Our Blog
Apple Ginger Beer for Father's Day
Father’s Day is just around the corner if you call the US or UK home. It’s one of those days where you don’t want to spend a fortune, but a little bit of acknowledgment for everything your Dad or father figure has done is always appreciated. Gifting something you’ve made yourself is the best way to win him over, you’ll be the favourite in no time. We’ve come up with a new Apple Ginger Beer recipe that we highly recommend you try out. It’s the perfect refreshing beverage, the strong, spicy notes of ginger with a slightly sweet, more complex apple base. If you’re like us and prefer it to be heavier on the ginger, don’t be scared to throw in a few more chunks of the good stuff. If you want to try some different flavours change the apple juice for an alternative; pear, cranberry or pineapple. Just make sure the sugar content is the same as the apple (around 10g/100mL on the nutrition panel). If it is more or less then adjust the added sugar and water levels accordingly. Too much sugar may cause speedy fermentation resulting in more alcohol and exploding bottles. If you’re based in NZ or Australia now is a great time to start practising your recipes so they’re perfect in time for September. Alcoholic Apple Ginger Beer Ingredients 400 g (14.1 oz) brown sugar 3.25 L (3.4 US qt) water at 35oC 20 g (0.7 oz) dried ginger or 2/3 cup (1.3 oz) of fresh ginger juice ½ cup (125 mL) lemon juice 1 packet Mad Millie Ginger Beer Yeast 1 L (1 US qt) Apple juice White sugar for carbonation Method Dissolve the sugar in 1 L (1 US qt) of water, mix in the ginger and lemon juice. Add to the fermenting jar. Add the apple juice and remaining water to the fermenting jar. Add the yeast and carefully swirl to mix. Half fill the airlock with water and fit to the top. Ferment for 1 week at room temperature (20oC/68oF). After 1 week sanitise 6 x 750 mL glass bottles, a jug and a funnel with boiling water. Use the 0.75 scoop on the 3-way sugar measurer to add 1 scoop of white sugar to each bottle. Pour the ginger beer into bottles. Seal and ferment for 2 weeks at room temperature (20oC/68oF) then enjoy!
Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Mother’s Day is one of those days that can so easily creep up on you and while we tend to shy away from the commercialisation of it all, it is so nice to recognise Mum for just doing what she does. We think it’s the thought that counts and whether you choose to give her a gift, make her something or just put aside some time to spend together, she’ll appreciate the thought. Here are a few ideas that we’re planning to use for our Mum’s this year: 1. Make her some personalised gin Gin used to be thought of as a bit of an old ladies’ drink; my mum’s memories of Friday nights growing up often featured a request from my grandma for a gin and tonic with an extra squeeze of lemon. Nowadays with the resurgence in popularity and creativity that is being put into gin by distillers, there are hundreds of different varieties to choose from. Why not make your mum her own personalised version? Choose a variety of flavours she likes for the infusion step or use a Mad Millie botanical combination and we guarantee she’ll be impressed. 2. Get her a Mad Millie Kombucha Kit and make it together I’m not sure about you, but my mum doesn’t really know what kombucha is. She leads a healthy lifestyle and has seen the name around a few times but has no idea about the health benefits or that it could really help her gut with all the probiotics. Our Mad Millie Kombucha Kits won’t break the bank and are a great activity to do together, then you can also talk her through the importance of sanitation and how to do a second ferment. She’ll appreciate the time with you as well as her bubbly brew! 3. Create some tasty treats with the additional Mad Millie recipes Getting really into your kits and finding you have Mad Millie creations coming out of your ears? Gift them, or better yet gift them in a different form. We have a ton of recipes on our Mad Millie website that you can use to take your Mad Millie creations one step further. Fresh labneh from your Greek yoghurt or a vegan ricotta go so well with some homemade sourdough flatbread. 4. Make her some marinated feta One of our favourite things to gift people and equally delicious if it’s dairy or vegan! Marinated feta is the best kind of surprise as your mum will be able to see the love and care that has gone into creating it just for her. You can get creative and include different things that she enjoys so it’s personalised, olives, roasted peppers and aubergine, garlic, preserved lemons, artichoke, the options are endless. 5. Gift her one of your best aged cheeses, specialty or hard If you’re making aged cheeses regularly then this one is for you, gift your mum a hard or specialty cheese that is just about ready to enjoy. She’ll love getting something that took some time, care and effort. If you’re not quite that organised invite her round for a cheese making day and do it together. She’ll love getting to spend time with you doing a fun activity, and you can send her away with a treat to be enjoyed in 6 weeks’ time, that will really test her patience!
