February 6, 2025 • 35 mins
Ready to explore the world of chocolate-infused cannabis edibles? Discover how you can elevate your edible experiences with rich, single-origin chocolates paired with cannabis for a taste sensation that's as ethical as it is delicious. We promise you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of how cacao percentages influence the crafting of cannabis treats and why dark chocolate's robust flavour is your best bet for a knockout edible.
Join us as we journey through the historical path of chocolate from Meso- American roots to its current global reverence, examining its magical pairing with cannabis. Ethical sourcing takes the spotlight as we explore the multifaceted uses of cacao butter and the importance of fair trade practices in the chocolate industry.
We'll also chat about creative ways to incorporate chocolate beyond the usual sweets, like a savoury mole or a cacao dry rub for steak. From chocolate-infused hot drinks to self-care products like face masks, the versatility of chocolate knows no bounds.
Don't miss our practical tips for tempering, storing, and labeling your creations to avoid accidental consumption. Share your chocolate-infused inspirations and keep the conversation going with us through your favourite contact methods!
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Visit the website for full show notes, free dosing calculator, recipes and more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome, friends, to episode 285.
And today we are doing aningredient deep dive, a big bite
, into chocolate.
Welcome to Bite Me, the showabout edibles, where I help you
take control of your high life.
I'm your host and certifiedganger, margaret, and I love
helping cooks make safe andeffective edibles at home.
(00:27):
I'm so glad you're here andgreeting friends.
Welcome back to anotherwonderful episode of Bite Me.
I am so glad to be here.
It feels like it feels like it'sbeen a minute, and that's
because I did record and preparea few episodes in advance,
because I was going to be awayfor a week in the sunny south
and I didn't really haveanything prepared for when I got
back.
So it's just nice to get backinto my recording space so I can
(00:51):
sit down and join all of youand, if you're tuning in for the
first time, this will be a funepisode.
We are going to be talkingabout chocolate, seeing as it's
already February at the time ofthis recording, and of course,
february often brings to mindValentine's Day.
But what if we just ignoredValentine's Day a little bit and
just focused on the things thatpeople really love about
Valentine's, and one of thosethings is chocolate?
(01:14):
So we're going to be doing adeep dive a big bite into
chocolate, if you will, and ifyou've been around for a while,
I really appreciate it.
I'm so glad that you're here.
It's folks like you that reallykeep the show going, so let's
get into it.
Before I do this big bite,though, I just wanted to share a
(01:35):
few things, and recently I didan episode on 2025 trends in
edibles and cannabis, and thatwas a really fun episode to put
together, because I reached outto a lot of folks who are
working actively in the cannabiscommunity, and they all had
their own thoughts around whatthey thought we would see for
this year.
But I did ask you, what do youthink?
(01:59):
And I was not disappointed.
There was a number of you thatreplied, and I have compiled a
few of these answers so I canshare them with you.
So thank you for those who tookthe time to reach out and let
me know what they think we mightsee for 2025.
(02:27):
Edibles use will increase in2025, more brands and options
and that listener wrote in fromWatertown, new York, via fan
mail.
I hope you're right, because Iwould love to see that more
brands and options and I reallydo think that the edibles space
is expanding quite a bit becausea lot of folks if you listened
to that episode, if you haven'tlistened to it, you should go
back and check it out, becauseit wasn't just me making
predictions.
It was people who are involvedin the cannabis space in a lot
of different capacities and someof them are actively involved
(02:50):
in the commercial cannabis spaceand they're creating products
for the market, and I think thatas cannabis becomes more legal
in more jurisdictions, a lot ofpeople are becoming more curious
about it, more, more, more, andone of the easy ways that
people are finding their entryinto cannabis is through food,
which means we're wanting to seesome new and exciting things,
(03:12):
because those of us who havebeen around for a while, we
would like to see something alittle bit different.
So I totally agree with thatsentiment, so thank you for
sharing that.
Next, we have a comment thatsays other than seeing our
products on every shelf, wewould love to see more people
talking about microdosing andresponsible dosing for a big
demographic of users that arenew to cannabis, or as
(03:34):
supplemental use for seniors,people switching from alcohol,
et cetera.
We could talk about it for days, and that came from Social
sessions chocolate via Instagram, so you can find them at social
sessions chocolate and continuethe conversation with them over
there.
And I do think that micro dosingand responsible dosing finding
(03:55):
that minimum effective dose isdefinitely a smart way to
approach cannabis, especiallyfor those who are new, for
seniors.
People are wanting to eschewalcohol and I'm here for that
because, of course, there'salways going to be people who
love those big, heavy doses orrequire them if it's going to
help them feel better becausethey're using it medicinally.
The beautiful thing aboutcannabis is that it can really
(04:16):
be tailored to each individualout there and I'm not saying
cannabis is a panacea by anymeans.
We're all so different.
It just doesn't suit somepeople.
Some people don't like the wayit makes them feel, but for many
folks out there, maybe the bigdose doesn't work, but a micro
dose is what helps them feelbetter in their body and I think
responsible dosing is alwaysworth talking about.
(04:37):
So I really appreciate thatcomment.
Social sessions chocolate thankyou for sharing.
And last but not least, Ipredict myself making more
edibles in 2025.
I will also try my hand atmaking lip balm, and that came
from bang switch to a via thebite me cannabis club and I, too
(04:58):
, predict myself making moreedibles in 2025.
But I love to hear when folksare saying that they're going to
try and make an effort to makemore edibles in their life, and
making a lip balm is a wonderfulway to include edibles in your
world, even though you're notgoing to get high from that.
I was actually recently at asmall event in my city and a
(05:20):
fellow there had made a wholebunch of CBD lip balms and he
gave them out and they are sonice.
I just find in the wintertimeI'm in Canada, if you didn't
know, and it's cold and my skingets so dry which is a complaint
that you hear many people talkabout because just that cold
wind and air in the wintertimeis very drying and the heat that
(05:42):
we use to warm our houses.
So something like a CBD infusedlip balm is a real, a real
treat when things are really dry.
So making edibles doesn'tnecessarily have to mean making
more things you'll eat.
It can be making more thingsthat you'll rub on your body,
and I love cannabis topicals somuch I can really get behind
that too.
Thank you for all thoselistener predictions.
(06:05):
I really appreciated it and, ofcourse, you can still share
what you think we might beseeing in 2025.
It's still early yet we're onlyjust a month in and I'll share
them on the show For anotherupcoming episode that I would
love to do.
I would like to compile a listof listener best snacks and
recipes and suggestions for anupcoming episode.
(06:27):
So those could be things thatyou love to eat when you're
elevated, or they could bespecific recipes that you really
enjoy to get elevated.
Either one, I would love tohear them, and you can let me
know a few different ways.
You can email me.
You can send me a voice messagevia the podcast hotline.
(06:49):
You can send a fan mail.
However, is easiest for you.
I'm also reachable on Instagram, and that's the social platform
I tend to be most active on.
However, you want to get backto me.
Let me know, because I think itwould be a fun episode.
It's all fine and dandy for meto talk about the recipes that I
want to make and share themwith y'all, but sometimes I want
to hear about what snacks andrecipes you're actually using in
(07:14):
your everyday lives.
Consider sharing those with me.
Now let's get into the subjectof chocolate.
Chocolate isn't just a treat.
If you ask me, it is a vehiclefor greatness.
So today, on Bite Me, we'regoing to be taking a big bite
(07:35):
into why chocolate is the MVP ofedibles, how to use it like a
pro and some mind-blowing waysto take your cannabis-infused
creations to the next level, andwe're gonna cover a few
different things today.
