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Sachertorte: A rich chocolate cake layered with apricot jam and covered in dark chocolate glaze.

What is Sachertorte?

Sachertorte is a famous Viennese dessert that is renowned all over the world for its rich and indulgent taste. It is a chocolate cake that is layered with apricot jam and then covered in a dark chocolate glaze. The dessert has a distinct taste and texture that makes it one of the most beloved chocolate cakes in the world. Sachertorte was first created in 1832 by Franz Sacher, a 16-year-old apprentice chef, who made it for a high-ranking diplomat. Since then, the dessert has become a symbol of Viennese culture and cuisine.

How is Sachertorte made?

The making of Sachertorte is a delicate and precise process that requires a lot of care and attention to detail. The cake is made from a combination of high-quality dark chocolate, eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. The cake batter is then baked in a round tin until it is perfectly cooked. Once the cake has cooled, it is then sliced in half, and a layer of apricot jam is spread over the bottom half. The top half of the cake is then placed back on top, and the entire cake is covered in a rich and decadent dark chocolate glaze. The glaze is made from a mixture of melted dark chocolate and butter, which is then poured over the cake, giving it a smooth and glossy finish.

Where can you find Sachertorte?

Sachertorte is a popular dessert that is available in many cafes and pastry shops around the world. However, the best place to try Sachertorte is in Vienna, Austria, where it originated. The original Sachertorte recipe is still used by the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, which was founded by Franz Sacher’s son in 1876. The hotel’s restaurant serves Sachertorte to this day, and it is considered to be one of the best places to try this iconic dessert. Additionally, many other pastry shops in Vienna also serve Sachertorte, and it is a must-try dessert for anyone visiting the city.

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Food

The Hazelnut: Supplier of Vitamin B and Nutrients With The Dark Side

We love the hazelnut. Roasted, ground, in nut mixes for nibbling, in cookies, tarts and cakes, as schnapps, liqueur, nougat chocolate or creamy chocolate spread. Without hazelnuts, the world of sweet temptations would be a lot poorer and more boring.

But not only that: the hazelnut – like many other types of nuts – seems to have positive effects on memory and cholesterol levels. Hazelnuts are said to help with weight loss and increase overall performance. Known and valued as a food since time immemorial, hazelnuts often play a role in fairy tales and stories.

A super nut that has always made people happy, smart and slim. And it grows wild and without extensive care on almost every corner of Europe. So off to the next hedge, harvested the hazelnuts there and found the ultimate addition to your own diet? Well, it’s not that simple after all.

A hazelnut tree is not a hazelnut bush

Hazelnut is hazelnut. The small dark brown seeds of the hazelnut bush from the hedge in the nearby forest are collected there, then roasted and processed. Perhaps there are still plantations where hazelnut hedges line up next to hazelnut hedges. But everything here in Central Europe, no long transport routes and controlled quality? Mistake!

Because the majority of the hazelnuts sold in the trade do not come from our native common hazel, Corylus avellana, but from the Lambert’s hazel (Corylus maxima). Both species are closely related, so the term “hazelnut” is a collective term for the fruits of both species.

But while the common hazel develops those shrubs that we associate with “hazelnut”, the Lambert’s hazel grows as a shrub – or as a hazelnut tree. Even if the two varieties are very similar, the Lambert hazel prefers a warmer, more Mediterranean climate. Consequently, almost 90 percent of our hazelnuts sold here come from either Turkey or Italy.

Our ancestors knew: The hazelnut is healthy

The hunters and gatherers of the Stone Age held hazelnuts in high esteem. The extremely high-fat and therefore high-calorie hazelnut was a coveted source of energy in the cold winter and up to spring if stored correctly. Originally probably native to the area of ​​today’s Turkey, the common hazel quickly spread across Central Europe – our ancestors probably brought the hazelnuts with them.

The Romans, Germans and Celts also considered nuts to be valuable food. Of course, nobody was concerned with the ingredients of hazelnuts at the time. But from observation and experience, it was already known back then that nut eaters are healthier and live longer. Scientific studies are now examining these effects, and they seem to confirm the experiences of our ancestors.