Why we love chocolate
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner our craving for all thing’s chocolate has been piqued. Whether you’re a believer in the day of love or not, it’s certainly a great excuse to enjoy a tasty bar (or in our case box) of chocolate. As we got stuck into making some homemade Mad Millie Raw Cacao Chocolate, we were curious about where the association of chocolate and love came from. As it turns out there is a very valid reason that chocolate is sometimes known as the ‘love’ or ‘happiness’ drug. The various different ingredients and compounds that are in chocolate may actually have an impact on our brain and body, causing us to feel pleasurable and positive feelings. Let’s check out what the love drug contains that has us reaching for more. Theobromine Theobromine is found in tea, coffee and chocolate, with chocolate being known as the richest ingestible source. It’s a naturally occurring, organic compound that comes from the cacao tree, Theobroma and can have stimulant effects on the human brain. Much like caffeine the stimulant effect makes your feel better, more alert and ready to face the world. Various studies have shown that if you eat enough chocolate it can have a similar impact on the brain as cannabis, which explains the chocolate high people experience. We recommend a moderate amount of chocolate, a feel good high plus not feeling physically sick after eating kilograms of the good stuff. Anandamide Small quantities of anandamide are found in chocolate as well as being naturally occurring in the human brain. It’s a cannabinoid and has some of the same effects as THC in cannabis, with clinical trials showing a reduction in anxiety with its use. This is in such small amounts in chocolate that its impact is negligible but interesting all the same! Phenylethylamine (PEA) This little chemical is what our brain naturally releases when we fall in love, you know where else you can find it? In chocolate. The brains pleasure centres are stimulated by phenylethylamine to prompt feelings of happiness, excitement and giddiness. This one is mostly metabolised before it can make us fall in love with our chocolate, but you get the gist. Tryptophan Found in small quantities in chocolate, tryptophan is an amino acid that is used by the brain to make serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of happiness. Sugar One of the most addictive parts of all, sugar is found in most types of chocolate to help reduce the bitterness of cacao. As soon as those little sugar molecules hit your taste buds your brain gets a signal to let it know you’ve eaten something sweet and delicious, and dopamine is released. This is one of the big contributors to the feelings of pleasure and satisfaction that comes with that very first bite. Now just a disclaimer, these naturally occurring chemical compounds are indeed present in chocolate, but they are likely to be in small enough quantities that the positive impact doesn’t actually come from them. Instead our bodies crave a delicious chocolate morsel and when we satisfy that craving, endorphins are released, and we feel happy and content. Either way we know that chocolate gives us a satisfaction like no other, but as always, keep it in moderation.
Where did Limoncello come from?
There is no better way to end a summer evening than with a tipple of ice-cold limoncello. As this glorious lemon-infused alcohol slips past your lips, you can just about taste summer in Italy. For those of you who aren’t quite so well acquainted with the history of limoncello, let's go back to the beginning. There are various stories around the true origins of limoncello ranging from local fishermen and farmers (who used it as an early morning espresso), to monks between prayer; everyone would like to lay claim to its inception. There is no better way to end a summer evening than with a tipple of ice-cold limoncello. As this glorious lemon-infused alcohol slips past your lips, you can just about taste summer in Italy. For those of you who aren’t quite so well acquainted with the history of limoncello, let's go back to the beginning. There are various stories around the true origins of limoncello ranging from local fishermen and farmers (who used it as an early morning espresso) to monks between prayer; everyone would like to lay claim to its inception. The official line from Federvini (the Italian Association of Wine/Liqueur Producers) is that Massimo Canale registered the production of limoncello in 1988, in Sorrento. His inspiration came from his grandmother, Maria Antonia Farace, who used to tend luxurious gardens of lemons and oranges on the island of Capri. She would make citrus-infused alcohol for family, friends, and guests at the inn to enjoy. After the Second World War Massimo opened a restaurant nearby where they sold this speciality lemon liqueur. Since registering the trademark, the Amalfi region has blossomed with orchards and artisanal producers making authentic limoncello. The unique flavour of this aperitif comes from the zest of Sorrento lemons, otherwise known as Femminello St. Teresa lemons. These lemon hulks grow to be huge, distorted fruit that produces surprisingly sweet, aromatic flavours that are perfect for limoncello. Whether you’ve always wondered about making your own spirits or just want to try something new, the new Mad Millie Limoncello Kit is the perfect starting point. Following a step by step recipe, you’ll be serving your own handmade Limoncello with a twist (secret flavour addition in the kit) to all your family and friends. Don’t be scared to think outside the box and try different types of citrus fruits and infusions as well. Now we can’t promise the flavours of sweet Sorrento lemons (turns out these are relatively hard to source) but we assure you, you can get pretty close! We’ve made batch after batch during the development stage of our Limoncello kit, and so far we have yet to be disappointed, regardless of the lemon variety used. Whether you’re keeping all your creations for yourself or gifting the pretty glass bottles to others, make sure you consume it cold, as cold as it can get! Served straight from the freezer into a frozen aperitif glass or mixed with sparkling water and poured over ice, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
Time for a refresh!
