'd raw. I think they bake Cacao beans and use it for cocoa which is less nutritious and Dutch processed cocoa has about 0 nutrients. Hers a link to organic Cacao powder: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EKLPLU4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453739782&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=Cacao&dpPl=1&dpID=51zTfetTE-L&ref=plSrch

unflavored with this that's game changer mang

Navitas Naturals

I just started researching into this diet and the foods I can and cannot eat while on it. I was wondering, can I use organic cacao powder while on this diet?

Just add the real [thing] (https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Pounds-Anthonys-Verified-Gluten-Free/dp/B00LNXOTDW/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1526564413&sr=8-6&keywords=cacao+nibs)

You can add it at flame out or after fermentation.

http://www.amazon.com/Hersheys-Special-Chocolate-Cocoa-8-Ounce/dp/B001EQ4SHK

This is the one I ordered and it's dark, dark, dark. amazon.com/Cacao-Barry-Cocoa-Powder-Extra/dp/B00BLTNL4Q/ref=pd_yo_rr_rp_7/135-8977393-1352545

Amazon.

got you fam

It depends on the cocoa. Try to find one with around 100mg potassium per 5g of cocoa and watch out for some with high sodium. You would use 1 tbsp of this to gallon of distilled water, although I usually balance with bone meal, baking soda, and epsom salts (for flower) or replace bone meal with blood meal and cut the cocoa to 1 tsp per gallon during veg. Test soil to determine frequency.

This one has no sodium and good amounts of what we need:

https://www.amazon.com/Viva-Naturals-Selling-Certified-Superior/dp/B00HES9CMS/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525034904&sr=8-3&keywords=certified+organic+cocoa+powder&dpID=51hUg43jE-L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Here is a type that I have used https://www.amazon.ca/Viva-Naturals-Organic-Non-GMO-Powder/dp/B00HES9CMS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1522350046&sr=8-4&keywords=raw+cacao+powder&dpID=51xGztRHlHL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Just make sure that it says raw and unprocessed.

I was on Trintellix (also known as Brintellix) but stopped when I started CBD and cacao.

> have yet to find Valrhona cocoa powder

They have it at Amazon. Could be really expensive though - not sure :)

100% con los chocolates de Hershey's.

Ahora este de Hershey's es muy bueno.

Agila para submarinos no va tan mal.

Gluttony

[YUM] (http://www.amazon.com/Healthworks-Certified-Organic-Cacao-Powder/dp/B00EKLPLU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405187439&sr=8-1&keywords=cocoa+powder)

Oops, I forgot I haven't gifted in this subreddit yet, sorry! I have over in a different sub and got confused.

Congrats!

Sorry about your bad news.

I want this badly.

I don't like cocoa, It's kind of bitter and the one I have has carbs
(Cocoa link)