What’s in the hazelnut? The ingredients

When it comes to the ingredients of hazelnuts, the fat content comes first at 63 percent. The positive thing about this is that the majority (around 45 percent) are mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids. The associated energy value is negative: 100 g hazelnuts hit the hips with 650 kcal. The many calories have given hazelnuts the reputation of being fattening foods. That is only partially true – because they are also very filling and can lower the cholesterol level. In addition, the hazelnut is full of valuable nutrients. It is rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace elements such as zinc and copper. That is why nutritionists, including the DGE, even recommend frequent consumption of hazelnuts. Because of the calories but please only in moderation!

Roast hazelnuts – and everything is gone?

The brown nut kernels are usually available roasted, whether as whole hazelnuts, chopped or ground. Now the hazelnuts are heated when roasting in a pan or oven (industrial these are only much larger than at home) – and heat, as is well known, destroys the valuable ingredients in many foods. The same applies to processing in hazelnut cake, hazelnut ice cream or hazelnut liqueur if the hazelnuts are heated at least briefly. However, the hazelnut is an exception: its ingredients, especially the fatty acids, change only minimally when heated. The unsaturated fatty acids and minerals of the hazelnut are retained. However, this also applies to allergens. The allergens are only reduced when they are heavily processed, such as in nougat or hazelnut spreads.

Hazelnut cookies, hazelnut cake and other recipes with hazelnuts

Speaking of processing, let’s take a look at the sweet side of hazelnuts. As a versatile talent, we encounter it in almost all types of sweets. Cookies, nut cake, macaroons and many other baked goods based on hazelnuts make the hearts of those with a sweet tooth beat faster, especially around Christmas.

For those who prefer it spicy, chicken with hazelnuts would be a nice change on the plate. The hazelnut also cuts a fine figure with schnapps or vodka. And as hazelnut milk, the all-rounder is a tasty alternative to cow’s milk.

About the effects and undesirable effects of hazelnuts

What effects does the hazelnut have exactly? Observational studies have shown that regular consumption of nuts can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (such as heart attacks). The risk factors of such diseases are therefore primarily examined: cholesterol levels, blood lipids and blood sugar levels. While hazelnuts seem to have less of an impact on blood lipids and blood sugar, they lower cholesterol levels significantly. One of the secondary plant substances in hazelnuts also had a positive effect on the brain and memory in animal experiments. It is not yet clear why or how exactly the hazelnut works. Still, nuts are a worthwhile area of ​​research in the face of an aging society.

But what works also has side effects. In the case of hazelnuts, these are allergies. These can range from mild (tingling, nettle-like sensation in the mouth) to severe (shortness of breath). Interestingly, hazelnut allergy has different triggers in different groups of people. Children react differently than adults and North/West Europeans differently than Southern Europeans. Since there is no treatment yet, the only option for those allergic to hazelnuts is to avoid products containing hazelnuts. The good news: allergy sufferers with the mild form generally tolerate highly processed products such as hazelnut spreads quite well.

Monopolies and the downside of hazelnuts

The hazelnut is delicious, also and especially healthy for a vegan lifestyle, probably even prolongs life and supports healthy aging. So everything is great, isn’t it? A proverb says that where there is light, there is also shadow – this is certainly true of the hazelnut. Hazelnut bushes thrive best in moderately warm climates. The harvest in Central Europe is correspondingly small. In any case, far too little to satisfy our hunger for hazelnuts in a wide variety of preparation forms.

About 80 percent of the global hazelnut harvest comes from Turkey, around 15 percent from Italy. Concentrating on a single, leading growing area worldwide is accompanied by a variety of problems: Monocultures – in order to be able to meet demand, plant protection products and pesticides are always used. In addition, the harvest volume available worldwide (and thus the world market price) is heavily dependent on the weather in the main growing region. In 2014, for example, a single frosty night in Turkey caused a “hazelnut crisis”. Prices went up, and hazelnut chocolate, nougat and the like became more expensive for us. In order to save the remaining harvest, more fertilizer was used and sprayed.

From an ecological point of view, the quasi-monopoly on hazelnuts is not exactly sensible and sustainable. And that’s not even the hazelnut’s biggest problem.

