Chocolate Interview - Arcelia Gallardo

Here’s my interview with Arcelia Gallardo from Mission Chocolate. I’m excited because we got to do it as a video.  We discussed chocolate making, flavor profiles, and one of my favorite topics – cookbooks.  So fun to talk to her about her journey.  Thank you, Arcelia!

Don’t forget to visit Arcelia’s web site https://missionchocolate.com/ .

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I also wanted to give you guys links to all of the books mentioned in the video:

Greg’s chocolate book is Making Chocolate: From Bean to Bar to S’Mores by Dandelion Chocolate.  https://www.amazon.com/Making-Chocolate-Bean-Bar-Smore/dp/0451495357

The Alice Medrich Book is Bittersweet:  Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate.  https://www.amazon.com/Bittersweet-Recipes-Tales-Life-Chocolate/dp/1579651607

Maricel Presilla’s book is Peppers of the Americas: The Remarkable Capsicums That Forever Changed Flavor. https://www.amazon.com/Peppers-Americas-Remarkable-Capsicums-Forever/dp/0399578927

And also Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America by Maricel Presilla.  https://www.amazon.com/Gran-Cocina-Latina-Latin-America/dp/0393050696

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We also started talking about Pão de Mel, the inspiration behind one of the Mission bars I show on screen.  The literal translation is honey bread, but it can also be translated gingerbread.  Either way, it’s delicious.  Here’s my riff on it, inspired by the recipe from https://www.oliviascuisine.com/brazilian-honey-cakes/ .  I scaled the recipe down, and made it bite-sized using mini-muffin tins.  (Which admittedly, results in a cake that is taller than it is wide, and is slightly shaped like a flying saucer, but it is helpful for portion control, as these are reallllly addictive).

I made dulce de leche from condensed milk using the instructions here: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/02/dulce-de-leche-recipe.html .  Or you can just buy it premade.

If you need instructions on how to temper chocolate, check here: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/how-to-temper-chocolate-356869 .

2-Bite Pão de Mel

Butter, for greasing pans
Cocoa powder, for greasing pans
½ c. milk
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
pinch ground nutmeg
½ c. honey
3 eggs
¾ c. brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
⅓ c. vegetable oil
¼ c. cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
¾ c. dulce de leche
20 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the cups of two 24-cup mini muffin pans with butter, and dust them with cocoa powder.

Place the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer.  Remove from heat, and add the honey, stirring until the mixture is uniform.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, sift together the cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and flour into a medium-sized bowl.

Place the cooled milk into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment installed.  Add the eggs one at a time, running the mixer between additions.  Then add the brown sugar, vanilla, salt and vegetable oil. Mix until well combined, then add the dry ingredients in three equal additions, mixing between each.

Scoop the batter into the prepared mini-muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.  Put the pans into the pre-heated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, 9-12 minutes.

Turn the cakes out of the pan and let them cool, then cut the domed tops off the cakes to level them.  Glue pairs of cakes together, using a layer of dulce de leche.  Place the cake sandwiches in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up.

Temper the chocolate.  Use two forks to dip each cake into the tempered chocolate, knocking off the excess chocolate on the side of the bowl.  Place the dipped cakes onto waxed paper, and allow them to set completely.  Serve with a cup of coffee.