It was in the 18th century, when Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus gave chocolate the Latin name Theobroma cacao, which means the ‘Food of the Gods.’
A study by Leatherhead Food Research conducted in 2012 revealed Switzerland to be the country that consumes the most chocolate at 11.9kg per capita. One of the underlying causes for the continued growth of the market is the improving consumer awareness of the Fairtrade concept.
Fairtrade certified products are those products that were made in accordance with the vision of the foundation – decent working conditions, local sustainability, better prices, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers. A program designed by UK-based brand M&S that adheres to the Fairtrade policy is the Carbon Neutral, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by offsetting the carbon dioxide generation. The retailer’s Peruvian chocolate range includes 36%, 60%, and 72% dark chocolates that are produced using cocoa beans grown by farmers in Peru and Ecuador. These chocolates are all certified by Fairtrade and will benefit the ACOPAGRO cooperative in the Alto Huayabamba region that is dedicated to the reforestation of the exquisite Amazon.
If you want to be healthy while helping cocoa farmers, you should try out this easy but delectable Dark Chocolate Cake:
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 50 mins
Ingredients:
· 2 cups sugar
· 1 ½ tsps baking powder
· 1 ½ tsps baking soda
· ¾ cups dark cocoa
· ¾ cups flour
· 1 tsp salt
· 2 pcs eggs
· ½ cup vegetable oil
· 1 cup milk
· 2 tsps vanilla extract
· ¾ cups boiling water
Method:
Preheat oven to 350F. Apply oil and flour to two 9-inch baking pans (round) or one 9×13-inch pan. In a mixing bowl, stir all the dry ingredients. Afterwards, add milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil and beat them for two minutes using medium speed. Add the boiling water and stir by hand. Pour the batter into the baking pans. Bake the cake for 35 minutes for the 9-inch pan and 40 minutes for 9×13 pans. You can also check using a wooden pick. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
