In the distant past, few could have imagined that a highly valued almond-shaped seed sold in powder form and even used as a currency would one day become one of the most popular and widely available guilty pleasures in the world.
Whose mouth doesn’t water when they see a tempting chocolate cake? Who can resist breaking off a piece of chocolate bar and letting it slowly melt in their mouth? This delicious foodstuff is a star product in cake and pastry making, turns fruit into sweet morsels and pairs perfectly with game—as well as working wonders with olive oil.
This shouldn’t come as any surprise to anyone who used to enjoy a teatime treat of bread with olive oil, chocolate and salt. This popular children’s afternoon snack has now been given a gourmet makeover: it has been turned into an haute cuisine dessert by top chefs such as Oriol Balaguer and it can also be found in the form of irresistible truffles and chocolates in high-class delis.
So make sure you’ve got some chocolate on hand for your next olive oil tasting event at home with friends. The darker the better: bitter chocolate works wonders with the aromas of olive oil… And if you’re feeling adventurous in the kitchen, here are a couple of ideas, one for daring pastry cooks and one quick and easy solution for an improvised but no less impressive dessert.
Chocolate mousse with olive oil
You’ll need 75 ml of milk, 75 ml whipping cream, half a stick of vanilla, 2 egg yolks, 30 g of sugar, 120 g of chocolate, orange zest, extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt flakes. Warm the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a pan. When it comes to the boil, take off the heat and add the egg yolks, stirring all the while. Add the chocolate and mix in until it melts. Use the blender to whip it into a mousse, pour into a bowl and leave it in the fridge overnight. Serve in small portions using two spoons and finish off with a dash of extra-virgin olive oil, orange zest and sea salt flakes.
Chocolate ice cream with melon and olive oil
If you want to give that tub of chocolate ice cream at the back of your freezer a fresh twist, just follow these three simple steps. Put a scoop of ice cream in the middle of a bowl, arrange some melon cubes around the edge and sprinkle some black pepper on top, followed by a dash of olive oil. This daring combination of sweet, fresh and spicy flavours will work like a treat.