We're gonna cover sourcing,trade practices, cooking tips
and some surprising uses you maynot have thought of.
Without further ado, let's getinto everyone's favorite
(07:56):
ingredient chocolate.
Now I do have to say I realizemaybe not everybody is totally
is in love with chocolate as Iam, and as much as I love
chocolate, it's probably noteven the top thing that I love
to eat that is sweetened.
Surprisingly enough, there is areason why chocolate is the
best for edibles.
(08:17):
The fat content in cacao buttermakes it an ideal carrier for
THC and other cannabinoids.
It can mask the flavor ofcannabis better than many other
mediums and it has a long shelflife and is stable at room
temperature.
So for a lot of those reasons,chocolate really checks all the
(08:39):
boxes when it comes to somethingthat you might want to infuse.
There's a cultural love affairwith chocolate.
It's universally loved.
Pairing it with cannabis feelslike a match made in heaven.
It's indulgent, it's comforting, it's versatile.
It's no wonder why people reachfor chocolate, and I will say
one of my favorite ways toconsume chocolate.
I do like dark chocolate, but Ilove spicy dark chocolate.
(09:03):
I find the mix of spice andchocolate is just one of my
favorite things Chef's kiss.
I also love the pairing ofchocolate and caramel.
So who am I kidding?
I really do actually likechocolate now that I think about
it.
But chocolate has been adoredfor centuries.
I like chocolate, you likechocolate.
But it dates back to theMesoamerican cultures, like the
(09:24):
Aztecs and the Mayans, whorevered cacao as a sacred gift
from the gods and I don't thinkthey were wrong and they
consumed it as a bitter, frothydrink mixed with spices, like
chili and far from the sweettreat that we're familiar with
today.
And, as we all know, if youtake some some unsweetened
baker's chocolate, it tastesvery different than the stuff
(09:44):
that we add sugar to.
Of course, when chocolate madeits way to Europe in the 16th
century, it was transformed intothe creamy, sweet confection
that we love, becoming a symbolof luxury and indulgence.
And today chocolate is a globalobsession.
It's a comfort food, a romanticgesture, a celebratory treat
(10:04):
and pairing it with cannabisfeels natural, because both are
associated with pleasure,relaxation, a touch of
indulgence and maybe even alittle medical relief.
Because chocolate was used in awhole lot of ways and was seen
to be medicinal in some culturesa long time ago.
And chocolate's universalappeal makes it the perfect
(10:26):
medium for edibles.
It's familiar, approachable anddownright irresistible, and I
have over the years made plentyof chocolate infused recipes of
various sorts.
And there's a reason whyBecause it's wonderful.
Now, chocolate also containstheobromine, which is a mild
stimulant that complements theeffects of cannabis, and
(10:49):
theobromine is a naturallyoccurring compound found in
cacao beans.
It's a mild stimulant and aclose chemical relative of
caffeine, though it's muchgentler on the nervous system,
and theobromine, if I'm sayingthat correctly, of course
provides a subtle energy boostand mood lift, which complements
(11:11):
the effects of cannabis.
So the difference betweentheobromine and caffeine is
you're probably not going to getthat.
It's not going to feel like thecaffeine boost that you get in
the morning, but it's a lotgentler and for that reason more
people can enjoy it.
I know people who have to bevery cautious about consuming
caffeine, but chocolate is adifferent story.
(11:33):
Now, theobromine is also thereason why chocolate is toxic to
dogs they can't metabolize itlike humans can.
So keep your cannabis-infusedchocolates away from your furry
friends.
I also understand that THC isnot great for dogs, so that's a
double whammy If that is thecase.
Chocolate and cannabis are notgreat for dogs.
Now, actually apologies.
(11:54):
I should reiterate chocolateand THC specifically because you
can give CBD to your dogs, butyou don't want to give CBD to
your dogs in chocolate form.
Keep that for yourself.
Now, what about sourcingchocolate?
There's a couple of differencesbetween your bean to bar
varieties and your commercialchocolate.
(12:16):
And what's the difference andwhy does it matter?
For edibles, I think whatyou're going to find is bean to
bar chocolate offers higherquality and better flavor, but
it can be pricier.
Chocolate offers higher qualityand better flavor, but it can
be pricier.
So bean-to-bar chocolate isgoing to typically be made by
small-scale artisans who controlthe entire process, from
sourcing the cacao beans tocrafting the final product.
(12:37):
The focus is on the quality,the flavor and ethical practices
in harvesting that chocolate.
It often uses single-origincacao beans, which highlight the
unique flavor profiles.
If you didn't know, chocolatecan have different flavor
profiles depending on where it'sgrown, where it's from, and
(12:59):
it's more expensive but offers asuperior taste and texture.
And I did an episode a littlewhile ago now with Madame
Cannoli and she is the wife ofthe late great Frenchie Cannoli,
the master hashishin.
But she in her own right has avery developed palate and she
(13:19):
wrote a lot of the course, thecourse work for the Ganger
program around using your palate, developing it and learning how
to taste.
And we cover that prettyextensively in the episode that
I did with her so I'll link toit in the show notes so you can
find it.
Because a lot of the things, alot of the ways that she works
on developing palate and tasteis through single origin
(13:45):
chocolate.
So that can be a fun projectfor you to try if you want to
sort of experiment with tasteand flavors.
Now, bean to bar chocolate canobviously be more expensive but
offers a superior taste andtexture.
Alternatively, commercialchocolate is mass produced by
large companies using bulk cacaobeans cacao beans I'm having
(14:09):
trouble saying that today.
It often contains additiveslike soy, lecithin, vanilla,
extra sugar to standardize theflavor and to reduce costs.
There's also less transparencyin sourcing and production
practices and that can often bevery problematic.
And that can often be veryproblematic, but it is
(14:31):
affordable and widely availablebut lacks the complexity of a
bean to bar chocolate.
I do recall also Madame Cannolitalking about things like
lecithin and looking on theingredient list to try and avoid
those.
If you're looking to buychocolate for tasting as well
Now of course we have thedifferent cacao percentages you
go to the store and not only doyou have to think bean to bar or
(14:52):
commercial chocolate options,but there's dark chocolate, milk
chocolate, white chocolate.
What's the best for edibles Now,right off the bat?
Dark chocolate 70% cacao isideal for infusions due to its
robust flavor and high fatcontent.
But let's look at them all.
So dark chocolate is usuallybetween 50 and 100% of cacao
(15:17):
solids, so that's your cacao andyour cacao butter.
It's bitter, rich and intensein flavor and it's ideal for
edibles due do it's high fatcontent and robust flavor, which
masks the cannabis as well.
And because THC is fat soluble,you want the high fat content
(15:37):
because it's going to take inmore of that cannabinoid that we
are all looking to get elevatedwith.
Then you have milk chocolate andthat can also contain cacao
solids.
Milk powder and sugar isusually creamy, sweet, with a
mild flavor.
It's less ideal for ediblesbecause the milk can dilute the
(15:58):
potency of the cannabisinfusions.
Having said that, I have usedmilk chocolate on occasion.
It's delicious, of course,because it has that extra milk
and sugar in it, so you canstill do it, of course.
And then there's whitechocolate, and that is made from
cacao butter, sugar and milksolids, but no cacao solids.
That's actually something Ididn't know until I started
(16:20):
working on this episode.
It's got a sweet, buttery andmild flavor, and it works for
edibles as well, but it lacksthe depth of flavor and the dark
chocolate provides.
Why cacao butter is better forinfusions.
Cacao butter is the pure fatextracted from cacao beans.
It's ideal for infusionsbecause it's 100% fat, making it
(16:42):
a highly efficient carrier forTHC and other cannabinoids.
