Help please, I have just made some mini choc/loaves with prunes and choc etc but it is very bitter, it said to use good quality dark chocolate so I purchased whitakers 72% Ghana and it is too bitter for me, do you think I should add more sugar to the remaining mix to make it not so bitter, or any other suggestions please
245sam,
Jul 31, 11:16pm
wineo, just to clarify - have you cooked any of the mixture or have you just sampled the uncooked mixture!If it's only the uncooked mixture that you have sampled then I suggest that the bitterness may not be so evident when the mixture is cooked so can you cook (e.g. in the microwave) a small portion of the mixture then have do another taste test.:-))
norse_westie,
Jul 31, 11:20pm
I like dark chocolate but dont like the Whittakers Ghana one as its too bitter for me too. If you have already cooked it, why not serve warm with custard, or whipped cream (with icing sugar and vanilla paste in)! This will sweeten it rather nicely. Or drizzle a rich chocolate sauce over it - I would use a heated ganache recipe myself.
wineo,
Jul 31, 11:21pm
hi 245 sam, no I have cooked half of the mix and still have half left, also what chocolate would you have used if recipie called for good quality dark chocolate,
245sam,
Jul 31, 11:42pm
So your concern is based on your taste test of the cooked mixture!
Firstly let's deal with how were you planning to serve the loaves - as fingerfood or as a dessert!In either case IMO topping the loaves with ganache (made with a less bitter chocolate) may help or if you're wanting to serve the loaves with a spoon and/or fork, then I suggest either serving them with a custard or sauce or couli and either sweetened yoghurt or sweetened whipped cream, or alternatively pour a syrup over the cooked loaves in the same way as one would do for Lemon Syrup Loaves. If any of these 'solutions' appeal I suggest that you cook the remaining mixture as is and serve the same as those already cooked or.maybe it's your chance to experiment with an alternative serving option.
I too sometimes find Whittakers Dark Ghana too bitter so my alternatives would be either Whittakers 62% Dark Cacao or Whittakers 50% Dark Block, although I realise that there are other alternatives but the drawback is that they are more costly than Whittakers - it depends, I guess, on the reason for needing the chocolate i.e. a special occasion or simply everyday baking.
Hope these thoughts help.:-))
angel404,
Jul 31, 11:53pm
I LOVE dark chocolate but find whittakers far to bitter. I always use cadburys old gold range. nom nom nom!
wineo,
Aug 1, 12:03am
Thanks all for your thoughts, about my concerns of bitterness,is it too late too make it not so bitter by adding more sugar to the balance of the mixture
angel404,
Aug 1, 12:05am
Id try it. Got nothing to lose!
245sam,
Aug 1, 3:32am
wineo, sorry i didn't get back to you earlier - I started a reply to your question re adding more sugar and had an alternative in mind but I got distracted and the reply didn't get posted so how did the remaining loaves turn out and did you add more sugar to the mixture!:-))
wineo,
Aug 1, 3:58am
hi again,have not cooked balance of mix, waiting to see what alternatives people came up with, will cook to morrow adding more sugar and post results thanks again
245sam,
Aug 1, 4:26am
ok wineo, I'm not too late to offer you my thoughts re alternatives - I can't promise you that these suggestions will work but IMO (obviously) they're worth considering.I guess that more sugar would be ok but instead what do you think about adding some jam or marmalade instead! If I were you and I had some orange marmalade, that I think would be my preference because not only would it add extra sweetness, but it would also add some extra flavour - the orange would go well with both the chocolate and the prunes. If orange marmalade isn't an option, then consider what jams you have that may be suitable.plum! any berry!
Hope these thoughts help - I look forward to reading what you do to overcome the bitterness and what your thoughts are re the results.Good luck.:-))
wineo,
Aug 2, 12:08am
Hi 245sam and others who offered help,put some mandarin marmalade jam/jelly into each mini loaf tin, wow is all I can say, thanks, never would have thought of that in a million years
245sam,
Aug 2, 12:19am
WOW!Thanks for the feedback wineo.I'm rapt that my suggestion worked so well - the idea actually came from an old recipe for a very yummy chocolate cake that my now elderly Mum used to make 45-50 years when she had a household of 6 to cook for.The liquid part of that recipe was a mixture of cocoa, raspberry jam and boiling water - it made a lovely moist nicely sweetened but not too sweet cake. Chocolate and prunes (+ the marmalade jam/jelly of course) would IMO be a really nice combo so would you mind sharing the recipe you used, please, or point us in the right direction fo find the recipe.:-))
wineo,
Aug 2, 1:16am
Hi again, I got the recipie from the the following website, you will have to become a member to get it, no problem worth it for this cake/loaf www.chelsea,co,nz/foodservice. Even thought it took me over an hour to put it together it is worth it, would be amazing as indiviual desserts, I mademine in mini loaf tins
245sam,
Aug 2, 5:29am
Thanks wineo.I now have the recipe but I'm wondering.did you make the whole of that recipe and if so, how many mini loaves to you get from the mixture!:-))
wineo,
Aug 2, 5:45am
it is a huge recipie and yes i made the full amount and I got 24 mini loaves, not the smallest loaf mould tin you can buy the middle one,again, Be prepared it took meat least an hour to prepare
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