Review of the I Love Raw Chocolate! Recipe E-Book

from Funky Raw Magazine, Issue 17, Autumn 2010

by Jessie Maguire

Beware, this eBook is going to make you very hungry indeed! ‘I Love Raw Chocolate’ is a well thought-out and clear to follow, 60 page, little masterpiece by Liz Bygrave, a chocolate workshopper, online shop runner and dessert-loving wonder woman, it seems.

I didn’t know what to expect from Liz here, really. But Liz got me all excited with this one. She’s expertly hit the nail on the head,in terms of creating an eBook that could please everyone (not to mention make them fall over with bliss!). You could send this to cooked aunty or granny, and everything is explained or you, in a gentle, non-dogmatic and science-based way: the saturated and raw fat issue, reasons to buy cacao powder instead of cocoa powder, etc., all covered. And the benefits of the ingredients. Ah, she makes it so easy. And inviting!

If you’re an experienced raw foody, you might be glad to hear that the recipes aren’t chock full of medjool dates, nor a list o 15 ingredients that you need to collect and whose combination might interfere with your excellent digestion. For those of us who are super clean and sensitive to the ‘cacao high’, there are recipes containing only the butter, like the ‘Butterscotch Bars’. Yey! Also included is a cool tip and spice, to soften or ease a too-intense chocolate buzzz. Liz is insightful and obviously experienced. She makes sure to avoid GMO lecithin, and points out how to make some of the recipes less sweet for those of us whose taste buds are ultra alive.... Zing!

If you are a fan of medjool dates, however, don’t worry: Liz is generous and pretty switched-on when it comes to sweeteners and caters for most on this front. She always gives 2 or 3 alternative sweeteners, and the amounts you’ll need to get the best results for each, which I’ve never seen before.

However, one point to mention here is that, die-hard raw guys might not be able to make a few of the recipes Liz gives (unless you consider agave to be raw). In some of the book, sweetener-wise, ‘Sweet Freedom’ or agave are the only options listed. However, there is mention of coconut sugar used in place of xylitol, and yacon syrup in later recipes. You should be fine with 13 of the 22 recipes, though, if you’re avoiding Sweet Freedom or agave. [Editors note: if you use honey, this can easily replace Sweet Freedom or agave.]

The eBook is organised into sections, according to what ingredients the recipes contain. This is a really handy idea! So if you’ve only got chocolate powder and a sweetener in (plus nuts etc.), you could go to the first section and make any of the recipes. Each new ingredient is introduced in each new section, and the benefits and qualities of each one. It’s all very clear and concise and helpful. Part 4 is a ‘superfood section’, including lucuma, carob (using it to deepen the taste of chocolate - definitely going to try that tip!), mesquite and maca, purple corn, gojis, yacon.

‘I Love Raw Chocolate’ strikes me as a very good deal: there are literally hundreds of possible variations in this eBook. This is such a generous way of designing recipes, giving the reader tools to develop their own style of chocolate making, and it also means you are pretty unlikely to get bored of the recipes. You can keep them, adapt them, then adapt them again for a really easily different taste. Backing this up, at the end of the book, is an extensive list of tried and tested, suggested flavourings, and (wow) a ‘combinations that work’ list too, for use with specific/outlined recipes (some cooked, mind). Spices, oils and zests mmm.

The recipes include: Chocolate Orange Milk, Chocolate Spread, ice cream, Cool Coconut Truffles, White Chocolate, Banana White Chocolate Cheesecake! Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate Sticks, Chocolate Goji Ganache,mmmm, Millionaire Shortbread, Caramel Bars (can’t wait to taste these!), Rocky Road Chocolate Chunks, etc., etc.. My god. The pictures are absolutely stunning. There’s a photo of every recipe. And the presentation is also actually really great: modern, funky and fun.

Occasionally when making up a recipe, you can stumble upon a confusing part of the method, and you have to wing it! ‘I Love...’ isn’t like that. Liz has made the effort to clearly lay out all the How, as well as giving us lots of nice little tips for getting the creations to come out well, while keeping the recipes simple.

Oh yes,and the recipes are vegan and none of them require a dehydrator, yey!) Recipes are in cups and mls and gms, conversions are given at the back for those in the US and elsewhere, as well as those used to using oz and lbs. Well taken care of!

I don’t think Liz has missed anything here, this book holds up. Well researched and comprehensive, but also concise and appropriately written. This is no throwaway eBook. Highly recommended! Ciao.

To buy the ‘I Love Raw Chocolate! Recipe E-Book, click here