It has a neutral flavor thatwon't compete with the chocolate
.
It creates a smoother, morestable product compared to using
tinctures, and I do recall whenmy daughter had her vegan
gluten-free restaurant, cacaobutter was used pretty regularly
in a lot of the desserts thatthey were making and they were
(17:03):
delicious.
You never would have guessedthat they were vegan at all.
But I mean, maybe you don'tneed to when you have that much
chocolate going around.
So, and I also have infusedcacao butter actually to make
topicals too, and AmandaBreeze's book.
I had her on the show a littlewhile ago not too long ago
actually to talk about topicalsand a few other subjects as well
(17:26):
, but she is a true expert inthe realm of topicals and in her
cookbook her topicals cookbookthat she put out there is a
cacao lotion bar and you infusethe cacao butter and I use that
pretty regularly on my lowerback because one it's nice,
because it's also easy totransport.
If I have to go somewhere Ijust have to put it in a little
jar container of some kind, butthen you it warms in your hands
(17:50):
and you just rub it on your sorespots.
For me that's my lower back andit's lovely and it smells
fantastic too.
Cacao butter has a lovely smell, so it naturally smells good.
So there's a lot of ways thatyou can use cacao butter for
things other than just eating.
Now, of course, chocolate doeshave a bit of a dark side, and I
would be remiss if I didn'ttalk about the ethical sourcing
(18:12):
of chocolate.
It's something that I do thinkabout often when I am shopping
for ingredients, when I'm makingedibles and when I'm just
trying to feed myself.
The dark side of chocolate isthat child labor and
unsustainable farming practicesare pretty prevalent, especially
as you move closer to thecommercial side of chocolate,
when you're buying commercialchocolate from huge companies,
(18:35):
and so, if you can, choosingfair trade and ethically sourced
chocolate can really help makea difference.
The chocolate industry reallydoes have a troubling history of
exploitative labor practices.
Industry really does have atroubling history of
exploitative labor practices,including using child labor and
unsustainable farming in thecacao producing regions like
West Africa.
I often try to buy fair tradewhenever possible, because I
(18:56):
really hate the idea of thefarmers at the other end in
far-flung areas of the world notbeing able to even make a
living doing the farming so thatI can have chocolate over here.
I also buy fair trade coffee aswell, because I also go to my
local farmer's market and I liketo talk to the farmers that are
growing the food that I buy atthe farmer's market, and I
(19:17):
really do feel that farmers feedthe world, whether they're
making, you know, growing thelocal root vegetables that I'm
enjoying in the wintertime orthe coffee and the chocolate
that I'm consuming vegetablesthat I'm enjoying in the
wintertime, or the coffee andthe chocolate that I'm consuming
.
I drink coffee every day andchocolate's more of a treat, but
farmers feed families, and Iwant to support companies that
(19:43):
are not trying to do thingscheaply so that they can make
more money, because at the endof the day, the consumer still
pays.
It's the large companies thatend up making all the money at
the expense of the people whoare growing the food with which
their product would not bepossible.
I'll get off my soapbox alittle bit there, but that's how
I feel about that.
You can look for certificationswhen you're buying chocolate,
and if you do find brands thatare using certifications like
(20:06):
Fair Trade, rainforest Allianceand Direct Trade, then that
means they've been vetted forthese practices.
Fair Trade ensures fair wagesand safe working conditions for
the people growing the chocolateor whatever else it is that
they're producing.
The Rainforest Alliancepromotes sustainable farming
practices so that those peoplecan continue farming in the way
(20:28):
that they've known for as longas possible.
They can maintain theirlifestyle, and direct trade
builds relationships betweenfarmers and the chocolate makers
.
So you can also do this bysupporting small brands.
The bean-to-bar chocolatemakers often prioritize ethical
sourcing and transparency,because that's how they're
getting a better practice and doyour research.
(20:50):
Now.
You can find brands that areknown for their commitment to
ethical practices relativelyeasily.
It also depends on where youshop sometimes, but I find a lot
of these brands are oftenavailable at larger grocery
stores.
You don't necessarily have togo to a specialty store to find
them.
So just something to keep inmind.
I know sometimes they can be abit more expensive and we all
(21:11):
have to make decisions as towhether that's something that
can fit into our budget or not.
It's something that I like todo and I encourage others to do
it whenever possible, but we allhave to do what's right for
ourselves.
Now, cooking and baking withchocolate.
There is a term calledtempering chocolate, and we're
going to talk about why it'simportant for edibles, and I'll
talk quickly about how to do itat home, and then I'll find I'll
(21:34):
be sure to include a video inthe show notes on the website on
how to do it.
Admittedly, I've never actuallytempered chocolate myself, but
when I was reading this, I waslike I can see why it would be
important, because tempering isthe process of carefully melting
and cooling chocolate tostabilize its crystals, giving
it a glossy finish, crisp, snapand smooth texture.
(21:58):
So I think you can probablyimagine when you take a
chocolate bar especially thatbean to bar stuff or I guess
anything commercially made aswell and you break it and you
hear that snap, that's temperedchocolate.
Untempered chocolate can lookdull, feel grainy and melt too
easily.
Now, depending on yourapplication, this may not matter
too much and this is probablywhy I've never actually tempered
(22:21):
chocolate.
I have met chocolate makers inthe past who obviously have to
temper their chocolate becausethe presentation of their
chocolate is part of why we buy.
You go into a chocolate shop.
There's a couple of beautiful.
Actually one just closed, sadly.
A chocolate shop in my townclosed and he had beautiful
chocolate and of course that waslikely all tempered.
(22:43):
Because that visualpresentation of his creations
and they were almost, they wereart tempts you to buy.
But if you're making somethingfor yourself, maybe you know the
chocolate looking a little dull, grainy and melting too easily
isn't as big of a concern,especially if you're making it
yourself.
If you're making it forsomebody else that might change
a little bit as well.
(23:03):
But it's easier for me to keepsomething in the fridge because
I'm not taking, I'm nottransporting it anywhere, and if
I make a batch of something youknow I'm going to be eating it.
It's infused, it's something Ienjoy and the presentation may
not matter quite as much as itwould otherwise.
But in case you want to knowhow to temper chocolate, I'll
include it in the show notesjust so you have an idea of how
(23:27):
to do it.
Because basically, you'remelting down the chocolate,
you're bringing your chocolatedown, you're melting it, because
basically, you're melting downthe chocolate, you're bringing
your chocolate down, you'remelting it, then you're bringing
it to a certain temperature andthen you're testing a small
amount on parchment paper to geta glossy finish.
So, yes, I'll include somethingin the show notes around that
if you're interested, because itcan be an important step that
you might want to take.
(23:48):
Next, how do you infusechocolate?
There's a couple of differentways that you can do this.
The one way is to infuse yourcacao butter, so you would
decarb your cannabis.
And if you're unsure of how todo that, I have episodes and you
can find information on mywebsite.
Or I have the beginner's guideto making edibles over at the
Bite Me Cannabis Club that isfree for anybody to take.
(24:09):
It's just a quick course onmaking edibles, but you're going
to decarb your cannabis andyou're going to combine your
cannabis with the cacao butter.
You can do it in a doublebroiler.
You can also do it in a glassjar, in a pot of water.
That's a method that I use veryoften.
I actually, admittedly, used adevice.
Last time I did it in theArdent, in an infusion sleeve,
(24:33):
to reduce the mass.
So there's a bunch of differentways you can do it.
But the double broiler or in ajar, in a pot, on the stove, are
obviously two ways.
You can do it without fancyequipment.
And then you're going to strainit through a fine mesh sieve
and some cheesecloth to removethe plant material and then you
have infused cacao butter tomake chocolate and other recipes
.
