Why we all fall for ¡chocolate!

As with most sweets, I never really loved chocolate as a child. I never craved it and never even thought much about it until I got older and discovered the intricacies of true, pure, unadulterated dark chocolate. What is about chocolate that drives us so crazy?

For starters, when we consume chocolate we release pain-reducing endorphins. It also contains anandamide - the active neurotransmitter in cannabis-related plants – which plays a role in the regulation of feeding behavior and the neural generation of motivation and pleasure. It is safe to say that chocolate is as much of a social drug as coffee. We can’t live with it, we can’t live without it.

Perhaps that’s the reason why chocolate is so closely associated with love and romance and has become the ingredient of choice to express these emotions to the people we hold in such esteem. Consuming chocolate, after all, is a very similar chemical experience to being in love. It is of no surprise that February would come to be celebrated as the international month of chocolate.

But how can you celebrate this month when you’re as inept at baking as I am?

As it turns out, you can whip up a fast, delicious, and quick dessert that will impress your significant other or any special person in your life without having to burn the house down (or do any math). The good things about this recipe is that you can make it for any occasion and still impress everyone, add a touch of red raspberries for good measure and you have the most romantic gift you can prepare for anyone during this special month.

       
EASY CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PIE
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups dark chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 pie pan with pie precooked
1 lb of red berries
1 pack blackberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
½ a cup of raspberry or strawberry jam

In a pot we bring the cream to a boil and mix in the butter and chocolate until everything melts into a homogeneous mixture. Remove from heat.

Then take the cake base and place the berries in the bottom. Pour the chocolate ganache we made at the beginning and cover all the berries.

Refrigerate for two hours, it is important that you use when you dip your knife in hot water before cutting. In a small saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Mix in the jam and let it cool. 

Use the leftover chocolate ganache and jam syrup to make drizzle designs on top of your pie.