Antica Sicilia Prickly Pear Chocolate IGP From Modica, 100g

Made in the Sicilian town of Modica, this Aztec-inspired chocolate is one of the world?s best-kept secrets. When the Spanish were ruling Sicily in the 16th Century, conquistadors went to Mexico and brought back cacao and the recipes needed for what the Aztecs called xoco?tl, a paste ground by a smooth round stone called a metate. Unlike the often over-sugared and creamy snack we know as chocolate, the original xoco?tl was bitter and used to enhance sauces for meat dishes, grated over salads or eaten on its own as a dietary supplement in Modica, generations of families have followed the same techniques, using metates crafted with lava stone from Mt Etna. Locals would mix the chocolate paste with sugar, ?cold working? it so that the sugar doesn?t get hot enough to melt; it gives the treat an unusual but deliciously crunchy texture. Then, they would incorporate flavours typically enjoyed on Sicily such as chili or pistachio.

as it is or to make chocolate-based recipes