And of course, you can also usea tincture method, which is
(24:55):
where you would add a few dropsof tincture or a concentrate I
think concentrates would alsowork very well here, think your
RSOs, your FECOs, that kind ofthing and you're going to add it
to the melted chocolate and mixit really thoroughly.
And this method is quicker.
But, depending if you're usinga tincture, it might adjust the
flavor just a little bit.
You're probably going to runinto that less if you're using a
(25:18):
concentrate like an RSO or aFICO.
But there's something to beaware of and, of course, you're
going to want to calculate thedose of whatever it is that
you're making per piece so thatyou have a good idea of how
potent these things are at leasta framework and there's a lot
of different ways to accomplishthat as well.
You can do the good oldfashioned math, which is most
(25:39):
people feel really intimidatedby.
But if you go to my website, Ido have also an online
calculator that you can plugsome numbers into and figure it
out that way, and if you scrollto the very bottom of that page,
I do include the actual math.
So if you want to try it outwith the you know, good old
fashioned pen and paper, andthen maybe you can use the
calculator as well to see howthey compare, sometimes this is
(26:01):
a bit of a guessing game,because if you started with
plant material that you grewyourself, you may not be
entirely sure of how strong theplant material is.
You're kind of guessing, but Istill think it's really
important to give yourself abenchmark or some context for
how strong these are, becauseeven if you're guessing a little
bit, you're going to have arange.
You can always start low and goslow, which is always the
(26:23):
recommended advice, and you'llhear that everywhere.
And there's a reason for that.
Chocolate edibles can bedeceivingly potent and that's
because they are such a goodcarrier with the fat content for
THC, so they might hit you alittle bit harder.
So if you make something andeven if you figure out how
potent they are, but you'reusing, you know, some figures
that you're kind of having toguess a little bit, then don't
(26:43):
be afraid to sort of take thatserving and just reduce it by
half or something, just to giveyourself an idea, because we
don't want you to have a badtime.
Next, the last thing I wanted totalk about is some surprising
uses for chocolate in edibles,because, of course, when you
think of recipe ideas forchocolate, we think of brownies,
which I love, and I do havesome brownie recipes on the
(27:04):
website.
I do believe I've done someepisodes around brownies.
If I recall, now that I'mgetting five years into this and
I've done so many recipes,sometimes I do tend to forget
what I've already done.
You can do chocolate dippedstrawberries or pretzels.
You can do chocolate mousses.
You can do chocolate chipcookies.
There's like, oh, there's somany wonderful things you can
make with chocolate.
One of my favorite recipesactually on the website is a
(27:26):
chocolate coffee tort.
That was a recipe that wasgiven to me by chef Lucas, a
fellow gongier out of Berlin,germany, germany, and I love
that cake.
It's so good and I might haveto make that again because it
was delicious.
So lots of wonderful ways toinfuse chocolate.
But what if you're not really asweets person, or what if you're
kind of just tired of the oldtropes of like, oh the pot
(27:48):
brownie.
Well, what if you try to mole?
Mole is a rich, complex saucefrom Mexican cuisine, made with
a blend of chilies, spices, nuts, seeds and, yes, chocolate, and
it's often served over meatslike turkey or chicken, and the
chocolate adds depth andrichness without making the
sauce sweet, and often chocolateis used quite a bit in some of
(28:11):
those Mexican cuisines.
So it's sort of an interestingway to try incorporating
chocolate without doing thetraditional stuff, and I think
I'm going to have to try itagain.
I have enjoyed mole in Mexicobefore and it is definitely
different and as rich as theysay, and, of course, anything
with chilies and spices in it issomething that I'm going to say
yes to.
And as far as the cannabisinfused mole, you infuse the oil
(28:35):
or fat used in the recipe withcannabis for a unique savory,
edible experience.
Now here's another idea for you.
What about chocolate and steak?
Yes, chocolate and steak are amatch made in culinary heaven.
Cacao powder in a dry rub addsa deep, earthy flavor that
complements the richness of themeat.
(28:56):
So what you could do is trymixing cacao powder, smoked
paprika, chili powder, garlicpowder, salt and pepper and rub
it generously onto a steakbefore grilling and or searing,
and the cacao can enhance theumami flavors and create a
delicious crust.
Now, that's not necessarilyinfused In that particular
(29:17):
instance, you might want to finda barbecue sauce of some kind,
or some kind of sauce that wouldpair nicely with a chocolate
rub steak, and that's somethingI didn't really think about
before I did this episodeactually until right now.
So maybe I'll have to findsomething for the episode
webpage again.
Steak, and that's something Ididn't really think about before
I did this episode actuallyuntil right now.
(29:37):
So maybe I'll have to findsomething for the episode
webpage again, something thatwould pair beautifully with a
chocolate rub steak, becauseI've not tried that before, but
I love rubs and I make themoften and have them on hand for
when I want to do some grilling.
I do barbecue a lot in thesummertime because I don't want
to be inside, but pretty muchfrom June until September I'm
outside cooking, so I'mdefinitely going to be trying
this.
Of course, you can also explorechocolate drinks.
(29:57):
There are cannabis hotchocolates.
I know I've done a Mexican hotchocolate for Bite Me.
You could try chocolatemartinis.
You could try beauty andself-care products, like maybe a
DIY cannabis-infused chocolateface mask, which sounds lovely,
because that will includeantioxidants and relaxation
(30:20):
together.
There's so many things that youcan do.
Fun fact for you, the ancientAztecs used chocolate as a
currency and believed it hadmagical properties.
I don't think they are wrong.
So here's a few pro tips andcommon mistakes you may want to
avoid.
First of all, you don't want tooverheat chocolate.
Chocolate is delicate andoverheating can ruin the texture
(30:40):
and potency of your infusion.
So this is a good time to makesure you have a thermometer on
hand just to make sure, if youneed it, you can make sure that
you're keeping your chocolate atthe correct temperature for
whatever recipe it is thatyou're following Storage tips.
You want to keep your ediblesin a cool, dark place to prevent
melting and to preservefreshness, and this is going to
be important, especially if youdidn't temper your chocolate,
(31:02):
which, as I said, I have nevertempered chocolate before, so
this would apply to myself aswell.
As always, labeling is superimportant.
I will say this until my lastdying breath label, label, label
.
You want to avoid accidentalconsumption, and if you label,
then hopefully that won't happen.
(31:22):
And, of course, depending onwhat you're making, if it's
something that's going into amold using cannabis, specific
molds can be really helpful.
I really like the molds thatmight have a little imprint of a
cannabis leaf or something likethat, because that just
indicates to the personadditionally that it's infused,
as well as the label you put onyour container.
And last experiment don't beafraid to mix chocolate with
(31:44):
other flavors, like chili, seasalt, orange my favorite caramel
, I mean, all those things arewonderful.
But mixing chocolate with otherflavors it pairs so beautifully
with so many things that youcan really get creative and
experiment in the kitchen.
Chocolate is the ultimateedible medium.
It's versatile, it's delicious,it's perfect for infusions.
(32:05):
So if you try making your owncannabis chocolate at home, I
would love it if you would tagme in your creations, if you
post them on Instagram or let meknow you can send me.
Get a hold of me however youwant to.
I love to see what people aremaking.
I love to hear peopleexperimenting.
If you know somebody who isinto chocolate, please consider
sharing this episode with them,because they might learn
(32:26):
something along with you.
You can, as I said, always talkto me at the email.
At the email, talk to me viaemail, the podcast hotline, fan
mail, dms on Instagram.
There's lots of ways to getahold of me.