Harvesting hazelnuts – the dark side of (market) power

The hazelnut harvest is manual work, still. The hazelnuts must be picked individually from bushes or trees. In Turkey, the protection of children and young people is not particularly strictly observed. And because there are not enough adult unskilled workers available to harvest the amount in the short period of time, children from the age of ten work in the Turkish hazelnut plantations. ZEIT has published an article on this subject that is well worth reading.

The fact is well known, including Ferrero, one of the largest confectionery manufacturers and hazelnut buyers. The group disapproves of child labor, but there are no active countermeasures. The German confectionery industry takes a clearer position through its federal association BDSI. By participating in projects to combat child labor and sustainable cultivation methods, the BDSI is at least taking concrete steps to make our sweets more sustainable. Also because that is a criterion for success on the European market.

No hazelnuts are also not a solution

Hazelnuts make up a majority of our favorite bakeries and sweets. But the majority of hazelnuts are produced under ecologically and socially questionable conditions. In terms of sustainability, we would therefore have to do without all products with hazelnuts, grated or roasted hazelnuts and all nut mixtures. At least until all manufacturers have switched to sustainable organic hazelnuts.

A life without hazelnut cream? Never again chocolate? An ugly scenario, we thought. So we started looking for alternatives. And indeed: they exist, the hazelnut from German, organic cultivation. In Bavaria, for example, a number of organic farms have joined forces to grow hazelnuts in plantations and market them together; the fruits are offered in various shops in Germany. However, you have to search specifically, read labels or ask questions to find the “good” hazelnuts. A competent contact is the Association of Bavarian Hazelnut Growers. You can also order regionally grown hazelnuts (shelled/shelled) and hazelnut-based products through his website (simply click on one of the product descriptions and then download the order form).

Of course, you should still avoid industrially processed products, you never know which hazelnuts have actually been processed. Simply make your own hazelnut-based chocolate, biscuits, cakes or Nutella alternative (see our instructions). It may be a bit more complicated, but it is also guaranteed to be organic, sustainable and without harmful additives. In any case, the chocolate tastes even better for us. And maybe the idea of ​​taking the hazelnuts from the nearest hedge, preferably in your own garden, is not so wrong?

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health

10 Ways to Remove Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Measures to remove dark circles under the eyes and get rid of them permanently. Find out everything about the causes and development of dark circles under the eyes. And how you can treat the unpleasant shadows under the eyes with home remedies.

Many sufferers suffer from the dark shadows and blue veins under their eyes. That is why home remedies and measures are in demand that can be used to remove dark circles under the eyes. We have collected all the remedies for dark circles for you, from cucumber slices and creams to CC treatments.

Home remedies for dark circles

If you can rule out a disease or genetically inherited dark circles under the eyes, you have various options for getting rid of the dark circles. The first thing you should do is make sure you are getting enough fluids in your body. Sufficient sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet are also factors that you should definitely pay attention to.

1) Get rid of dark circles under your eyes with ice cubes

Ice cubes are a popular home remedy for bags under the eyes and dark circles under the eyes. Because with them you can cool the area under the eyes. This promotes blood circulation in the skin area under the eyes. As a result, shadows under the eyes can be reduced.

2) Cucumber slices against dark shadows

Equally effective are cucumber slices. With this, you can treat stressed eyes and get rid of dark circles. However, for this method to be effective, the cucumber slices should be cold. This stimulates blood circulation in the eye area. So cut a cucumber into large pieces and place them on your closed eyes. If the cucumbers get too warm, you should change the cucumber slices. You can stop the treatment after up to 20 minutes.

3) Cold milk as a home remedy for dark circles

You can also put some milk in a small bowl, but for the milk to be effective, the temperature needs to be ice cold. Then moisten a cotton pad or clean washcloth with the milk. Then you can put these on your closed eyes. You should make sure that you replace the cotton pads with new ones as soon as they are too dry or warm. After 20 to 25 minutes you can wash your face. And cream the skin under the eyes with a moisturizing lotion. In order to effectively get rid of the dark circles under the eyes, this application should be repeated several times a week.

4) Light massage to get rid of dark circles

You can also remove your dark circles with light and extensive massage. Watch the video below and try it yourself.