You’ve had a sneak peek at the new and improved Mad Millie designs with the release of some products this year, we hope you like what you’ve seen so far. The focus was to make the kits all about you, our consumer. We wanted you to easily see what each kit makes when it’s sitting on the shelf. Then once you get it home the How to Guides needed to be as simplified and easy to use as possible. We want you to have success each and every time you use Mad Millie. A refresh, a transformation, a rebrand; label it what you will. We’re pretty sure everyone enjoys a little bit of a freshen up from time to time. Sometimes a new haircut or piece of clothing is enough to do it. Other times something a little more drastic might be called for. Towards the end of last year, Mad Millie was feeling the same way. Wanting to maintain the fun, quirky, creative vibes but quietly creeping towards double digits (10 years old next year!). It was time for a change. Back in the day Mad Millie launched with bright purple packaging wrapped around our cheese kits. The first fans may even have some of those beautiful cartons still lurking in the back of their cupboards. Fun and punchy, the first kits of their kind, we were starting the do it yourself movement! The brand and products evolved over time to include all types of gourmet, artisan, and health food kits including vegan cheese, sauerkraut, and kimchi, coconut yoghurt and sourdough. The purple was abandoned as Mad Millie matured and realised that bright purple just wasn’t cool anymore. A more neutral design was released that seemed to hit the spot. Before we knew it, we were nudging 10 years and felt like a wardrobe update was due. We wanted Mad Millie to really show off on shelf, we know it’s a great product and we wanted everyone to see that too. The packaging should represent the fun you can have with Mad Millie; that getting creative can be surprisingly easy with a little bit of help. So, we set to work! You’ve had a sneak peek at the new and improved Mad Millie designs with the release of some products this year, we hope you like what you’ve seen so far. The focus was to make the kits all about you, our consumer. We wanted you to easily see what each kit makes when it’s sitting on the shelf. Then once you get it home the How to Guides needed to be as simplified and easy to use as possible. We want you to have success each and every time you use Mad Millie. Side note: the packaging and instructions are changing but it’s still the same great product inside. You’ll see more of the new designs coming out over the next 6 months as we roll out the old and move into the new. We hope you like it!
Everybody's still talking about Gin!
Over the last 10 years the resurgence of gin has been huge and boutique distillers continue to pop up everywhere. With our Mad Millie Gin Kit being inspired by this growth, we thought it would be interesting to understand where this trend has come from. Beverage trends come and go as people discover the next new and wonderful tipple to wash away the work week. Over the last 10 years the resurgence of gin has been huge and boutique distillers continue to pop up everywhere. With our Mad Millie Gin Kit being inspired by this growth, we thought it would be interesting to understand where this trend has come from. Gin is typically thought of as a very English drink however its initial origins lie in the Netherlands and the production of Jenever. Once it was transported to the UK it morphed into the traditional juniper infused spirit we know and love. Thinking back to older generations, gin was splashed into the glass and loaded up with ice, tonic, a squeeze of lemon and maybe a slice of cucumber (if you were really fancy). It was my grandmothers staple evening beverage, the blue bottle of Bombay Sapphire adorning the mantelpiece. So why did gin drop off everybody’s radar? Because it was exactly that, a staple for my grandmother. It wasn’t seen as fun, trendy or innovative. You wouldn’t say no to a classic G&T but if there were other options it would fall by the wayside. From the 1950’s gin consumption declined and the new kid on the block, vodka, took its place. To further curb innovation, across the US, UK and Australia, legislation stated that if you planned to produce less than 300 litres of alcohol at a time then you were technically producing moonshine, which was illegal. Potential small-scale producers were put off at having to start with such large-scale distilling equipment and so gin continued to stagnate. That is until Sipsmith came along. They could see the potential in gin and after a historic two year legal battle the legislation was changed in 2009 and distilleries were given the legal right to produce and sell gin in small amounts. This was a new beginning for gin, boutique distilleries began to pop up introducing unique infusions and flavour combinations. Since the law change in 2009 the number of gin distilleries in London has increased from one to 24, in just 10 years. Distillers are becoming more experimental with their infusions and pushing the limits in terms of flavour combinations. The process of distilling gin is relatively simple compared to an aged whisky which gives flexibility to the distillers. With experimentation consumers are also discovering that a well infused gin doesn’t need its flavour hidden by traditional tonic, suddenly the cocktail options are endless! Why not take inspiration from some of the incredible gin innovation that is going on out there? The Mad Millie Handcrafted Gin Kit lends itself perfectly to getting a little creative. If you’re unsure on a flavour combination, we recommend infusing a small amount of vodka first to test the flavours. Try 200mL (6.8 fl oz) at a time and then you can easily up-scale the successful innovations to show off to family and friends.
