Or one way of how to battle lockdown boredom
By Vilma Gerulyte
Whether one has a sweet tooth or not, a nice dessert always comes in handy. It is a universally acknowledged truth that a single bite of dark chocolate works wonders over moodiness, as it has the power to make the brain release endorphins.
And to quote Elle Woods: ‘endorphins make you happy’.
Being stuck at home with all the grand plans cancelled might be difficult keeping those endorphin levels high. But making chocolate desserts can be a solution to the problem, as 1) studies show that home cooked meals make people feel better and 2) see above for details, but chocolate makes people happy.
Marcelo Romano, a chocolatier from Brazil, has run his own chocolate-making company Chocolates Romano for almost eight years. The business is suffering due to the worldwide pandemic, and it is not the job that can be done from home.
But, according to Marcelo, making chocolate sweets is an activity anyone can try out. He says: ‘Doing it for hobbies is an excellent alternative for those who have to stay at home during this time of coronavirus.’
Beware: it’s not straightforward task. ‘I find it difficult to escalate the difficulty of making chocolate, as it depends a lot on each person and dedication,’ says Marcelo, as ‘working with chocolate requires a lot of care’.
Nonetheless, ‘it is possible to make several different sweets, like brigadeiro, for example, and enjoy with the family,’ suggests the chocolatier.
Brigadeiro are Brazilian chocolate truffles that need only three main ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter, along with any desired coating. The simple recipe with cooking instructions can be found here.
Whichever recipe one may choose to use, Marcelo gives his tip: ‘Use semi-bitter or bitter chocolate, as it is healthier and good for the heart.’
But what if the stomach is craving for something more?
A special no-bake chocolate cake is a signature dessert of Elena Curko, a grandmother from Russia whose grandchildren frequently request she makes the dish.
‘Many years ago I found the recipe in the newspaper and I cut it out because it was quick and easy to make,’ says Elena.
Over the years she altered the recipe to her own and family’s liking, but the main ingredients are condensed sweetened milk, dark chocolate, biscuits, butter and nuts.
The key is to mix everything in a heated cooking pot, mend the mixture into a desired shape, cover in the chocolate glaze and put in the refrigerator for a few hours. Voila! And the cake is ready to be eaten.
Elena has not left her house during lockdown. But to those who do the same she says there is ‘no need to suffer from idleness’. She strongly encourages people to try out new recipes, as ‘cooking brings families together’. As she puts it: ‘Family and children is true happiness’.
Image source and recipes for the desserts here.
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