{"id":59,"date":"2020-07-14T15:13:34","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T15:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animacenter.org\/blog\/?p=59"},"modified":"2020-07-14T15:13:34","modified_gmt":"2020-07-14T15:13:34","slug":"acorn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animacenter.org\/blog\/acorn\/","title":{"rendered":"Acorn Recipes \u2013 by Loba"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Loba\u2019s Canyon Acorn Recipes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s amazing how fast it happens\u2013 how the acorns grow and ripen, and fall in the canyon every time the wind blows, raining down on us as we gather. We become like squirrels, or bears, or more like the primal humans we once were.  For once upon a time, our kind watched the trees carefully and made use of the season\u2019s gifts. Our hands moved instinctively, quickly through the fallen leaves, finding the choicest nuts, as they do now, at this special time of abundance. Harvesting and cooking with acorns makes me feel connected, in my body, and makes my spirit sing. It feels almost like sitting up around a fire, watching the stars move across the sky, breathing smoke. It\u2019s food for the deepest reaches of my soul. And that\u2019s even before getting to eat them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Harvesting and Processing Acorns:<\/strong>
Get to know your oak trees, and try the acorns from all the different species that you\u2019re able to harvest from, as some will be far sweeter than others. After you\u2019ve harvested your acorns, try roasting some in a 300 degree oven till the nut becomes light to medium brown and is still slightly soft, and taste.\u00a0 If they taste good, the nuts can be used just like regular nuts in any recipe if you use them right away. For longer storage, roast them a little longer, till they get hard and dark brown, and grind them to use in any recipe that has ground nuts. You can store ROASTED acorns in their shells for a long period of time if you put them in plastic jugs with a bunch of holes poked into the top of the containers. This will keep them from getting moldy.\u00a0 If they taste unpleasantly astringent or bitter, boil them for two hours, \u201cchanging the water every time it becomes tea-colored\u201d (from Euell Gibbons\u2019 Stalking the Wild Asparagus). If you decide to boil them, roast them AFTER they\u2019re boiled, then grind.\u00a0 The traditional way to \u201cleach\u201d acorns (processing out the astringency) was to put them in a cloth sack in a river and leave them there for a day or so with a weight on the sack.\u00a0 So if you have a river handy, you might want to try that! To grind them into meal, use a coffee or a grain grinder, or a metate! I haven\u2019t tried a food processor, that might work too.
I like to use acorns in any bread recipe where its flavor will stand out. It works very well with cornmeal, in cornbread or tortillas. I love to mix it with wheat, barley, or spelt flour in breads and muffins, cakes and cookies. I also like to put it in stews and soups, like onion soup, and in any creamy chowder. But I have to confess, at least a third of our yearly acorn supply goes to making chocolatey acorn things! We chop up fresh roasted (still half-way soft) acorns and roll fudge brownies in them, we put them in homemade chocolate truffles, and we make this heavenly little cake, most of all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chocolate Acorn Cake<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 cup mashed bananas, or applesauce
2 eggs
1\/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1\/3 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1\/3 cup acorn meal
1\/3 cup dutch process cocoa
1\/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1\/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combine all the wet ingredients with a whisk or a fork. Sift together all the dry ingredients except the acorn meal. Stir everything together, them add the acorn meal and stir. Pour into a greased 8\u201d cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. Start checking it at about 20 minutes to see how it\u2019s doing. Remove from the oven when the middle of the cake has just begun to firm up, but is a little less than solid. Try not to overcook it. If you do, douse it with a little Kahlua, or top it with the following ganache, and all will be well.

Acorn Ganache<\/strong>
This is so fantastic, with the preceeding cake, or on any regular chocolate cake or banana cake. It\u2019s also very delicious on its own, or served with fresh pears, coconut, or baked apples, fresh dates, or what have you. Feel free to play with it and make your own variations!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 tablespoons acorn meal
3-4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons pure cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1\/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3\/4 cup water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stir all ingredients together in a small pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until well thickened. Be careful not to burn it! Enjoy!
You can share these recipes with friends, by clicking on the button below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love, Loba<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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