5) Strawberries against shadows under the eyes

Along with cucumber slices, using strawberries also has a similar effect on under-eye circles and puffy eyes. The strawberry slices not only reduce the shadows but are also rich in vitamins and ingredients. Thus, they make the skin look fresher and younger. In order to be able to get rid of dark circles effectively, the methods and home remedies described should be combined with one another. So you can alternately treat your shadows under the eyes with cold milk and strawberry and cucumber slices.

6) Fight dark circles with potatoes

Another insider tip is to use it with potatoes. To do this, you have to peel the potatoes and then grate them with a grater. Then you can stuff the small pieces of potato into a thin cloth. And cover your closed eyes with it. Or cut the potatoes in half circles and put them under your eyes. As a result, dark circles under the eyes are reduced over time. In addition, the potato slices reduce swelling.

7) Remove dark circles with an egg white mask

One of our readers gave the tip to make an egg white mask for the eyes. All you have to do is beat the egg whites. Then apply to the eye area and leave on for about 15 minutes. Then wash it all off with lukewarm water. The positive effect of this method was already known to our grandmothers. Also, note our instructions for making face masks yourself.

8) Apply caffeine eye cream

Eye creams with caffeine are also helpful. Because caffeine improves blood circulation, which in turn means that the capillaries in the skin under the eyes do not narrow as easily. Thus, the dark color of the blood does not appear so quickly. Other substances that should be included in creams to effectively get rid of dark circles are peptides, glycerin, retinol (vitamin A), ceramides, Q-10, and urea.

9) Hyaluron treatment against dark circles

Treatment with the miracle cure hyaluronic acid to remove dark circles is in demand. It is often used for wrinkles. But what exactly is hyaluronic acid? Well, hyaluronic acid is an important component of connective tissue. It, therefore, occurs naturally in the body. It can be injected under the eyes with a syringe by trained doctors. It is intended to fill in a deepened eye trough and reduce shadows under the eyes.

So if you have a deepened eye groove, you can consider this method. In the case of dark and blue shadows caused by skin that is too thin, I can say from personal experience that this procedure is not very effective. You also have to keep in mind that there are always risks and side effects. However, there are many hyaluronic creams that you can try. Also, note our home remedies for dry eyes.

10) CC Eye Treatment for dark eyes

Another new method to get rid of dark circles is the so-called CC Eye Treatment. This method originally comes from Brazil. Specially mixed colors are tattooed under the eyes. Thus, it is like a permanent concealer. Again, this should only be done by professionals. Since risks and side effects are also possible here.

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Food

Wild Rice: Characteristics and Peculiarities of The Dark Rice Variety

Wild rice is also called “water rice” – and that is a first indication that it is not real rice. However, the sweet grass seeds, which are considered a delicacy, also have a downside. You can find out more here.

Wild rice: fruits instead of grains

Wild rice grains look like rice, they are cooked like rice, and the name suggests that they are a wild form of rice. But botanically, wild rice is not a “real” rice variety. In contrast to normal rice (Oryza genus), which is cultivated on fields and terraces, wild rice (Zizanie genus) grows on the banks of rivers, lakes and ponds. That is why it is also called “water rice”.

Wild rice is a genus of plants in the grass family. While rice plants produce cereal grains, with wild rice we eat the fruits of some sweet grasses, which can be prepared like conventional grain rice.

Demand from Europe is displacing tradition

Wild rice originally comes from North America and East China. Wild rice has played an important role in the diet of the Chippewa, a North American indigenous people, for thousands of years. They still harvest it in the traditional way: in late summer, canoes go into the shallow water where the wild rice grasses grow. The stalks are pulled into the boat with sticks and tapped lightly, causing the fruit to fall to the bottom of the canoe. If the stalks snap back again, more fruit will fall into the water. These ensure the existence of the grasses, because they provide the basis for the next harvest.

The paddy rice is now also exported to Europe, where it is marketed as a delicacy. Growing demand has led to higher-yielding hybrid varieties being grown extensively on aquatic plantations in North America. There are also efforts to achieve a higher crop yield with a wild rice variety where the fruit no longer falls out. These industrially bred varieties have little to do with the original wild rice. In addition, the traditional cultivation and harvesting methods of the Chippewa cannot keep up with these new methods, which is why the indigenous group has to fear a loss of income.