Why do we have Easter eggs?
Whilst munching away on chocolate, in preparation for more chocolate, it got us thinking about the origins of the humble Easter egg. How does this fit into the religious significance of Easter? There are a few different theories out there as to how the celebration of Easter and Easter eggs became so entwined. Easter is only a few weeks away, but the shelves have been full of Easter eggs for weeks, tempting us to reach out and add them to the shopping basket at the last minute. They’re deceptive little things, they look so small that you think ‘I’ll just buy a bag and it will last us a week’, that bag has never made it through more than two nights. Unwrapping those little ovals of chocolate goodness is too easy, they’re so small that surely a large handful is only the equivalent of a chocolate bar? Whilst munching away on chocolate, in preparation for more chocolate, it got me thinking about the origins of the humble Easter egg. How does this fit into the religious significance of Easter? There are a few different theories out there as to how the celebration of Easter and Easter eggs became so entwined. Traditionally eggs have been a symbol of fertility and rebirth. Eggs were used to celebrate the Anglo-Saxon festival for the goddess Eastre and the coming of spring. The eggs were eaten and possibly buried to symbolise the resurrection of nature after winter and encourage fertility. It is thought that Christian missionaries may have encouraged the link between the holy days of Easter and this pagan festival to try and encourage conversion to Christianity. The second belief is that the egg symbolises the empty tomb of Jesus, hence why they were predominantly hollow. In early Orthodox churches, Easter eggs were handed out by the priests at the end of the Holy Saturday congregation. The hard shell represented the sealed tomb and when the egg was cracked, it represented Jesus’ resurrection. This also marked the first time Christians could eat eggs after Lent, a fasting period of 40 days where abstinence from meat and eggs is observed. Nowadays the importance of the humble Easter egg has changed and developed. My childhood memories are being given $5 and let loose in a store. The hardest decision was do I go for the 1kg egg which was the size of my head, but the chocolate tasted like soap. Or do I choose quality over quantity and get a couple of Belgian eggs. These childhood memories are entertaining but also always predominantly family focused, my brother was right there beside me, debating the decision with me. My sister would get whatever I got, she was my little shadow. At Mad Millie, however you choose to celebrate Easter, with or without eggs, we hope you are spending the time off with friends and family. We think it’s so important to take every opportunity to step back and appreciate what we have and who we have around us. Quality time is always better than quantity (I learnt that lesson, but it took a couple of years in the Easter egg department). Why not spend one afternoon getting creative in the kitchen together and making some Chocolate Sourdough Hot Cross Buns? Or let the inner child loose and make an Easter egg hunt? However you choose to spend your time, Happy Easter from the Mad Millie team!