Some of those if you scrolldown to the bottom of the
episode webpage, you will findthe email and the link to the
podcast hotline there.
Valentine's day can be sort of amixed bag.
(32:48):
It can really generate a lot ofemotions and a lot of different
people.
It is quite a commercialholiday.
I have mixed feelings about itmyself, but you know what won't
be disappointing on Valentine'sDay the products and services on
the Margaret Recommends page.
So check those out as wellbefore you pick up something
that might help you on youredibles journey.
I think that's it for this week, my friends.
I am your host, margaret, anduntil next time, stay chocolatey
(33:11):
and stay high.
Welcome, friends, to episode 285.
And today we are doing aningredient deep dive, a big bite
, into chocolate.
Welcome to Bite Me, the showabout edibles, where I help you
take control of your high life.
I'm your host and certifiedganger, margaret, and I love
helping cooks make safe andeffective edibles at home.
(00:27):
I'm so glad you're here andgreeting friends.
Welcome back to anotherwonderful episode of Bite Me.
I am so glad to be here.
It feels like it feels like it'sbeen a minute, and that's
because I did record and preparea few episodes in advance,
because I was going to be awayfor a week in the sunny south
and I didn't really haveanything prepared for when I got
back.
So it's just nice to get backinto my recording space so I can
(00:51):
sit down and join all of youand, if you're tuning in for the
first time, this will be a funepisode.
We are going to be talkingabout chocolate, seeing as it's
already February at the time ofthis recording, and of course,
february often brings to mindValentine's Day.
But what if we just ignoredValentine's Day a little bit and
just focused on the things thatpeople really love about
Valentine's, and one of thosethings is chocolate?
(01:14):
So we're going to be doing adeep dive a big bite into
chocolate, if you will, and ifyou've been around for a while,
I really appreciate it.
I'm so glad that you're here.
It's folks like you that reallykeep the show going, so let's
get into it.
Before I do this big bite,though, I just wanted to share a
(01:35):
few things, and recently I didan episode on 2025 trends in
edibles and cannabis, and thatwas a really fun episode to put
together, because I reached outto a lot of folks who are
working actively in the cannabiscommunity, and they all had
their own thoughts around whatthey thought we would see for
this year.
But I did ask you, what do youthink?
(01:59):
And I was not disappointed.
There was a number of you thatreplied, and I have compiled a
few of these answers so I canshare them with you.
So thank you for those who tookthe time to reach out and let
me know what they think we mightsee for 2025.
(02:27):
Edibles use will increase in2025, more brands and options
and that listener wrote in fromWatertown, new York, via fan
mail.
I hope you're right, because Iwould love to see that more
brands and options and I reallydo think that the edibles space
is expanding quite a bit becausea lot of folks if you listened
to that episode, if you haven'tlistened to it, you should go
back and check it out, becauseit wasn't just me making
predictions.
It was people who are involvedin the cannabis space in a lot
of different capacities and someof them are actively involved
(02:50):
in the commercial cannabis spaceand they're creating products
for the market, and I think thatas cannabis becomes more legal
in more jurisdictions, a lot ofpeople are becoming more curious
about it, more, more, more, andone of the easy ways that
people are finding their entryinto cannabis is through food,
which means we're wanting to seesome new and exciting things,
(03:12):
because those of us who havebeen around for a while, we
would like to see something alittle bit different.
So I totally agree with thatsentiment, so thank you for
sharing that.
Next, we have a comment thatsays other than seeing our
products on every shelf, wewould love to see more people
talking about microdosing andresponsible dosing for a big
demographic of users that arenew to cannabis, or as
(03:34):
supplemental use for seniors,people switching from alcohol,
et cetera.
We could talk about it for days, and that came from Social
sessions chocolate via Instagram, so you can find them at social
sessions chocolate and continuethe conversation with them over
there.
And I do think that micro dosingand responsible dosing finding
(03:55):
that minimum effective dose isdefinitely a smart way to
approach cannabis, especiallyfor those who are new, for
seniors.
People are wanting to eschewalcohol and I'm here for that
because, of course, there'salways going to be people who
love those big, heavy doses orrequire them if it's going to
help them feel better becausethey're using it medicinally.
The beautiful thing aboutcannabis is that it can really
(04:16):
be tailored to each individualout there and I'm not saying
cannabis is a panacea by anymeans.
We're all so different.
It just doesn't suit somepeople.
Some people don't like the wayit makes them feel, but for many
folks out there, maybe the bigdose doesn't work, but a micro
dose is what helps them feelbetter in their body and I think
responsible dosing is alwaysworth talking about.
(04:37):
So I really appreciate thatcomment.
Social sessions chocolate thankyou for sharing.
And last but not least, Ipredict myself making more
edibles in 2025.
I will also try my hand atmaking lip balm, and that came
from bang switch to a via thebite me cannabis club and I, too
(04:58):
, predict myself making moreedibles in 2025.
But I love to hear when folksare saying that they're going to
try and make an effort to makemore edibles in their life, and
making a lip balm is a wonderfulway to include edibles in your
world, even though you're notgoing to get high from that.
I was actually recently at asmall event in my city and a
(05:20):
fellow there had made a wholebunch of CBD lip balms and he
gave them out and they are sonice.
I just find in the wintertimeI'm in Canada, if you didn't
know, and it's cold and my skingets so dry which is a complaint
that you hear many people talkabout because just that cold
wind and air in the wintertimeis very drying and the heat that
(05:42):
we use to warm our houses.
So something like a CBD infusedlip balm is a real, a real
treat when things are really dry.
So making edibles doesn'tnecessarily have to mean making
more things you'll eat.
It can be making more thingsthat you'll rub on your body,
and I love cannabis topicals somuch I can really get behind
that too.
Thank you for all thoselistener predictions.
(06:05):
I really appreciated it and, ofcourse, you can still share
what you think we might beseeing in 2025.
It's still early yet we're onlyjust a month in and I'll share
them on the show For anotherupcoming episode that I would
love to do.
I would like to compile a listof listener best snacks and
recipes and suggestions for anupcoming episode.
(06:27):
So those could be things thatyou love to eat when you're
elevated, or they could bespecific recipes that you really
enjoy to get elevated.
Either one, I would love tohear them, and you can let me
know a few different ways.
You can email me.
You can send me a voice messagevia the podcast hotline.
(06:49):
You can send a fan mail.
However, is easiest for you.
I'm also reachable on Instagram, and that's the social platform
I tend to be most active on.
However, you want to get backto me.
Let me know, because I think itwould be a fun episode.
It's all fine and dandy for meto talk about the recipes that I
want to make and share themwith y'all, but sometimes I want
to hear about what snacks andrecipes you're actually using in
(07:14):
your everyday lives.
Consider sharing those with me.
Now let's get into the subjectof chocolate.
Chocolate isn't just a treat.
If you ask me, it is a vehiclefor greatness.
So today, on Bite Me, we'regoing to be taking a big bite
(07:35):
into why chocolate is the MVP ofedibles, how to use it like a
pro and some mind-blowing waysto take your cannabis-infused
creations to the next level, andwe're gonna cover a few
different things today.
We're gonna cover sourcing,trade practices, cooking tips
and some surprising uses you maynot have thought of.
Without further ado, let's getinto everyone's favorite
(07:56):
ingredient chocolate.
Now I do have to say I realizemaybe not everybody is totally
is in love with chocolate as Iam, and as much as I love
chocolate, it's probably noteven the top thing that I love
to eat that is sweetened.
Surprisingly enough, there is areason why chocolate is the
best for edibles.
(08:17):
The fat content in cacao buttermakes it an ideal carrier for
THC and other cannabinoids.
