Before I begin this AMAZING blog. You MUST drool over these pics:
WOW! Way better than a Cadbury’s Crunchie eh?
Introducing to the Raw Food Scotland blog the amazing and sooo utterly devinely creative Amy Levin of Ooosha Raw Culinary Artistry specialising in Raw Chocolates and Patisserie.
1. How and when did you discover raw foods?
I studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC and each weekend they had guest speakers. One weekend David Wolfe spoke and the entire audience, about 1200 people, were spellbound! He was such an inspiring speaker that we all went out and bought maca, cacao nibs and spirulina after the class!
Once I finished my time at IIN I came back to the UK with the intention of finding a place to work which was raw food related in some way. I was flicking through the Friday adverts and saw “raw food chef required”. I couldn’t believe it, this was the only raw food cafe in Brighton at the time, the Food Clinic. I taught myself all about raw food preparation while working at the food clinic through books like “Juliano” and “The Complete book of Raw Food” – these were my hand books for a while until I learned how raw ingredients worked and responded to various types of treatments.
When the Food Clinic closed, I started working for Kate Wood at Raw Living making food for her and her family. I could hear the whizz of the blenders from the kitchen where I worked and wondered what it was like to make raw chocolate. Soon enough I was in there with the “pros” learning all these amazing new techniques. I then went on to work for Linus Gorpe at the Raw Chocolate Company and this is where everything really started for me with regards to raw chocolate.
He took the scientific view of chocolate on board and worked from this place, which was brand new to me! I loved it, but didn’t realize how much until I started working with chocolates on my own as senior sous chef at Saf London & Germany. Chad Sarno pushed me in ways I didn’t know I could be pushed and helped me to explore raw culinary boundaries to no end! It was during my time at Saf that I grew most as a chef and grew into being a chocolatier.
Raw chocolate is the last thing I would have ever thought I’d specialize in as a chef!
2. What were some of the benefits you discovered for yourself?
It’s been a real journey for me with raw foods. When I first started I went 100% raw and thought that was the only way (100% or nothing) and over time I found that 100% just doesn’t work for me, but 80% -95% does, so that is what I stick with except during the summer when I am 100%.
Eating more raw foods have taught me to listen to my body on the deepest level and have acute awareness of what I feel in relation to the foods I eat.
3. What’s the difference between the chocolates you make and the ones you can buy in the shop?
The main difference is that I temper my chocolate, but so does the raw chocolate company. Also, I have the benefit of being a chef under my belt so I come up with all kinds of different textures and aromas in chocolates that others just may not think of or know how to create. I teach more about these techniques in my raw chocolate classes.
4. What inspired you to start teaching raw chocolate classes?
I taught a bit while I was at Saf and people loved it and then when I moved out into the country I had a few avenues in front of me business wise, which I could choose. Someone asked me if I would teach them advanced chocolate making techniques and I said “sure, let’s see if we can find more interest” and it just went from there!
5. What do you say to people that look at your chocolates and think, Wow, I could never do that…?
You absolutely can! My classes teach the fundamentals right through to advanced techniques all in one class. It is designed for all levels from beginners to professionals. In fact, professional chefs have attended my course.
6. What’s your favourite chocolate and why?
D.C Duby. They are based out of Canada and they are so intelligent in the way that they create chocolates with textures, aromas and flavours that you might have never thought to combine.
7. Where do you get your inspiration for your chocolate creations?
I always tell the students who attend my classes, only create new recipes when you’re in a really good space. One can never know when they are going to be in that creative, flowing, happy space, but when you are, milk it for all you can! Usually, I let an idea marinade in my brain and consciousness for a few weeks before actually taking actions to making it come to life – this gives time for you to completely plan the details, ingredients, methods, etc… then when you come to actually make it, you’ve basically done it 10 times already in your mind, now you’re just doing it for real. Make sense? This is just my way; find your own way of creating and have a blast doing it!
8. What exciting things are in the pipeline for you that I can share?
At the moment I am planning a USA east and west coast tour in the Autumn which is very exciting for me, as my family and friends live there. Also, I am in the process of writing a complete chocolate book and putting together a video of the class for people who are not able to attend. I will be launching advanced pastry classes in the coming year too, so keep an eye out for those!
*******************************
Amy has very kindly shared a recipefor Raw Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting – YUMMY!
