Fair Trade Month of Chocolate, etc. Dark Chocolate Layer Cake, or cupcakes.

 There are always reasons.  So many great reasons for choosing to make your food, using Fair Trade products, local, and ethically raised.  Imagine knowing that no child labour, or slaves were used, for you to enjoy the foods that you do.  

We are celebrating Fair Trade month in May.  I will be posting recipes and information about products throughout the month.  Here is the birthday cake to get started.  

 

 Look to MCIC for more information on Fair Trade as well as events.https://www.mcic.ca/fair-trade/what-is-fair-trade

Dark Chocolate Layer Cake

1 cup butter.  I use the wonderful, local Notre Dame butter.  I spoke with the owner and he assures me of the quality.  It is soft at room temperature.

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs.  I use Nature's Farm for a few reasons.  They are excellent, local and I need to use a commercial egg for my products.  If you have access to farm fresh eggs, use them.

1 tsp vanilla.  I make vanilla with beans that I got from Kerala, South India.  Vanilla is very expensive because it is quite labour intensive.  I visited a fair trade spice plantation and purchased the beans directly.  I soak them in bourbon for a while.

2 cups flour.  I use Prairie Mills Flour, again, for a few reasons.  It is always an excellent product, local, and a great price.  After NAFTA, we have been losing local mills to large corporations. 

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder.  I use more like a cup, for this recipe, as well as additional buttermilk.  I use a Fair Trade dark cocoa by Callebaut.  It is available at DeLuca's. 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup buttermilk +  I made kefir with Stoney Brook Creamery.  They are located in Steinbach and produce amazing organic dairy products.  They are also available at the St. Norberts Farmers Market.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy and well incorporated.  Add eggs, and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Alternate mixing into the butter mixture with thirds of dry and buttermilk. 

Spoon into 2 greased and parchment paper-lined cake pans (9 inch)  Bake at 350ºF for 30 - 35 minutes, until tester comes out cleanly.  Let cool and remove from pans after 20 minutes.  Let cool completely.

Layer or frost as you wish.  Each cake can be cut into two layers.

I'll be preparing this recipe as cupcakes.  They bake for 15 - 17 minutes.

Ganache

8 ounce dark chocolate callets, or chopped chocolate.  I used Callebaut Dark, which is Fair Trade.  It is available at DeLuca's, Sobey's Cash and Carry, and other locations.  Camino chocolate is also excellent.

1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream.

1. Heat cream on the stovetop until just simmering.  Do not boil, or it could separate.

2. Place chocolate callets (chips), or chopped chocolate into the saucepan and cover for 2 minutes. 

3. Whisk cream and chocolate until smooth and shiny.  Set aside and let cool until workable for spreading or dipping.  It can be whisked as a frosting texture as well.

Enjoy!

Fair Trade Gift and entertaining on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I presented some easy to prepare dishes that are also cruelty-free.  Now that the holidays are approaching, people love to serve shrimp.  If you buy certain wild caught shrimp from Argentina, Mexico, Texas, New Brunswick and Alaska, for example, you can be certain that slavery ships were not used to get the shrimp to your table.  The chocolate as well, is certified Fair Trade, which also means, for example, that child labour was not used to produce the chocolate.  Fair Trade Chocolate and other Fair Trade ingredients can be purchased at Ten Thousand Villages and through Fair Trade Manitoba.

Shrimp and other seafood are available at Gimli Fish.

Shrimp with dips (Korean)

1 bag wild caught peeled shrimp (now available at Gimli Fish) (or buy pre-cooked)

Blanch shrimp in boiling water until fully cooked and then cool immediately in an ice bath. Drain completely.

OR

Sauté shrimp in a drizzle of sesame oil until pink. Season with salt and white pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with the following dipping sauces:

Korean dipping sauce
1 tablespoon kochu jiang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 tbs white vinegar
drizzle sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 scallion, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy with fried tofu, on salads, seafood, etc.

Wasabi Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
Sour cream
wasabi paste, to taste
pinch sugar

Mix all ingredients and increase wasabi for desired results. 
Fantastic with shrimp and other seafood but also wonderful with roast beef.

Ooey Gooey Brownies
1/2 cup butter
3 oz dark Fair trade Chocolate*
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unbleached white flour

*Callebaut Chocolate available at DeLuca's Grocery Store in Winnipeg or look for the Fair Trade label.  www.fairtrademanitoba.ca  Camino Chocolate can be found at Ten Thousand Villages.

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Butter an 8-9 inch square baking pan or bread pan.
In a heavy large pot, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring occasionally. Prepare remaining ingredients separately. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. When the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from heat. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and stir until well incorporated. Add the beaten eggs and stir quickly to prevent the eggs from cooking. Stir in flour and mix until smooth.

Pour into pan and bake for up to 20 minutes. Enjoy hot or cold. Optional to add up to 1/4 cup of your favourite chopped nuts.