Montezuma's Organic Dark Giant Buttons - 180g

Carob is commonly known to be a Chocolate Substitute although it rightly deserves credit of its own. The Carob plant is an evergreen tree decorated with glossy leaves, red flowers and long brown pods form on the tree, which hold seeds within sweet pulp.These seeds are the source of Locust Bean Gum - you may recognize this name.A natural ingredient to improve the texture of foods by thickening and stabilizing the food.After being sun dried, the seeds are removed and the pulp of the carob pods is ground into 'carob powder'and to make carob syrup the powder is dissolved in water and boiled to make a runny consistency.But how to use it?Carob is a natural addition to baked goods, its taste is not as rich as cocoa.It can be used as a sweetener, and replaced instead of chocolate in brownies and puddings.Note : Carob powder is less soluble than Cocoa and it can be gritty. Make a smooth paste of carob powder and warm water before adding into a drink/recipe.Carob naturally contains calcium, phosphorus, iron! Pop into our store for your sweet treat alternatives and check out our website 🌱

Why Cocoa Liquor is the Secret to the Ultimate ‘Gooey’ Bake? For the serious home baker, making the perfect brownie is like a special ritual. We’ve all been there: chasing that elusive, paper-thin crackle on top and a centre so fudgy it’s practically molten. Most high-street recipes rely on standard cocoa powder or melted supermarket chocolate, but these often result in a "cakey" or overly sweet finish. If you want a professional, truffle-like density that stays gooey for days, you have to look at the chemistry of your fats and solids. The secret used by artisan patisseries? Cocoa Liquor. By moving away from processed chocolate and back to raw building blocks, you gain total control over the texture and intensity of your bake. The Recipe: Professional Cacao Paste Brownies Yield: 16 Decadent Squares | Prep time: 15 mins | Bake time: 20–25 mins The Ingredient List (Metric) 200g Whole Food Earth Cocoa Liquor (Cacao Paste): Chopped finely. 100g Whole Food Earth Organic Cacao Butter: For a silkier, cleaner melt. 250g Organic Coconut Sugar: For deep, natural caramelisation. 3 Large Free-Range Eggs: Essential they are at room temperature. 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste & A generous pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt. 80g Spelt Flour (or Almond Flour for GF): Low gluten keeps the structure soft. 50g Organic Cacao Powder: Sifted to remove lumps. 100g Raw Cacao Nibs (Optional): For a sophisticated, crunchy inclusion. The Method 1. The Gentle Melt Preheat your fan oven to 160°C. Line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking tin with greaseproof paper, leaving an overhang to help you lift the brownies out later. Using a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water), slowly melt the Cocoa Liquor and Cacao Butter. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Once glossy, remove from the heat and stir in the Coconut Sugar. 2. The Emulsion In a separate large bowl, whisk your room-temperature eggs and vanilla for about 3 minutes until pale and aerated. Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs, folding gently with a spatula. You’re looking for a thick, glossy emulsion that holds its shape in "ribbons." 3. Sift and Fold Sift the Cacao Powder, flour, and salt directly into the bowl. Fold together with a large metal spoon or spatula until just combined. Crucial: Over-mixing at this stage develops gluten, which turns a gooey brownie into a sponge cake. Stop the moment the streaks of flour disappear. 4. The Bake Pour the batter into the tin and level the top. If using Cacao Nibs, scatter them evenly now. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The Pro Test: Give the tin a gentle shake at 20 minutes. The edges should look set and slightly papery, but the centre should still have a distinct "wobble." If a skewer comes out clean, you’ve overbaked them. You want sticky, fudgy crumbs on that skewer. 5. The Setting Phase This is the hardest part of the recipe: Patience. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin at room temperature. For that professional, dense fudge texture, refrigerate the tin for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before slicing. This allows the cacao butter to set the structure into a gooey masterpiece. Precision in Every Batch In professional baking, the margin between a masterpiece and a mistake is measured in grams. We know that when you’re prepping a 6kg bulk order for a busy café or a high-stakes Easter event, you need to trust your supply chain. At Whole Food Earth, we treat your ingredients with the same precision you bring to your kitchen. Whether you are ordering a 500g pouch of Cacao Butter or a 6kg wholesale haul of Cocoa Liquor, our tracking and verification systems ensure that what you receive is exactly what your recipe requires. Ready to elevate your Easter baking? From raw ingredients for the pros to ready-to-eat vegan treats for the family, explore our full collection today. Shop Our Professional Cacao Range

Mastering the chemistry of cacao can be a fickle business. If your last batch didn't quite have that "boutique" finish, don’t worry—most chocolate mishaps can be traced back to one of these five common culprits. 1. The Mystery of the White Streaks (Fat Bloom) The Symptom: Your chocolate has developed white or greyish streaks or spots on the surface. The Cause: This is "Fat Bloom." It happens when the cocoa butter crystals haven't been properly stabilised during tempering, causing the fat to rise to the surface. The Fix: Your chocolate is still perfectly safe to eat! However, to prevent this in the future, ensure you are hitting your precise temperatures during the cooling phase. If the chocolate stays too warm for too long, the fat will separate. 2. The "Grainy" Texture (Sugar Bloom) The Symptom: The surface looks dull and feels gritty or sandy on the tongue. The Cause: "Sugar Bloom." This is usually caused by moisture. If chocolate is stored in a damp fridge or if condensation forms on the bar, the sugar dissolves and recrystallises into large, crunchy grains. The Fix: Always store your finished bars in a cool, dry place (15C to 18C)—never the fridge unless it is airtight. Also, ensure your sweetener is as fine as possible (blitz it into a powder!) before adding it to your Cacao Liq uor. 3. The Sudden Clumping (Seizing) The Symptom: One minute your chocolate is silky and melting; the next, it turns into a thick, dry, unworkable paste. The Cause: Water. Even a single drop of steam or water from your bain-marie will cause the sugar and cocoa solids to stick together. The Fix: If it seizes, you unfortunately cannot use it for bars anymore. However, don't throw it away! Stir in a little warm cream or coconut milk to turn it into a delicious chocolate ganache or sauce. 4. No "Snap" (Improper Tempering) The Symptom: The chocolate bends or crumbles rather than snapping cleanly when broken. It might also melt instantly when you touch it. The Cause: The chocolate didn't reach the correct "beta" crystalline state. This usually means it was poured into the moulds while it was still too warm. The Fix: Check your thermometer calibration. For dark chocolate made with our Cacao Butter, you need that final "working" temperature to be exactly 31C to 32C. 5. Bubbles and Holes The Symptom: The back of your bar is covered in small pits or air bubbles. The Cause: Air trapped during the pouring process. The Fix: Tap, tap, tap! Once you pour the chocolate into the mould, lift it an inch off the counter and drop it firmly several times. This vibrates the air bubbles to the surface where they can pop. Pro Tip: Keep a notebook. Note down the humidity of your kitchen, the exact brand of sweetener used, and your tempering temperatures. This "lab log" is how the best chocolatiers achieve consistency every single time. The Whole Food Earth Guarantee We know that "Pro" results require "Pro" consistency. That’s why we weigh and verify every batch of Cacao Liquor and Cacao Butter before it leaves our warehouse. If you’re working with a 6kg bulk order, you can trust that every gram meets our strict purity standards.