Taste and preparation of wild rice

Immediately after harvesting, wild rice still has a water content of 40 percent and the fruits are initially green-brown. They only get their typical dark color after they have been dried and roasted. The grains are then dehulled, i.e. freed from the outer shell. Wild rice is still whole grain rice because it is not husked or milled. Its dark appearance makes it visually easy to confuse with black rice, but the latter is a real rice variety.

In terms of taste, wild rice offers a smoky, nutty aroma that is significantly heartier than the relatively neutral taste of white rice.

Here are a few tips for preparation:
Wild rice swells a lot. To cook it, you need about three to four times the amount of liquid. Salt is added at the end.
Cooking time is up to 50 minutes, or until about half the seeds have popped open.
In mixtures with other types of rice, broken seeds are often used, reducing their cooking time to that of regular rice. It only takes about half an hour to prepare.

Nutritional values ​​of wild rice at a glance

The nutritional values ​​for 100 grams of wild rice are as follows:
Energy: 385 kcal
Egg white: 14.73 g
Fat: 1.08g
Carbohydrates: 74.90 g
A comparison with other types of rice shows that wild rice has slightly more calories than types of rice such as jasmine rice (350 kcal per 100 grams) or basmati rice (354 kcal per 100 grams), but also provides up to twice as much protein. Parboiled rice, for example, only has 7.3 grams of protein.

In addition, wild rice contains many antioxidants, as well as some minerals, including iron and phosphorus.

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Food

Healthy, But: the Dark Side of Nuts

Nuts are considered a healthy source of energy. However, cultivation, harvesting, processing and transport are often at the expense of people and the environment. We show where the problems lie – and what you can watch out for.

Good for the heart and circulation, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants: Nuts enjoy a very good nutritional reputation despite their high fat content. The Federal Center for Nutrition recommends a handful of nuts per day. In this article, you’ll learn which nuts should end up in your “handful a day” and which ones you should be careful with for environmental and social reasons.

Nuts: the crux with the indication of origin

You can usually assess the sustainability of food in a first step based on its label of origin. For example, anyone with a little common sense can figure out that strawberries from overseas sold in Germany in December don’t do too well in terms of life cycle assessment. And it is not too surprising that human rights violations may have been violated in the cultivation and harvesting of particularly cheap exotic fruits from the Global South.

Unfortunately, when it comes to nuts, it is often not clear where they come from, because German food law requires that the country of origin only has to be declared on the packaging for unpeeled almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts. Therefore: If you cannot find any information on the packaging about where the nuts come from, it is not entirely unlikely that you are supporting unsustainable and exploitative cultivation and processing structures with your purchase. On organic nuts, you can still tell from the country code under the organic seal where the nuts come from, or whether they come from the EU or not.

Organic nuts are better than conventional ones

When growing organic nuts, the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides and fertilizers is not permitted, which improves occupational safety and protects the environment. There are other important differences between organic and conventional nuts when it comes to processing: Since nuts are very susceptible to pests such as beetles or moths, they are usually “deveined” before storage. With organic nuts, this is done using pressure and carbon dioxide, while with conventional nuts, methyl bromide can be used, which is not only highly toxic but also damages the ozone layer. In addition, unlike conventional nuts, organic nuts must not be bleached with sulfur in order to obtain an even colour.

Almonds: popular nut with enormous water consumption

Whether as marzipan, almond butter, “almond milk” or a snack for in between: Only peanuts are more popular than almonds. In 2018, the global annual harvest was almost 1.3 million tons, and further increases in yield to around 1.7 million tons are expected for 2020/2021. Almond cultivation uses a lot of water: up to 15,000 liters are needed for one kilo.

In California in particular, where 80% of the world’s almonds come from, this is exacerbating the already critical water shortage. In addition, large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides are applied to the plantations, which are set up in monocultures. The same applies to Spain, the second most important almond producer after the USA. Although some organic farms improve the water storage capacity of the soil by increasing soil fertility, irrigation is also used in the organic sector.

