By Leigh O’Connor.
How do you turn white chocolate into dark chocolate? Turn off the light!
Chocoholics rejoice, it is time once again to celebrate on Sunday, January 10 for National Bittersweet Choc Day.
Sometimes the rich, sweet flavour of milk chocolate just isn’t what you are looking for…you want to relish in the underlying bitterness that is intrinsic to darker chocolate.
Fat and sugar are added to cocoa, without milk, to even out the bitterness – dark chocolate tends to be harder, richer and a common ingredient in baking and rich chocolate drinks.
There are also health benefits attributed to this delicious temptation; here are five reasons why you should eat dark chocolate:
•Helps prevent heart disease – the compounds in dark chocolate help protect against oxidation of LDL, the best type of cholesterol. Over time this can lower the risk of heart disease and also help lower blood pressure.
•Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s – the flavonoids in dark chocolate have been proven to increase blood flow to the brain, which can help seniors maintain their cognitive abilities.
•Boosts overall mood – dark chocolate doesn’t just enhance mood because it tastes good – various chemical compounds in it have been proven to naturally make people feel happier.
•Increases levels of good cholesterol – this helps keep the heart and arteries healthy.
•Lowers risk of skin cancer – flavonoids in dark chocolate can increase blood flow to the skin and protect epithelial cells, reducing damage already done by the sun.
To celebrate, why not bake this dark chocolate tart by My Kitchen Stories? Light, fluffy and extremely dark, this decadent dessert pairs well with berries, but for a match made in sweet heaven try it with caramelised pears, sweet orange syrup, hazelnut praline, or maybe salted caramel and peanut ice cream.
For more chocolate recipes, click here.
