Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate…chocolate milk, truffles, Snickers, chocolate cake…whatever your choice make sure to get your fix on Sunday, July 7 for World Chocolate Day!
The history of chocolate goes back around 2500 years – the Aztecs loved their newly discovered liquid chocolate to the extent they believed the God of Wisdom, Quetzalcoatl, literally bestowed it upon them.
Cocoa seeds even acted as a form of currency – can you imagine going shopping or buying a house with a huge pile of cocoa seeds?
These days, the average cacao tree produces about 2500 beans, but because they are so delicate, farmers can lose on average 30% of their crop each year and usually have to wait four to five years for a cacao tree to produce its first beans.
What goes great with chocolate, we hear you ask? Maple syrup is the ideal accompaniment to many chocolate dishes and can easily be incorporated into everything from salads to desserts.
Maple from Canada Australia is the official Aussie brand for Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) – an organisation representing more than 13,300 producers who supply around 72% of the world’s maple syrup.
With its unique taste and versatile range of uses, pure Canadian maple syrup brings the flavour of the Great White North to the Southern Hemisphere.
Try these three decadent recipes for chocolate and maple syrup desserts – two of the dishes are also vegan:
This vegan and maple fondant is one of Maple from Canada’s all-time favourite dairy-free treats. Dark chocolate, cocoa powder and pure maple syrup come together to create a melt-in-the-middle delight that tastes as good as it looks. Serve with plant-based ice cream or pouring cream and fresh fruit for a decadent dessert.
Subtly sweet and totally delicious, this chocolate tart is perfect for parties - plus, it’s made entirely from plant-based ingredients! Pure maple syrup serves as the key ingredient in this deliciously decadent vegan tart recipe.
A deliciously sweet take on the classic lamington cake, with the sponge sandwiched together with a maple salted caramel filling.
For more maple syrup recipes, click here.
