When we talk about chocolate, inevitably we picture drizzling some dark chocolate sauce over a bowl of heavenly vanilla ice cream. Or maybe a lovely ganache perched delicately on top of a rich fudge cake. Chocolate sauce can be used in a variety of ways that bring out rich flavors of foods and drinks. Almost everyone keeps some kind of chocolate sauce in their home. If you want to find some new and exciting ways to use it, keep on reading for some inspiration.
Change the Flavor of Your Coffee
Chocolate lover’s around the world are pouring a bit of it into their favorite cup of coffee to create their own mocha drink. Not only does it provide a rich sweet flavor to your favorite java, but there are some other benefits as well. Studies show that a good dark chocolate will help lessen the anxiety-inducing effects of caffeine. In theory, that means you could switch your decaf to a caffeinated brand and avoid the jitters. We don’t necessarily recommend doing that but if you have been considering switching to decaf because of anxiety, you might want to try the chocolate trick first.
Another interesting fact is that cocoa powder has the ability to increase cerebral flow, making focus and mental clarity a nice side effect. Many people assume that the caffeine in coffee “wakes” them up but really it’s the anxiety-inducing properties of the caffeine that have you moving and shaking. The cocoa could be a better option with long-term benefits.
It’s Not Just For Sweets
Hot drinks and desserts are common uses for chocolate sauce. However, it can also be used in various savory dishes to change the flavor. How about some chocolate-covered roasted garlic? It may not sound all that appealing but it’s a delicious snack that is incredibly healthy for you. Dark chocolate is known for its antioxidants and garlic is considered a “super herb” because of all the great things it does for the body. Many people are embracing this yummy snack not only because of its health benefits but also due to the spicy and sweet nature of the treat.
However, if the idea of munching on a garlic clove is a bit much for you, try adding some chocolate sauce to your homemade chili. We recommend a vegetarian chili as the meat and chocolate can be a little bit too much. The chocolate adds richness and depth to the recipe and is often used as a replacement for the meat. Does that mean you can’t have meat in the chili? Not at all! Mole sauces feature chocolate and are often poured over poultry dishes, so we would tell you that a chicken chili with a bit of chocolate would be scrumptious. We have found some delicious beef chili recipes, but those tend to use a chocolate beer to complement the heaviness that comes with red meat.
Have we also mentioned the use of chocolate in barbecue sauce? You simply have not lived until you have tried a chocolate barbecue sauce on a chicken leg!