It can mask the flavor ofcannabis better than many other
mediums and it has a long shelflife and is stable at room
temperature.
So for a lot of those reasons,chocolate really checks all the
(08:39):
boxes when it comes to somethingthat you might want to infuse.
There's a cultural love affairwith chocolate.
It's universally loved.
Pairing it with cannabis feelslike a match made in heaven.
It's indulgent, it's comforting, it's versatile.
It's no wonder why people reachfor chocolate, and I will say
one of my favorite ways toconsume chocolate.
I do like dark chocolate, but Ilove spicy dark chocolate.
(09:03):
I find the mix of spice andchocolate is just one of my
favorite things Chef's kiss.
I also love the pairing ofchocolate and caramel.
So who am I kidding?
I really do actually likechocolate now that I think about
it.
But chocolate has been adoredfor centuries.
I like chocolate, you likechocolate.
But it dates back to theMesoamerican cultures, like the
(09:24):
Aztecs and the Mayans, whorevered cacao as a sacred gift
from the gods and I don't thinkthey were wrong and they
consumed it as a bitter, frothydrink mixed with spices, like
chili and far from the sweettreat that we're familiar with
today.
And, as we all know, if youtake some some unsweetened
baker's chocolate, it tastesvery different than the stuff
(09:44):
that we add sugar to.
Of course, when chocolate madeits way to Europe in the 16th
century, it was transformed intothe creamy, sweet confection
that we love, becoming a symbolof luxury and indulgence.
And today chocolate is a globalobsession.
It's a comfort food, a romanticgesture, a celebratory treat
(10:04):
and pairing it with cannabisfeels natural, because both are
associated with pleasure,relaxation, a touch of
indulgence and maybe even alittle medical relief.
Because chocolate was used in awhole lot of ways and was seen
to be medicinal in some culturesa long time ago.
And chocolate's universalappeal makes it the perfect
(10:26):
medium for edibles.
It's familiar, approachable anddownright irresistible, and I
have over the years made plentyof chocolate infused recipes of
various sorts.
And there's a reason whyBecause it's wonderful.
Now, chocolate also containstheobromine, which is a mild
stimulant that complements theeffects of cannabis, and
(10:49):
theobromine is a naturallyoccurring compound found in
cacao beans.
It's a mild stimulant and aclose chemical relative of
caffeine, though it's muchgentler on the nervous system,
and theobromine, if I'm sayingthat correctly, of course
provides a subtle energy boostand mood lift, which complements
(11:11):
the effects of cannabis.
So the difference betweentheobromine and caffeine is
you're probably not going to getthat.
It's not going to feel like thecaffeine boost that you get in
the morning, but it's a lotgentler and for that reason more
people can enjoy it.
I know people who have to bevery cautious about consuming
caffeine, but chocolate is adifferent story.
(11:33):
Now, theobromine is also thereason why chocolate is toxic to
dogs they can't metabolize itlike humans can.
So keep your cannabis-infusedchocolates away from your furry
friends.
I also understand that THC isnot great for dogs, so that's a
double whammy If that is thecase.
Chocolate and cannabis are notgreat for dogs.
Now, actually apologies.
(11:54):
I should reiterate chocolateand THC specifically because you
can give CBD to your dogs, butyou don't want to give CBD to
your dogs in chocolate form.
Keep that for yourself.
Now, what about sourcingchocolate?
There's a couple of differencesbetween your bean to bar
varieties and your commercialchocolate.
(12:16):
And what's the difference andwhy does it matter?
For edibles, I think whatyou're going to find is bean to
bar chocolate offers higherquality and better flavor, but
it can be pricier.
Chocolate offers higher qualityand better flavor, but it can
be pricier.
So bean-to-bar chocolate isgoing to typically be made by
small-scale artisans who controlthe entire process, from
sourcing the cacao beans tocrafting the final product.
(12:37):
The focus is on the quality,the flavor and ethical practices
in harvesting that chocolate.
It often uses single-origincacao beans, which highlight the
unique flavor profiles.
If you didn't know, chocolatecan have different flavor
profiles depending on where it'sgrown, where it's from, and
(12:59):
it's more expensive but offers asuperior taste and texture.
And I did an episode a littlewhile ago now with Madame
Cannoli and she is the wife ofthe late great Frenchie Cannoli,
the master hashishin.
But she in her own right has avery developed palate and she
(13:19):
wrote a lot of the course, thecourse work for the Ganger
program around using your palate, developing it and learning how
to taste.
And we cover that prettyextensively in the episode that
I did with her so I'll link toit in the show notes so you can
find it.
Because a lot of the things, alot of the ways that she works
on developing palate and tasteis through single origin
(13:45):
chocolate.
So that can be a fun projectfor you to try if you want to
sort of experiment with tasteand flavors.
Now, bean to bar chocolate canobviously be more expensive but
offers a superior taste andtexture.
Alternatively, commercialchocolate is mass produced by
large companies using bulk cacaobeans cacao beans I'm having
(14:09):
trouble saying that today.
It often contains additiveslike soy, lecithin, vanilla,
extra sugar to standardize theflavor and to reduce costs.
There's also less transparencyin sourcing and production
practices and that can often bevery problematic.
And that can often be veryproblematic, but it is
(14:31):
affordable and widely availablebut lacks the complexity of a
bean to bar chocolate.
I do recall also Madame Cannolitalking about things like
lecithin and looking on theingredient list to try and avoid
those.
If you're looking to buychocolate for tasting as well
Now of course we have thedifferent cacao percentages you
go to the store and not only doyou have to think bean to bar or
(14:52):
commercial chocolate options,but there's dark chocolate, milk
chocolate, white chocolate.
What's the best for edibles Now,right off the bat?
Dark chocolate 70% cacao isideal for infusions due to its
robust flavor and high fatcontent.
But let's look at them all.
So dark chocolate is usuallybetween 50 and 100% of cacao
(15:17):
solids, so that's your cacao andyour cacao butter.
It's bitter, rich and intensein flavor and it's ideal for
edibles due do it's high fatcontent and robust flavor, which
masks the cannabis as well.
And because THC is fat soluble,you want the high fat content
(15:37):
because it's going to take inmore of that cannabinoid that we
are all looking to get elevatedwith.
Then you have milk chocolate andthat can also contain cacao
solids.
Milk powder and sugar isusually creamy, sweet, with a
mild flavor.
It's less ideal for ediblesbecause the milk can dilute the
(15:58):
potency of the cannabisinfusions.
Having said that, I have usedmilk chocolate on occasion.
It's delicious, of course,because it has that extra milk
and sugar in it, so you canstill do it, of course.
And then there's whitechocolate, and that is made from
cacao butter, sugar and milksolids, but no cacao solids.
That's actually something Ididn't know until I started
(16:20):
working on this episode.
It's got a sweet, buttery andmild flavor, and it works for
edibles as well, but it lacksthe depth of flavor and the dark
chocolate provides.
Why cacao butter is better forinfusions.
Cacao butter is the pure fatextracted from cacao beans.
It's ideal for infusionsbecause it's 100% fat, making it
(16:42):
a highly efficient carrier forTHC and other cannabinoids.
It has a neutral flavor thatwon't compete with the chocolate
.
It creates a smoother, morestable product compared to using
tinctures, and I do recall whenmy daughter had her vegan
gluten-free restaurant, cacaobutter was used pretty regularly
in a lot of the desserts thatthey were making and they were
(17:03):
delicious.
You never would have guessedthat they were vegan at all.
But I mean, maybe you don'tneed to when you have that much
chocolate going around.
So, and I also have infusedcacao butter actually to make
topicals too, and AmandaBreeze's book.
