A South African summer is not for the faint-hearted, calling it hot is an understatement. This is a real problem for chocoholics as it doesn’t take much for chocolate to melt. So how can you enjoy your chocolate treats during the summer months?
Most importantly, you should store it in a cool place ideally between 13 and 18°C, but not in the refrigerator as it’s too humid.
The best solution, though, is to use it as an ingredient. Here are five ideas on how you can enjoy your chocolate while staying cool.
Smoothies
Enjoy a fresh chocolately drink! Pop a Beyers peanut butter slab (we leave the amount up to you), milk and ice cream in a blender, turn it on and in mere seconds you’ll have a delicious and energising drink.
Choc-mint dessert
Nothing can cool you down quite as well as mint. Boil cream on the stove and when it starts to bubble, add about 20 mint leaves, let it simmer for about 15 minutes to infuse the mint flavour into the cream. Stir in a slab of dark chocolate and once it’s melted, fold in a mixture of whipped cream and white sugar. Store in the fridge overnight.
Tiramisu
Two small tweaks can take this beloved dessert to a whole new summer level. Simply, replace the mascarpone cheese with ricotta for a smoother and lighter texture, and use dark instead of milk chocolate for a healthier option.
Mousse
This is a Beyers favourite and it’s so easy to make. Bring 110g milk to the boil, then pour it over 425g dark chocolate. Once the mixture has cooled down to 50°C, fold in 900g of whipped cream. Spoon it into your desired serving dish and place it in the fridge to set.
Ice cream
The best thing for a hot day – dipped ice-cream pops! These ice-cream pops are so simple to make, all you need is vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate, vanilla extract, milk chocolate and toppings. Soften the ice cream, add the melted dark chocolate and fill ice trays with the mixture. Pop in wooden ice cream sticks and place the tray in the freezer. Once it’s frozen, take out the pops and dip them in the melted milk chocolate and your desired toppings.
But the best option of all is just to gobble your chocolates up as soon as you buy them, because if we’re honest, chocolate is meant to be savoured not saved. Share your favourite cool chocolate treats on our Facebook or Twitter pages.
Information source: Vanini