Christmas Liquor and Liqueur Recipes
The festive season is the perfect time to treat yourself with a special homemade tipple. Homemade vodka infusions are a great way to be creative, whether you prefer aromatic or fruity, sweet or fresh, think outside the box of all your favourite flavours. Being based in Europe for the festive season is a very different experience to New Zealand or Australia. Despite loving the Southern Hemisphere Christmas, the festive season really makes sense when it’s cold and wintery outside. The mulled wine, long lunches and dinners indoors, out of the cold; feasting until you feel slightly ill. It’s much easier to indulge in that extra piece of dessert when you aren’t going to spend the next week in a bikini at the beach. One thing I am loving is the plethora of traditional Dutch Christmas goodies that are turning up in the supermarkets and shops. Most of the labels I’m still unable to read but it’s much more entertaining playing lucky dip and finding out what it is with the first bite. There have only been great successes so far, but it is lucky I like marzipan! Another great find is Jenever, the Dutch version of gin and where gin originated from. A subtly different flavour that I prefer mixed with a good splash of tonic and some fresh mint. The juniper flavoured liquor has been around since the 1500s and the distilling technique perfected along the way. Jenever is only able to be produced in the Netherlands and Belgium to preserve the authenticity of it. Trying this delightful drink helped inspire our next round of homemade gift ideas that are seriously easy to make. If you have purchased a Mad Millie Handcrafted Gin Kit this is the perfect starting point as you will already have the Botanical Blend to make your own delicious London Style homemade gin. But don’t feel limited by specific herbs or flavours, there are so many options when it comes to infusions! Whether you prefer aromatic or fruity, sweet or fresh, think outside the box of all your favourite flavours. Below we have given you a few of our top picks to get you started. If you prefer things a bit sweeter, more of a liqueur than a liquor then consider making it a two-step infusion process. Make a simple sugar syrup up and after the initial infusion add some of your sugar syrup to taste, then infuse for a further week to allow the flavours to settle (instructions below). I love the little bottles as a gift; not only are they very cute but it means you can get gift a few different options to show off all that you have created. Alternatively go for bigger bottles and create a flavour specific to the lucky recipient. Ingredients 1 x bottle of average quality vodka – volume depends on your infusion bottle/s size. Don’t buy a super cheap one as it will impact the flavour of your infusion. Mid-range is good to get a clean base for your flavours. Depending on the size of your bottle, the amount of ingredients will change. We were using 250 mL (8.4 fl oz) bottles so increase or decrease accordingly. Option 1 – Dried apricots, cranberries, cardamom and star anise 5 x dried apricots 1.5 Tbsp dried cranberries 1 tsp cardamom 2 x star anise Option 2 – Dried fruit and spices With this one we encourage you to get creative. What’s your favourite dessert that you can take inspiration from, or do you love mulled wine? Think of some different flavour combo’s or have a look at your local tea shop for inspiration. We used a mixture we found at the local market – dried blueberries, florals and citrus rind. Option 3 – your favourite dried tea (Butterfly Pea Flower) Tea is so packed with flavour that it can be really fun to use for infusions. Tea leaves is our recommendation and your local tea shop is bound to have a ton. Herbal teas are the way to start and then move onto experimenting with some more floral teas like Green or Earl Grey. We used the dried Butterfly Pea Flower tea mix in ours, it’s so pretty we couldn’t go past it! Option 4 – Lemon, ginger and mint Half a lemon, sliced 6 x mint leaves 2 cm (0.8 in) of ginger roughly chopped (this can vary dependent on your love for ginger) Method Put your infusion ingredients into a clean bottle or jar (warm water and detergent are fine to clean them as we’re using alcohol) and gently pour in the vodka. Seal and set in a relatively temperature regulated and dark spot, we recommend the back of the pantry or cupboard. Leave for one week. Test the flavour after one week by pouring a small amount into a shot glass; swirl, sniff and sip. Want it stronger? Leave it another week, after a week follow Step 3. Want it sweeter? Add some simple sugar syrup (If using 250 mL (8.4 fl oz) bottles, add 1 Tsp) Just right? Pour through a strainer to remove the infusion ingredients and then put the liquid back into the bottle. Leave this another week to allow the flavours to settle. Sugar Syrup Add 1 cup (250 mL/8.4 fl oz) of water and 1 cup of white sugar (or brown if you prefer a more caramelised flavour!) into a saucepan. Heat the ingredients on a medium heat until dissolved, stir regularly. Once the liquid is completely clear remove from the heat and allow to cool. This will make around 1.5 cups (375 mL/12.6 fl oz) of sugar syrup. Store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container
The Giving Season is Upon Us
