According to Katherine Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic nutritionist, "chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease."
She says that cocoa beans used to produce chocolate contain high levels of flavanols which have been shown to reduce cell damage associated with heart disease, as well as lower blood pressure. She recommends that you choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate.
More specifically, buy chocolate that is at least 65 percent cacao.
Make this easy gooey recipe and have your loved ones eating out of your hands this Valentine’s Day!
Ingredients:
• 1 – 14oz box pie crust
• 4 oz bar - 60 to 70 percent Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
• 42 pieces mini-marshmallows
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water
• Raw sugar (we used a red one)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. To make your egg wash, whisk egg and water. Set aside.
3. On a floured surface, roll out pie crusts.
4. Using a 4-inch wide heart-shaped cookie cutter, make as many pairs of hearts as possible.
5. Place chocolate in the center of each heart and top with 6 marshmallows each.
6. Brush edges with egg wash.
7. Top with second heart and press edges with fingertips. Transfer heart pillows to parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.
8. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for about 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown.
9. After a minute or so, transfer to a cooling rack.
10. Serve warm.
Note: Marshmallows may burst through crust but the heart will keep its shape.
Makes 7 pillows
Elizabeth Carrion, a Dominican, co-founded Mi Cocina, a New Jersey-based catering service that also offers cooking classes, with her sister, Ana Martinez.
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