Red Velvet Cake (makes approx 30 mini cupcakes)
Dry ingredients
- 300g almond flour
- 85g lacuma
- 50g cacao powder
Wet ingredients
- 4 tsp nama shoyu
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 170g agave or maple
- 100g beetroot juice
Method:
Mix all dry ingredients in a food processor then pulse in the wet ingredients, just to combine – if you over mix it, the cake can become very dense.
Line a muffin tin with either cupcake papers or cling film and press the cake “batter” into the mould. Don’t press the mix too firmly, you want it to be just compact enough to hold shape, but to be light and a little crumbly when you take a bite. Place cakes to one side, or in the fridge, whist you make the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
There are 2 parts to making this frosting, which could make it seem difficult, but it’s so easy and worth the extra step!
Cashew Cheese:
- 225g cashews, soaked and rinsed
- 100g water
- 1 tbsp probiotics
Method:
Blend all ingredients on high speed in the vita mix until completely smooth, scrape the jug down half way through to be sure you have no chunks remaining. Scoop this mixture out into a medium mixing bowl and cover the bowl (not touching the cheese) with a cold wet kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm place in your kitchen overnight – on top of the dehydrator works great! When you come to use the cheese, it will be slightly sour smelling and fluffy with air bubbles – this means it has fermented and is ready to use.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- All the Cashew Cheese
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 50g agave
- 175g xylitol – powdered in the vita mix
- 1 vanilla pod, scraped – save the pod for making vanilla milk or infusing syrups
- Pinch of salt
- 100g coconut oil – melted
Method:
Combine all ingredients except the coconut oil in a food processor until smooth, add oil and process to combine. Transfer this mix to a pastry bag and pipe onto your cupcakes, alternatively, just spread some frosting on
using a spoon.
If you’d like to learn raw chocolate making with Amy check out her forthcoming classes on her website
i studied at the institute for integrative nutrition in NYC and each weekend they had guest speakers. one weekend david wolfe spoke and the entire audience, about 1200 people, were spellbound! he was such an inspiring speaker that we all went out and bought maca, cacao nibs and spirulina after the class! once i finished my time at IIN i came back to the UK with the intention of finding a place to work which was raw food related in some way. i was flicking through the friday ads and saw “raw food chef required” i couldn’t believe it, this was the only raw food cafe in brighton at the time, the food clinic. i taught myself all about raw food preparation while working at the food clinic through books like “juliano” and “the complete book of raw food” – these were my hand books for a while until i learned how raw ingredients worked and responded to various types of treatments.
when the food clinic closed, i started working for kate wood at raw living making food for her and her family. i could hear the wizz of the blenders from the kitchen where i worked and wondered what it was like to make raw chocolate. soon enough i was in there with the “pros” learning all these amazing new techniques. i then went on to work for linus gorpe at the raw chocolate company and this is where everything really started for me with regards to raw chocolate. he took the scientific view of chocolate on board and worked from this place, which was brand new to me! i loved it, but didn’t realize how much until i started working with chocolates on my own as senior sous chef at saf london & germany. chad sarno pushed me in ways i didn’t know i could be pushed and helped me to explore raw culinary boundaries to no end! it was during my time at saf that i grew most as a chef and grew into being a chocolatier. Raw chocolate is the last thing i would have ever thought i’d specialize in as a chef.
What were some of the benefits you discovered for yourself?
It’s been a real journey for me with raw foods. When I first started I went 100% raw and thought that was the only way (100% or nothing) and over time I found that 100% just doesn’t work for me, but 80% -95% does, so that is what I stick with except during the summer when I am 100%. Eating more raw foods have taught me to listen to my body on the deepest level and have acute awareness of what I feel in relation to the foods I eat.
How did you get in to making raw chocolate? Answered that above. 🙂
What’s the difference between the chocolates you make and the ones you can buy in the shop?
The main difference is that I temper my chocolate, but so does the raw chocolate company. Also, I have the benefit of being a chef under my belt so I come up with all kinds of different textures and aromas in chocolates that others just may not think of or know how to create. You can learn more about these in my classes.
What are the benefits of eating raw chocolate as opposed to conventional chocolates?
I’d rather not answer this, if you don’t mind. There is so much info out there on the difference between cooked and raw that I think that has been answered many times over.
6. What inspired you to start teaching raw chocolate classes?
I taught a bit while I was at Saf and people loved it and then when I moved out into the country I had a few avenues in front of me business wise, which I could choose. Someone asked me if I would teach them advanced chocolate making techniques and I said “sure, let’s see if we can find more interest” and it just went from there!