In addition, in the USA, bee colonies are transported across the country to pollinate the almond orchards – and many of them do not survive. The bottom line is that the uncomfortable recommendation on the subject of almonds is unfortunately as follows: better avoid them – or at least reduce consumption very much.

The same applies to pistachios for the same reasons (water scarcity, pesticides and fertilizers), of which almost 40% of the world supply also comes from the USA and 30% from Iran.

Cashews: absurd transport routes and toxic shell oils

Cashew trees are much easier to care for than almonds: Since they also grow on nutrient-poor, degraded soils, are rather undemanding and form a very pronounced root system, they need significantly less water and can make an important contribution to protection against erosion. Originally from Brazil, cashews are now mainly grown in Africa and Asia.

However, almost all African cashews take an almost absurd detour before they end up in our shops. Because their processing – roasting, steaming, cracking, sorting and skinning – takes place almost exclusively in India and Vietnam, which significantly worsens their climate balance. The protection of the workers is particularly important during processing, as cashew shells contain a toxic oil that can cause severe chemical burns.

Therefore, when buying cashews, make sure that you have at least one fair trade certification, which prescribes health protection measures in cashew production. We recommend, for example, the cashews from Rapunzel – the company provides comprehensive information on its website about the many years of cooperation with its Indian “Hand in Hand” partner.

Peanuts: Apart from long transport routes, they are usually not a bad choice

More than half of the approximately 47 million tons of peanuts grown annually worldwide come from China (40%) and India (15%). Strictly speaking, however, the popular snack is not nuts, but pulses or legumes, which – just like peas or beans – are able to fix nitrogen from the air in the soil and thus increase soil fertility. This makes sense above all if plants that require nitrogen, such as cotton or corn, were previously grown in the fields and peanuts are used as part of a crop rotation.

Provided they are not additionally treated with chemical pesticides, as prescribed in organic cultivation, peanuts, which also require little water, are not a bad choice from an ecological point of view. Depending on the country of origin, however, you should choose fair trade goods.

Wild collection of Brazil nuts is hard work

Brazil nut trees grow wild in the rainforests of Brazil, Bolivia, Ivory Coast and Peru. They are not cultivated, so no pesticides or fertilizers are used in their cultivation. While wild collection has a positive impact on the environmental footprint of the nuts, it is all the more arduous for those who struggle with machetes through the dense jungle to collect the nuts, of which 12-24 are hidden in coconut-like shells . The purchase of Brazil nuts should therefore always be worth a fair trade premium – such as with the Brazil nuts from Fairfood.

Beware of Turkish hazelnuts

Over 70% of the world’s hazelnuts are grown in Turkey. In Europe, only Italy is a noteworthy cultivation country for the popular nuts, with 9% of the global amount. Hazelnuts require comparatively little water and are easy to grow. But: The Turkish hazelnuts come from more than 400,000 family-run hazelnut plantations along the Black Sea coast, where the manual harvest still involves children and underpaid seasonal workers under questionable working conditions.

In Italy, harvesting is done mechanically, but in many places the mostly chemical-intensive monocultures have once replaced the biodiverse cultural landscape. The organic seal is therefore particularly important for Italian hazelnuts, and for hazelnuts from Turkey you should use fair trade products, e.g. B. from the company Gepa, prefer. By the way: Hazelnuts also grow here in Germany.

Prefer European walnuts to overseas pecans

Walnuts rank third in global production volumes after almonds and peanuts. The pecan nuts, which are also becoming increasingly popular with us, belong to the same family, but come almost exclusively from the USA or Mexico, from where they travel long distances to Germany. Walnuts, on the other hand, have a slightly tart taste and are also grown on a large scale in the USA and China, but they also grow here in Germany and in our neighboring countries, especially in France. European walnuts are therefore always the better choice.

