Ghana

Ghana is a country in West Africa. Although relatively small in area and population, the country is a leader in Africa – both because of its natural resources and because it is the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve its independence from colonial rule.

Apart from its dense forests, miles of beaches and rich wildlife, Ghana is also known for its millennial history. According to finds found on its territory, there was life as far back as 10 thousand years BC. In the 15th century, direct access to the sea made it a good trading partner of European countries such as the Netherlands, England, Portugal and others. Many fortifications and castles still rise along its coast. They were built by Europeans to protect their commercial interests in antiquity.

Due to the many gold deposits, the British colony received its name Gold Coast. Later in the 17th century, the slave trade displaced the gold trade from the first place. To reach the 19th century, when the cocoa trade became the leader. And so to this day, when Ghana and neighboring Côte d’Ivoire produce about 60% of the world’s cocoa. Estimates show that only 6% of the price of chocolate falls on producers, and although the international market is estimated at about $ 100 billion a year, a family of farmers in Ghana earns only 2 euros a day. This year, the two largest manufacturers countries cocoa bean have set up an OPEC-like organization for cocoa, which aims to set a fairer price for the raw material. The price set for next year is 10% higher than the current one.

In the past, even before the arrival of the first Europeans in Ghana, ancient trade routes passed through the country. Due to its trade and geographical location, many crops and products from other countries, such as salt, tobacco and honey, have been imported into Ghana. Most foods in the West African country contain mostly rice, fish, meat and mushrooms. Snail dishes are also popular. Most Ghanaian dishes are usually prepared as a stew or soup. The most popular in the local cuisine are peanut soup and palm nut soup, as well as okra soup. Okra is also present in most stews. Among the main dishes are kokonte, prepared from dried cassava, ground to a powder, stew with rice and waake, representing rice with beans. In Ghana, kebab is a popular dish that locals call chichinga. Kontonmire is prepared from the leaves of the taro plant (tarragon). It is consumed with various foods such as snails, crabs, beef or fish, and is sometimes cooked with pumpkin seeds and palm oil. A popular garnish in Ghana is kelewele. These are small fried breads flavored with various spices. Kelewele is often sold by street vendors, who offer snacks in a variety of forms, and sometimes with peanuts. Sometimes kelewele is used as a dessert or breakfast, as it may include chocolate.

The food in Ghana is quite interesting as it uses many exotic ingredients as well as a wide variety of flavors, aromas and textures. The most commonly used herbs are thyme and bay leaf. In addition, wild mushrooms, garlic, smoked meats and fish, crabs, shrimps and octopuses are regularly present in the local cuisine. As Ghana is one of the largest producers of cocoa in the world, Ghanaians often eat chocolate after meals. Chicken is most often prepared for Christmas, while mutton is present on the table only on special occasions. Traditionally, Sunday is the day when richer Ghanaians go out to eat. This custom is especially characteristic of people from coastal areas.

As you know, Africa is quite difficult when it comes to cake recipes, not to mention that it is almost impossible to find anything. This time I decided to dodge and offer a British pastry because of the times when Ghana was a British colony. 😉 And not just any cake, but one with a tangible cocoa. So I settled on the idea of making English fuch. Here are the necessary products:

125 grams of butter

5 tablespoons cocoa

1 1/2 tea cups sugar

1 1/2 tea cups fresh milk

1 1/2 tea cups flour

3 eggs

1 baking powder

vanilla

1 tea cup walnuts

Steps of preparation:

Melt the butter together with the cocoa and sugar.

Then add the milk. Cook until the mixture simmers.

Remove from the heat and separate 20 tablespoons from it. This will be the mixture for the glaze. Leave it warm so that the oil does not harden.

When the main amount of butter mixture cools down, beat the eggs and add them, then add the flour, baking powder and chopped walnuts. Stir until everything is mixed without overdoing it.

Grease a pan with butter and sprinkle with flour. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. The power went out for me for about five minutes and I decided that everything would go to hell, but there wasn’t a problem.

Remove from the oven when the cake is baked and allow it to cool slightly. Then pour the glaze.

The cake is very easy to make. It has a clean cocoa taste and is a great addition to afternoon coffee with neighbors or friends. Preparing it for me is like an overture before the big Christmas cooking and cake making. 🙂 I love this holiday. It is the most cozy and warm for me. I like to give love and care to everyone around me, to everyone I live and work with, through the food I prepare. The smell of cinnamon, cloves and ginger, the warmth of the oven and my millions of decorating ideas make me very happy.