On Feb. 23 the Hawaii Chocolate Festival will showcase chocolate made exclusively from Hawaii-grown cacao.

The state’s semitropical climate makes it a good place for growing this crop, and Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. to do so.

This week, see recipes from Hawaii’s bean-to-bar chocolatiers, the award-winning Madre Chocolate, Lono­hana Hawaiian Estate Chocolate and Manoa Chocolate Hawaii.

HAWAIIAN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ

Courtesy Lonohana Hawaiian Estate Chocolate

Butter and sugar for coating baking pan

1 cup milk

1 ounce dark chocolate (about 70 percent), chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease 7-inch baking pan with butter; sprinkle sugar evenly over butter.

In saucepan, melt chocolate into milk, stirring frequently and making sure milk does not boil. In separate saucepan, melt butter, then stir in flour until well blended.

Combine chocolate and flour mixtures; whisk until smooth; add and dissolve sugar. In separate bowl, beat egg yolks until light in color. Beat part of sauce into yolks, then add that back into saucepan; stir lightly so yolks thicken slightly. Remove from heat and cool well; stir in vanilla.

In another bowl, whip egg whites and salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold lightly into chocolate mixture. Place in baking dish. Set dish in water bath; bake 30 minutes or until firm. Serve immediately with whipped cream or chocolate, lilikoi or strawberry sauce. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 250 calories, 14 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 28 g sugar, 3 g protein

AZTEC HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CHIPOTLE CHILIES

Courtesy Madre Chocolate

1-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon annatto, achiote or lipstick tree seed or powder (find at Mexican or Filipino markets, optional)

1 tablespoon grated or chopped locally grown semisweet (65-80 percent) chocolate

1/8 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon chipotle chilies, chopped (optional) (available at Mexican markets)

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon

1/2 vanilla bean, chopped

In medium saucepan over high heat, put annatto in water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil 3 minutes to draw color from annatto. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Return to boil and cook another 3-5 minutes until cocoa powder and chocolate are fully dissolved.

Strain through fine sieve. Beat liquid into a foam with whisk or blender. Serves 1.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 420 calories, 8 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 20 mg sodium, 99 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 79 g sugar, 4 g protein

CACAO CRUSTED OPAH

Courtesy Manoa Chocolate Hawaii

2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil

2 filets (4-6 ounces each) opah

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/8 cup raw or roasted cacao nibs, crushed (available at health food stores and some farmers markets)

1/8 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In pan, heat oil and sear fish about 2 minutes on each side. In bowl, mix butter, panko, cacao nibs, macadamia nuts, flour, salt and pepper. Spread on fish. Bake until brown, about 6-7 minutes. Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 720 calories, 50 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 115 mg cholesterol, greater than 300 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 41 g protein

———
More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at www.heco.com.