Cumin and chocolate are the unexpected flavor combination you need to try
Maybe you’ve spotted a chili-infused chocolate bar in the impulse buy section of your local grocery store. Capsaicin-enriched chocolate is nothing new (but it’s still delicious). Now step aside, chili powder. There’s a spicy new sheriff in town, and his name is Cumin. This oft-overlooked bad boy is probably already resting in your spice cabinet, and he’s ready to take your candy game to the next level.
Spicy cumin gives off a warm, rich, strong, earthy flavor with a gentle bitterness in the background. Much like celery seeds or mustard seeds, cumin comes from the dried seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant (aka schizocarps, each containing 2.5% to 4.5% essential oil for a bold flavor). This potency makes this spice a popular choice among vegetarian foodies for adding bold, savory flavor to tofu, legumes and falafel. It is a popular ingredient in the culinary styles of Mexico, Spain, India, North Africa, Brazil and the Middle East. So why does it work with chocolate?
When musky, aromatic cumin meets bittersweet chocolate, the combination instantly adds depth to desserts that might lack complexity. The presence of cumin also helps accentuate the sweetness of other foods with its enriching earthiness. Cumin and chocolate create a mature and sophisticated sweet spice profile that is unexpected and immediately elevated. About ÂĽ teaspoon of ground cumin per 8 ounces of chocolate is a good starting point, but feel free to add more or less, adjusting your proportions to your taste.
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Cumin and chocolate are the earthy, bittersweet combo your desserts crave
To distribute that dimensional cumin flavor throughout your chocolate, opt for ground cumin rather than cumin seeds. Both versions are widely available in grocery stores, but you can also grind the seeds in a coffee grinder. You can stir ground cumin into a batch of melted chopped chocolate, then harden it and use it as a bold, unified baking ingredient. Indian gourmet chocolatier Daynmerry makes a 65% dark chocolate infused with cumin and vanilla. Or simply mix ground cumin into your chocolate desserts for a warm, spicy touch. To ensure your chocolate is bold enough to stand up to the cumin without being overshadowed, opt for dark chocolate with 55 to 70 percent cocoa.
You can incorporate a little cumin into your next chocolate cake batter for a spicy sweet treat, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or mango sorbet to balance out the cumin. Pro tip for bakers: cumin tends to lose its potency if subjected to extended baking time. For a stronger cumin flavor, add your cumin to baked chocolate dishes near the end of their time in the oven.
You can also cook cumin and chocolate into a delicious batch of fudge. Rich umami Southern Chocolate Chili and cult classic Midwestern Cincinnati Chili already combine cumin and unsweetened cocoa powder. Or, add a pinch of ground cumin to your next chocolate mousse (an inherently refined dessert, created by a 19th-century French painter, not a trained chef).
Read the original article on the tasting table.
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