Conclusion

As with all foods, you should also pay attention to regional and organic quality when it comes to nuts. In organic cultivation, the use of toxic chemicals is avoided not only in agriculture but also in processing.
Hazelnuts and walnuts also grow here in Germany, even if the European quantities play little or no role on the world market. Ask your family and friends or look at websites like mundraub.org to see if and where nuts grow in your area that probably nobody else is harvesting.
If you don’t want to do without more exotic nuts, pay attention to the origin of the product as well as organic and fair trade seals – if recognizable – and invest a little more for fair cultivation and trading conditions, especially for nuts from emerging and developing countries.
You should largely eliminate almonds from your diet due to their very high water requirement, and you should only buy cashews from companies that guarantee the protection of workers in processing.

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Cooking Tips

Dark Roast: The Secret of the Dark Roast

Intense, with a tart-sweet note and extremely digestible – coffee from a dark roast, the so-called Dark Roast, is the favorite coffee of the Italians. And coffee lovers elsewhere also praise the aroma and tolerability of beans from this roasting process. But what exactly is the secret of Dark Roast? Mommy’s Caffè explains.

Dark Roast requires sensitivity from the coffee roaster

Outstanding coffee is characterized by one thing above all: its incomparable aroma. But that is no coincidence. In addition to the quality of the coffee bean, the way it is roasted is particularly important. Because it is a science in itself and the trademark of every passionate coffee roaster. In order to obtain a special taste and smell, roasting is about the ideal interplay of temperature and time.

A few seconds can decide the aroma and characteristics of the beans in the roaster. For the dark roast called Dark Roast, the coffee beans are heated for a particularly long time at a relatively high temperature. Special sensitivity is required here, because the beans should certainly develop a slightly smoky aroma. But of course you can’t burn them.

What happens when coffee beans are roasted?

When the coffee beans are heated, the water they contain is also heated.

It changes its physical state from liquid to gaseous.

This enlarges the bean.

Eventually the walls of the coffee bean will burst with a crack – similar to popcorn.

This is the first crack moment. Only then can the coffee be enjoyed. If the coffee roaster stops at this point, it is a so-called light roast.

For a medium or dark roast, the coffee roaster continues the roasting process.

Dark roasts usually remain in the coffee roaster until the second crack.

This is how dark roast coffee develops its typical character

Acids are broken down during roasting, i.e. the longer the bean is heated, the less acid it will contain in the end. Dark roasts are therefore particularly recommended for coffee lovers with a sensitive stomach. In dark roasting, the acids are replaced by bitter substances, which are responsible for the slightly tart taste of dark roasts.

In addition, the sugar in the coffee bean begins to caramelize during the roasting process. This gives dark roast coffee a sweet note, which – depending on the bean – is reminiscent of nuances of dark chocolate, hazelnut or caramel.

Apart from the taste: Have you ever noticed that beans from the dark roast process are not only particularly dark, but also very shiny? This is because the coffee bean releases oils through long, intense roasting. In addition, dark roasts contain less caffeine than medium or light roasts and can have positive health effects.

Degree of roast of coffee: From cinnamon roast to Italian roast

Dark roasts are particularly popular in southern Europe. Very dark roasts are therefore also called “Italian roasts”. The classification into degrees of roasting is common in the coffee industry, but it is handled differently. In German-speaking countries, the following gradations usually apply:

Light roast (cinnamon roast): high acidity, fruity, mild coffee taste

Medium Roast (American Roast): Balanced flavor

Strong roasting (Vienna roasting): strong roasted aroma

Dark roast (French roast): intense coffee taste

Very dark roast (Italian roast): strong body, slightly sweet, slightly bitter, low in acidity.

Grinding degree for a dark roast and more: tips for connoisseurs of the dark roast

In order to fully enjoy your Dark Roast coffee, make sure you use the correct degree of grinding for the dark roast. Rule of thumb: The darker the bean, the coarser you can set the grinding level. If you grind the dark roasted coffee beans too finely, too many bitter substances will be released. The result: a slightly burnt taste. Of course, the way you prepare your coffee is also crucial. Whether a portafilter, moka or French press can make a big difference here.

Once you have found the perfect degree of grinding, different coffee specialties can be conjured up from Dark Roasts. Of course, an espresso with an Italian roast is typical. Either pure or as the basis of a delicious flat white, cappuccino or latte macchiato. But dark roasts are also ideal for a strong filter coffee. Just try out which variant you like best!

 

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