I had her on the show a littlewhile ago not too long ago
actually to talk about topicalsand a few other subjects as well
(17:26):
, but she is a true expert inthe realm of topicals and in her
cookbook her topicals cookbookthat she put out there is a
cacao lotion bar and you infusethe cacao butter and I use that
pretty regularly on my lowerback because one it's nice,
because it's also easy totransport.
If I have to go somewhere Ijust have to put it in a little
jar container of some kind, butthen you it warms in your hands
(17:50):
and you just rub it on your sorespots.
For me that's my lower back andit's lovely and it smells
fantastic too.
Cacao butter has a lovely smell, so it naturally smells good.
So there's a lot of ways thatyou can use cacao butter for
things other than just eating.
Now, of course, chocolate doeshave a bit of a dark side, and I
would be remiss if I didn'ttalk about the ethical sourcing
(18:12):
of chocolate.
It's something that I do thinkabout often when I am shopping
for ingredients, when I'm makingedibles and when I'm just
trying to feed myself.
The dark side of chocolate isthat child labor and
unsustainable farming practicesare pretty prevalent, especially
as you move closer to thecommercial side of chocolate,
when you're buying commercialchocolate from huge companies,
(18:35):
and so, if you can, choosingfair trade and ethically sourced
chocolate can really help makea difference.
The chocolate industry reallydoes have a troubling history of
exploitative labor practices.
Industry really does have atroubling history of
exploitative labor practices,including using child labor and
unsustainable farming in thecacao producing regions like
West Africa.
I often try to buy fair tradewhenever possible, because I
(18:56):
really hate the idea of thefarmers at the other end in
far-flung areas of the world notbeing able to even make a
living doing the farming so thatI can have chocolate over here.
I also buy fair trade coffee aswell, because I also go to my
local farmer's market and I liketo talk to the farmers that are
growing the food that I buy atthe farmer's market, and I
(19:17):
really do feel that farmers feedthe world, whether they're
making, you know, growing thelocal root vegetables that I'm
enjoying in the wintertime orthe coffee and the chocolate
that I'm consuming vegetablesthat I'm enjoying in the
wintertime, or the coffee andthe chocolate that I'm consuming
.
I drink coffee every day andchocolate's more of a treat, but
farmers feed families, and Iwant to support companies that
(19:43):
are not trying to do thingscheaply so that they can make
more money, because at the endof the day, the consumer still
pays.
It's the large companies thatend up making all the money at
the expense of the people whoare growing the food with which
their product would not bepossible.
I'll get off my soapbox alittle bit there, but that's how
I feel about that.
You can look for certificationswhen you're buying chocolate,
and if you do find brands thatare using certifications like
(20:06):
Fair Trade, rainforest Allianceand Direct Trade, then that
means they've been vetted forthese practices.
Fair Trade ensures fair wagesand safe working conditions for
the people growing the chocolateor whatever else it is that
they're producing.
The Rainforest Alliancepromotes sustainable farming
practices so that those peoplecan continue farming in the way
(20:28):
that they've known for as longas possible.
They can maintain theirlifestyle, and direct trade
builds relationships betweenfarmers and the chocolate makers
.
So you can also do this bysupporting small brands.
The bean-to-bar chocolatemakers often prioritize ethical
sourcing and transparency,because that's how they're
getting a better practice and doyour research.
(20:50):
Now.
You can find brands that areknown for their commitment to
ethical practices relativelyeasily.
It also depends on where youshop sometimes, but I find a lot
of these brands are oftenavailable at larger grocery
stores.
You don't necessarily have togo to a specialty store to find
them.
So just something to keep inmind.
I know sometimes they can be abit more expensive and we all
(21:11):
have to make decisions as towhether that's something that
can fit into our budget or not.
It's something that I like todo and I encourage others to do
it whenever possible, but we allhave to do what's right for
ourselves.
Now, cooking and baking withchocolate.
There is a term calledtempering chocolate, and we're
going to talk about why it'simportant for edibles, and I'll
talk quickly about how to do itat home, and then I'll find I'll
(21:34):
be sure to include a video inthe show notes on the website on
how to do it.
Admittedly, I've never actuallytempered chocolate myself, but
when I was reading this, I waslike I can see why it would be
important, because tempering isthe process of carefully melting
and cooling chocolate tostabilize its crystals, giving
it a glossy finish, crisp, snapand smooth texture.
(21:58):
So I think you can probablyimagine when you take a
chocolate bar especially thatbean to bar stuff or I guess
anything commercially made aswell and you break it and you
hear that snap, that's temperedchocolate.
Untempered chocolate can lookdull, feel grainy and melt too
easily.
Now, depending on yourapplication, this may not matter
too much and this is probablywhy I've never actually tempered
(22:21):
chocolate.
I have met chocolate makers inthe past who obviously have to
temper their chocolate becausethe presentation of their
chocolate is part of why we buy.
You go into a chocolate shop.
There's a couple of beautiful.
Actually one just closed, sadly.
A chocolate shop in my townclosed and he had beautiful
chocolate and of course that waslikely all tempered.
(22:43):
Because that visualpresentation of his creations
and they were almost, they wereart tempts you to buy.
But if you're making somethingfor yourself, maybe you know the
chocolate looking a little dull, grainy and melting too easily
isn't as big of a concern,especially if you're making it
yourself.
If you're making it forsomebody else that might change
a little bit as well.
(23:03):
But it's easier for me to keepsomething in the fridge because
I'm not taking, I'm nottransporting it anywhere, and if
I make a batch of something youknow I'm going to be eating it.
It's infused, it's something Ienjoy and the presentation may
not matter quite as much as itwould otherwise.
But in case you want to knowhow to temper chocolate, I'll
include it in the show notesjust so you have an idea of how
(23:27):
to do it.
Because basically, you'remelting down the chocolate,
you're bringing your chocolatedown, you're melting it, because
basically, you're melting downthe chocolate, you're bringing
your chocolate down, you'remelting it, then you're bringing
it to a certain temperature andthen you're testing a small
amount on parchment paper to geta glossy finish.
So, yes, I'll include somethingin the show notes around that
if you're interested, because itcan be an important step that
you might want to take.
(23:48):
Next, how do you infusechocolate?
There's a couple of differentways that you can do this.
The one way is to infuse yourcacao butter, so you would
decarb your cannabis.
And if you're unsure of how todo that, I have episodes and you
can find information on mywebsite.
Or I have the beginner's guideto making edibles over at the
Bite Me Cannabis Club that isfree for anybody to take.
(24:09):
It's just a quick course onmaking edibles, but you're going
to decarb your cannabis andyou're going to combine your
cannabis with the cacao butter.
You can do it in a doublebroiler.
You can also do it in a glassjar, in a pot of water.
That's a method that I use veryoften.
I actually, admittedly, used adevice.
Last time I did it in theArdent, in an infusion sleeve,
(24:33):
to reduce the mass.
So there's a bunch of differentways you can do it.
But the double broiler or in ajar, in a pot, on the stove, are
obviously two ways.
You can do it without fancyequipment.
And then you're going to strainit through a fine mesh sieve
and some cheesecloth to removethe plant material and then you
have infused cacao butter tomake chocolate and other recipes
.
And of course, you can also usea tincture method, which is
(24:55):
where you would add a few dropsof tincture or a concentrate I
think concentrates would alsowork very well here, think your
RSOs, your FECOs, that kind ofthing and you're going to add it
to the melted chocolate and mixit really thoroughly.
And this method is quicker.
But, depending if you're usinga tincture, it might adjust the
flavor just a little bit.
You're probably going to runinto that less if you're using a
(25:18):
concentrate like an RSO or aFICO.
