Raw cacao from Peru: a 500 gram block
This raw cacao arrives as a solid block of 500 grams rather than as a powder. What you get is cacao paste: the whole bean ground into a mass that sets firm at room temperature, with the cacao butter still in it. That is why the block melts as soon as it meets hot liquid and why the drink turns out far richer than one made with defatted powder. Our raw cacao products come mainly from the Amazon region, in this case from Peru, and they are cold pressed without additives. No sugar, no milk powder, no flavourings: pure cacao, and the taste says so. Expect a pronounced bitterness with an earthy undertone.
Working with the block
Shave or chop off the amount you need. A large knife handles this best, though a coarse grater does the job just as well. Around 20 to 30 grams per cup is a common measure. Stir the pieces into hot liquid that is no longer boiling, water or plant-based milk for instance, and whisk until smooth. From there it is a matter of taste: cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of cayenne, or a sweetener of your choosing. A 500 gram block gives you roughly twenty cups that way. The cacao works in the kitchen too, in baking or in a savoury sauce that benefits from a bitter base.
Storage
Keep the block cool, dry and dark, and close the packaging properly. Because the product is barely processed and still holds its cacao butter, it can soften or change shape during warm months. That says nothing about the quality: once it cools down the block behaves exactly as it should. At Avalon Magic Plants the herb shop also carries the raw cacao from Ecuador and the 30 ml Ceremonial Cacao Shot. Your order is packed and shipped discreetly.
