5 reasons to choose Ritual Cacao this Christmas
December’s here and despite everything that’s happened this year and all the challenges we’ve faced, it’s still the season to connect with family and friends, give thanks for all the blessings in our life and of course, to indulge in lots of lovely chocolate!
But rather than reaching for big-brand chocolates this festive season which are often wrapped in environmentally-unfriendly packaging, loaded with milk and sugar, and may even have been made using child and slave labour (see our recent post on the ethics of the chocolate industry here), why not opt for some ethical and delicious raw cacao which does us good from the inside out?
Here are 5 reasons you can make a difference by choosing Ritual Cacao this Christmas…
Pure, raw, ceremonial-grade cacao – nothing added!
Our pure, raw, ceremonial-grade cacao is organic, wild-harvested and non-GMO. Unlike most mass-produced chocolates, our cacao has absolutely nothing added – no milk, no sugar, no artificial fats. And because it’s not roasted or heated at high temperatures, all the nutrients from the raw cacao bean remain intact, including the rich cocoa butter for that melt-in-your-mouth feeling! Try blending it into a warming winter brew or using it to make chocolates and truffles for your loved ones (see our simple recipe below!).
Environmentally-friendly packaging
At Ritual Cacao, we want to be as sustainable as possible and minimise our footprint on Mother Earth. We also believe that in today’s world, an ethical product is not just about what’s on the inside, but what’s on the outside too. That’s why we choose packaging that’s environmentally friendly, fully recyclable and perfectly preserves the flavour and quality of your raw cacao.
Single origin
Ritual Cacao comes direct from single sources in the Amazon. This means it’s made from one variety of cacao bean, harvested in one region: not a mix of beans from multiple regions and even countries, which sometimes happens with industrially-produced chocolate to mask quality issues such as mould. Similar to other products, like wine and coffee, cacao beans take on the characteristics of the region where they’re grown – this is known as the unique ‘terroir’ that gives specialist, single-origin products an individual flavour profile.
So if you’d like to sample raw cacao from two different regions of the Amazon, our new taster pack is for you! We think it also makes a beautiful ethical Christmas gift for any foodie connoisseur, who loves to dabble in chocolate.
Fair-Trade
We work only in Fair-Trade, meaning that there is no exploitation, slave or child labour in the cacao-growing communities of the Amazon that supply our cacao. We offer a fair price to the communities and help to protect their indigenous agricultural heritage, their ancient variety of cacao trees, and their dignity. Ritual Cacao is also proudly slave and child-labour free: and in 2020, we wonder why all chocolate companies can’t say the same?
Support a small, ethical business in the UK and beyond
The events of this year have been hard on everyone. By choosing Ritual Cacao, you are not only supporting a small, ethical business in the UK, but also helping Amazonian communities to retain sovereignty over their indigenous land, maintain their financial independence and protect their land from harmful and illegal practices such as logging and cocaine production.
The seemingly small choices we make as consumers this Christmas really can have a big ripple effect on the wider world around us. So before reaching for the Roses or Celebrations, why not get some Ritual Cacao and create your own ethical handmade chocolates? See our simple recipe below for inspiration!
Fancy making some indulgent handmade chocolates this Christmas? Treat yourself or someone special… Best made with love and intention, our easy recipe shows you how!
Ingredients
60g Ritual Cacao (grated)
60g raw cocoa butter or coconut oil
½ teaspoon of pure vanilla powder or extract
2 tablespoons of a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup
Method
Gently melt the cocoa butter or coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir through the grated cacao, vanilla and sweetener until the mixture has become smooth and silky. Add any optional flavourings and stir well before pouring the mixture into a chocolate mold or ice cube tray. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until the chocolates have chilled and solidified. Carefully turn the chocolates out of the trays: you are now ready to decorate, gift wrap or simply start indulging!
Optional
Add chopped nuts, goji berries or raw cacao nibs to the mixture to create texture and crunch
Make finished chocolates beautiful by rolling them in cacao powder, desiccated coconut or cinnamon: remember to use a little honey or oil to help it stick!
Rather than individual chocolates, make a bar or slab of chocolate by pouring your mixture into a wide, shallow tin. Before chilling, decorate the top with edible flowers or colourful berries and nuts for that festive Christmas feeling!