Every year Christmas seems to sneak earlier into the year, whether we’re aware of it or not the advertising starts and we subconsciously begin planning for the big day. How many people do I need to buy for? What the heck do I get Dad who has everything? Who’s hosting? Do I have to get a gift for all the cousins? Where has all my money gone? Another Christmas party? It’s coming, slowly but surely, it’s coming!! The lights are going up, the occasional dash of red, green and gold is appearing in storefronts. An unexpected mannequin Santa all dressed in red, belt barely holding his rotund belly in …. I was happy to see him but seriously?? It’s October. Every year Christmas seems to sneak earlier into the year, whether we’re aware of it or not the advertising starts and we subconsciously begin planning for the big day. How many people do I need to buy for? What the heck do I get Dad who has everything? Who’s hosting? Do I have to get a gift for all the cousins? Where has all my money gone? Another Christmas party? Whether in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, the holiday season is infectious. But the snow and mulled wine, or sunburn and BBQ’s can also bring a lot of stress. We are a very consumer-based society and every year it takes up far too much of my time brainstorming what to get everyone. Kids are relatively easy to buy for, there’s always a few hints (in our family it’s a list) of things that hopefully Santa will bring. It’s the adults where it gets tricky, often they have everything they want – at least everything that fits in my budget. During my brainstorming moments, I tend to think back over previous gifts I’ve received that have given me the warmest, fuzzy feelings and it’s always the thoughtful ones that stand out. Homemade gifts are hands down a winner for me, if I know that someone has given up their time to lovingly create something, it’s priceless. It’s also a significantly more enjoyable way to go about Christmas shopping. The throngs of people in the malls or sweeping down the streets, all with the same steely mindset – I will not go home until I’ve found the perfect thing for Sarah or John or whoever it may be. Literally my worst nightmare. This year rather than traipsing the streets or the internet, why not use your Mad Millie kit to create something? Or get someone a kit that you can enjoy together? With cheese, vegan cheese, ginger beer, lager, sauerkraut and chocolate to choose from there are a multitude of options. We’ve been doing a bit of brainstorming ourselves and have come up with some inspiration for you. Recipes coming on the blog in a few weeks! For those of you lucky enough to be proud owners of a ginger beer or lager kit, now is the time to start planning ahead. Both kits involve steps over a few weeks for fermentation and ageing, you will need to purchase bottles (we think the flip tops are best for gifting) and make sure you still have everything in your kit. Have a look online if you need top-ups, all available through the Mad Millie website. If you want to get really organised there is no harm in starting early and popping your products in the fridge when they're ready. Don't forget to make an extra one for yourself, taste testing is essential!
Cacao or Cocoa?
Cacao powder, cacao butter, natural cocoa powder, dutch cocoa powder, cacao and cocoa nibs – just one or two of the delicious products that we extract from the cacao bean. But what is really the difference between them all – specifically cacao and cocoa? Cacao vs Cocoa? Cacao powder, cacao butter, natural cocoa powder, dutch cocoa powder, cacao and cocoa nibs – just one or two of the delicious products that we extract from the cacao bean. But what is really the difference between them all – specifically cacao and cocoa? With the release of our new Raw Cacao Chocolate Kit, we thought we better explain so when you’re popping out to get top up ingredients, you know what to look for. The answer is in the processing (as it so often is). Both raw cacao and cocoa originate from the same place, the fruit of the Theobroma cacao tree. Once the fruit is harvested the two processes change. Raw cacao powder uses cold processing. Cocoa powder uses hot processing. Both products are low in fat as they have the cacao butter separated out right at the start of the process; it is the manner of separation that provides the difference. With the cold pressed process, the nutrients that are naturally present in cacao beans are not impacted in any way. The calcium, magnesium, iron and antioxidants are still all right there readily available to be absorbed by us. This is why the nutrient rich cacao powder is a superfood. Don’t get me wrong, I love anything with cocoa. Whether it’s chocolate cake, mousse, truffles, chocolate bars, a hot chocolate. The list goes on and on, however, the more I learn about raw cacao the more I try to substitute it in whenever I can. Cocoa powder is roasted at high temperatures, this will impact flavour (in a good way depending on what you’re after) and will reduce the levels of antioxidants and nutritional benefits. There are two main types of cocoa powder – Natural and Dutch. The Natural cocoa powder is still quite bitter as its only treatment is the heat and pressing. When baking or cooking this will tend to be partnered with leavening agents e.g. baking soda to help neutralise the pH. Dutch cocoa powder, on the other hand, has already been neutralised during the processing steps. It’s easily recognisable due to its darker colour and earthy flavour profile and will generally be partnered with baking powder which is also neutral. With that information why wouldn’t you choose cacao powder over cocoa? It very nearly justifies chocolate (made with cacao) as a healthy snack. Or at least a less guilty treat!