7. What do you say to people that look at your chocolates and think “Wow, I could never do that”?
You absolutely can! My classes teach the fundamentals right through to advanced techniques all in one class. It is designed for all levels from beginners to professionals. In fact, professional chefs have attended my course.
8. What’s your favourite chocolate and why?
D.C Duby. They are based out of Canada and they are so intelligent in the way that they create chocolates with textures, aromas and flavours that you might have never thought to combine.
9. What exciting things are in the pipeline for you that I can share?
At the moment I am planning a USA east and west coast tour in the Autumn which is very exciting for me, as my family and friends live there. Also, I am in the process of writing a complete chocolate book and putting together a video of the class for people who are not able to attend. I will be launching advanced pastry classes in the coming year too, so keep an eye out for those.
Could I perhaps have a cheeky wee recipe too from your blog to throw in at the end of the interview? 🙂
This is a nice one.
Raw vegan red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
I always tell the students who attend my classes, only create new recipes when you’re in a really good space and this recipe is a prime example of that golden rule. One can never know when they are going to be in that creative, flowing, happy space, but when you are, milk it for all you can! Usually, i let an idea marinade in my brain and consciousness for a few weeks before actually taking actions to making it come to life – this gives time for you to completely plan the details, ingredients, methods, etc… then when you come to actually make it, you’ve basically done it 10 times already in your mind, now you’re just doing it for real. Make sense? This is just my way; find your own way of creating and have a blast doing it!
Do you know where the names “Devil’s food cake” and “Red velvet cake”
originated? Some people think it was called Devil’s Food Cake, because it’s
so naughty, but that’s not the case. Traditional devil’s food cake and red
velvet cake are made using a form of acid, whether it be vinegar or lemon
juice, and this acid, when mixed with cocoa powder, turns a red colour –
hence the names.
Red Velvet Cake:
makes approx 30 mini cupcakes
Dry ingredients
300g almond flour
85g lacuma
50g cacao powder
Wet ingredients
4 tsp nama shoyu
4 tsp lemon juice
170g agave or maple
100g beetroot juice
Method
Mix all dry ingredients in a food processor then pulse in the wet
ingredients, just to combine – if you over mix it, the cake can become very
dense. Line a muffin tin with either cupcake papers or cling film and press
the cake “batter” into the mould. Don’t press the mix too firmly, you want
it to be just compact enough to hold shape, but to be light and a little
crumbly when you take a bite. Place cakes to one side, or in the fridge,
whist you make the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
There are 2 parts to making this frosting, which could make it seem
difficult, but it’s so easy and worth the extra step
Cashew Cheese:
225g cashews, soaked and rinsed
100g water
1 tbsp probiotics
Method:
Blend all ingredients on high speed in the vita mix until completely smooth,
scrape the jug down half way through to be sure you have no chunks
remaining. Scoop this mixture out into a medium mixing bowl and cover the
bowl (not touching the cheese) with a cold wet kitchen towel. Set the bowl
in a warm place in your kitchen overnight – on top of the dehydrator works
great! When you come to use the cheese, it will be slightly sour smelling
and fluffy with air bubbles – this means it has fermented and is ready to
use.
Cream Cheese Frosting
All the Cashew Cheese
2 tsp lemon juice
50g agave
175g xylotol – powdered in the vita mix
1 vanilla pod, scraped – save the pod for making vanilla milk or infusing
syrups
Pinch of salt
100g coconut oil – melted
Method
Combine all ingredients except the coconut oil in a food processor until
smooth, add oil and process to combine. Transfer this mix to a pastry bag
and pipe onto your cupcakes, alternatively, just spread some frosting on
using a spoon.
Variation
To make a swirl of pink and white frosting –
Remove 1/4 of the frosting and place into a small bowl, add 1 tsp of
beetroot juice and 1tsp more coconut oil and whisk to combine. Using a
pastry bag with the tip of your choice, hold the bag in your hand with the
tip facing downwards, fold the bag over your hand and spoon a little white
and then right next to it a little red and continue this until you have
enough to start piping. Begin piping by testing a little on greaseproof
paper to be sure it’s coming out nicely and looks how you want it to. Then
get to frosting all your lovely cupcakes!
Aw Emma!! I’ve got drool all over my keyboard now :p
I KNOW! I need some chocolate now 🙂 x
Oh my…
These are so beautiful!
Really enjoyed reading the interview, too (:
x