But there's something to beaware of and, of course, you're
going to want to calculate thedose of whatever it is that
you're making per piece so thatyou have a good idea of how
potent these things are at leasta framework and there's a lot
of different ways to accomplishthat as well.
You can do the good oldfashioned math, which is most
(25:39):
people feel really intimidatedby.
But if you go to my website, Ido have also an online
calculator that you can plugsome numbers into and figure it
out that way, and if you scrollto the very bottom of that page,
I do include the actual math.
So if you want to try it outwith the you know, good old
fashioned pen and paper, andthen maybe you can use the
calculator as well to see howthey compare, sometimes this is
(26:01):
a bit of a guessing game,because if you started with
plant material that you grewyourself, you may not be
entirely sure of how strong theplant material is.
You're kind of guessing, but Istill think it's really
important to give yourself abenchmark or some context for
how strong these are, becauseeven if you're guessing a little
bit, you're going to have arange.
You can always start low and goslow, which is always the
(26:23):
recommended advice, and you'llhear that everywhere.
And there's a reason for that.
Chocolate edibles can bedeceivingly potent and that's
because they are such a goodcarrier with the fat content for
THC, so they might hit you alittle bit harder.
So if you make something andeven if you figure out how
potent they are, but you'reusing, you know, some figures
that you're kind of having toguess a little bit, then don't
(26:43):
be afraid to sort of take thatserving and just reduce it by
half or something, just to giveyourself an idea, because we
don't want you to have a badtime.
Next, the last thing I wanted totalk about is some surprising
uses for chocolate in edibles,because, of course, when you
think of recipe ideas forchocolate, we think of brownies,
which I love, and I do havesome brownie recipes on the
(27:04):
website.
I do believe I've done someepisodes around brownies.
If I recall, now that I'mgetting five years into this and
I've done so many recipes,sometimes I do tend to forget
what I've already done.
You can do chocolate dippedstrawberries or pretzels.
You can do chocolate mousses.
You can do chocolate chipcookies.
There's like, oh, there's somany wonderful things you can
make with chocolate.
One of my favorite recipesactually on the website is a
(27:26):
chocolate coffee tort.
That was a recipe that wasgiven to me by chef Lucas, a
fellow gongier out of Berlin,germany, germany, and I love
that cake.
It's so good and I might haveto make that again because it
was delicious.
So lots of wonderful ways toinfuse chocolate.
But what if you're not really asweets person, or what if you're
kind of just tired of the oldtropes of like, oh the pot
(27:48):
brownie.
Well, what if you try to mole?
Mole is a rich, complex saucefrom Mexican cuisine, made with
a blend of chilies, spices, nuts, seeds and, yes, chocolate, and
it's often served over meatslike turkey or chicken, and the
chocolate adds depth andrichness without making the
sauce sweet, and often chocolateis used quite a bit in some of
(28:11):
those Mexican cuisines.
So it's sort of an interestingway to try incorporating
chocolate without doing thetraditional stuff, and I think
I'm going to have to try itagain.
I have enjoyed mole in Mexicobefore and it is definitely
different and as rich as theysay, and, of course, anything
with chilies and spices in it issomething that I'm going to say
yes to.
And as far as the cannabisinfused mole, you infuse the oil
(28:35):
or fat used in the recipe withcannabis for a unique savory,
edible experience.
Now here's another idea for you.
What about chocolate and steak?
Yes, chocolate and steak are amatch made in culinary heaven.
Cacao powder in a dry rub addsa deep, earthy flavor that
complements the richness of themeat.
(28:56):
So what you could do is trymixing cacao powder, smoked
paprika, chili powder, garlicpowder, salt and pepper and rub
it generously onto a steakbefore grilling and or searing,
and the cacao can enhance theumami flavors and create a
delicious crust.
Now, that's not necessarilyinfused In that particular
(29:17):
instance, you might want to finda barbecue sauce of some kind,
or some kind of sauce that wouldpair nicely with a chocolate
rub steak, and that's somethingI didn't really think about
before I did this episodeactually until right now.
So maybe I'll have to findsomething for the episode
webpage again.
Steak, and that's something Ididn't really think about before
I did this episode actuallyuntil right now.
(29:37):
So maybe I'll have to findsomething for the episode
webpage again, something thatwould pair beautifully with a
chocolate rub steak, becauseI've not tried that before, but
I love rubs and I make themoften and have them on hand for
when I want to do some grilling.
I do barbecue a lot in thesummertime because I don't want
to be inside, but pretty muchfrom June until September I'm
outside cooking, so I'mdefinitely going to be trying
this.
Of course, you can also explorechocolate drinks.
(29:57):
There are cannabis hotchocolates.
I know I've done a Mexican hotchocolate for Bite Me.
You could try chocolatemartinis.
You could try beauty andself-care products, like maybe a
DIY cannabis-infused chocolateface mask, which sounds lovely,
because that will includeantioxidants and relaxation
(30:20):
together.
There's so many things that youcan do.
Fun fact for you, the ancientAztecs used chocolate as a
currency and believed it hadmagical properties.
I don't think they are wrong.
So here's a few pro tips andcommon mistakes you may want to
avoid.
First of all, you don't want tooverheat chocolate.
Chocolate is delicate andoverheating can ruin the texture
(30:40):
and potency of your infusion.
So this is a good time to makesure you have a thermometer on
hand just to make sure, if youneed it, you can make sure that
you're keeping your chocolate atthe correct temperature for
whatever recipe it is thatyou're following Storage tips.
You want to keep your ediblesin a cool, dark place to prevent
melting and to preservefreshness, and this is going to
be important, especially if youdidn't temper your chocolate,
(31:02):
which, as I said, I have nevertempered chocolate before, so
this would apply to myself aswell.
As always, labeling is superimportant.
I will say this until my lastdying breath label, label, label
.
You want to avoid accidentalconsumption, and if you label,
then hopefully that won't happen.
(31:22):
And, of course, depending onwhat you're making, if it's
something that's going into amold using cannabis, specific
molds can be really helpful.
I really like the molds thatmight have a little imprint of a
cannabis leaf or something likethat, because that just
indicates to the personadditionally that it's infused,
as well as the label you put onyour container.
And last experiment don't beafraid to mix chocolate with
(31:44):
other flavors, like chili, seasalt, orange my favorite caramel
, I mean, all those things arewonderful.
But mixing chocolate with otherflavors it pairs so beautifully
with so many things that youcan really get creative and
experiment in the kitchen.
Chocolate is the ultimateedible medium.
It's versatile, it's delicious,it's perfect for infusions.
(32:05):
So if you try making your owncannabis chocolate at home, I
would love it if you would tagme in your creations, if you
post them on Instagram or let meknow you can send me.
Get a hold of me however youwant to.
I love to see what people aremaking.
I love to hear peopleexperimenting.
If you know somebody who isinto chocolate, please consider
sharing this episode with them,because they might learn
(32:26):
something along with you.
You can, as I said, always talkto me at the email.
At the email, talk to me viaemail, the podcast hotline, fan
mail, dms on Instagram.
There's lots of ways to getahold of me.
Some of those if you scrolldown to the bottom of the
episode webpage, you will findthe email and the link to the
podcast hotline there.
Valentine's day can be sort of amixed bag.
(32:48):
It can really generate a lot ofemotions and a lot of different
people.
It is quite a commercialholiday.
I have mixed feelings about itmyself, but you know what won't
be disappointing on Valentine'sDay the products and services on
the Margaret Recommends page.
So check those out as wellbefore you pick up something
that might help you on youredibles journey.
I think that's it for this week, my friends.
I am your host, margaret, anduntil next time, stay chocolatey
(33:11):
and stay high.
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