We’ve been talking a lot lately about American Heritage Chocolate, an 18th-century version of “the food of gods.” This historically accurate variation was made with input from Colonial Williamsburg and includes half a dozen spices that when whipped into a ganache make for some pretty amazing truffles. But don’t just take my word for it. Sign up so you can make (and sample) some for yourself!
So what exactly makes American Heritage Chocolate so unique? Yesterday, we mentioned that it was created from a 1750 recipe. The main ingredients (other than the cocoa beans) include vanilla, chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, red annatto seeds, salt, sugar, and orange zest. The combination makes up 37% of the chocolate and you can definitely taste the flavors in each bite.
Chef Rodney uses this chocolate as the filling for one of his truffles in the Taste Studio series “Garden Truffle Treats.” This hands-on class pairs chocolate with flavors fresh from the garden—flavors like mint, basil, lavender, and chili peppers. The classes take place on designated Saturdays inside our Taste Studio and last for about two hours. Not only will you learn a little history about chocolate, you’ll also get to take home a souvenir apron and a box of four to six truffles (assuming you don’t devour them during your class!).
American Heritage Chocolate isn’t just for eating. You can drink it too! While we were at the Taste Studio getting a lesson on truffles, Chef Rodney also showed us how to make Jefferson’s Martini—using American Heritage Chocolate and Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon. See recipe and instructions below.
- 1 quart water
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 orange (zested)
- 1 pint Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon
- 5 cups American Heritage Finely Grated Chocolate Drink Mix
- Optional: ground chili pepper & ground cinnamon
- Bring the water to a boil and add sugar and the American Heritage Chocolate along with some of the zest from your orange
- Cool the mixture
- Add half a cup of cooled mixture to a cocktail shaker (or mason jar with lid) and fill with ice.
- Add 2 Tbsp of Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon and shake
- Strain and serve in a martini glass with a little more of your orange zest, a dash of chili pepper, and a dash of cinnamon
Another quick, easy recipe that uses AHC is American Heritage Chocolate & Rum-roasted Almonds. I guarantee if you set these out at a party, they won’t last long. And the beauty of this recipe is that it only takes four ingredients, plus a little salt and pepper!
Put two cups of almonds, 4 Tbsp sugar, and 4 Tbsp of rum into a skillet. Roast until golden and sprinkle with a little sea salt and cracked black pepper. Then toss them in about one Tbsp of American Heritage Chocolate Drink Mix.
Have you ever baked with our American Heritage Chocolate? Email me your recipe and we might share it in a future blog post!
Kristen says
We will be there in September. How do we sign up to cook with the chef, making truffles, or other cooking. That would be fun for us.