The Amazing Eastern Black Walnut: Why This Bold, Native Nut Earned a Place in Our Chocolate
Why we added black walnuts to our clean, dark chocolate
When we first bought our property, we noticed several black walnut trees.
A lot of people see black walnut trees as messy. They drop hard shells. Broken hulls stain your skin when you handle them. And, trying to get to the nut meat is like breaking into Fort Knox.
Any squirrel that makes it to the prize absolutely deserves it!
The squirrels know a secret: like so many difficult things in life, black walnuts are SO worth it.
Years ago, we harvested some black walnuts to make our own walnut hull extract. After float-testing the nuts, Luke saved and dried the ones that didn't sink. They hung patiently in a netted bag for quite a while until, a few months ago, while brainstorming ingredients for our second variety of Leaflets, Luke decided to crack them open so we could taste them.
The flavor explosion immediately made up our minds. We knew black walnuts belonged in our next batch of Leaflets.
What are black walnuts?
Black walnuts are the nuts of the Eastern American Black Walnut tree (Juglans nigra), a species native to much of the central and eastern United States, including Pennsylvania. For those of us who value local foods and native plants, that's part of what makes black walnuts so special. They've been growing in our forests and landscapes for centuries.
Aside from being prized for their stunningly beautiful contrasting hardwood, black walnuts are also known for producing a natural compound called juglone. Juglone helps the tree compete by inhibiting the growth of some nearby plants. While some species struggle around black walnut trees, many native plants do well. The nut meat contains only trace amounts of juglone and has been enjoyed (safely) by people for generations.
Another notable characteristic of black walnuts is their high concentration of tannins, naturally occurring compounds that add to their bold flavor and slightly astringent character. Tannins are common in foods such as tea, grapes, and dark chocolate, and they are often studied for their antioxidant properties.
Hands down, the most impressive thing about black walnuts is their flavor, and we'll get to that next!
What do black walnuts taste like?
Black walnuts are different from the lighter, milder walnuts most people are used to buying at the grocery store in the baking section.
Multi-layered is about the only word I can think of to describe the flavor. It starts one way, then finishes as something completely different.
Black walnuts have a much stronger flavor, a darker, more intense character, and a bit of a phenolic ending that lets you know there's something special about these nuts.
They aren't the kind of nut that disappears into the background.
Black walnuts stand out.
That boldness is exactly what makes them interesting in food—and it's exactly why we chose them for our Batch No. 3 recipe.
Although we've got quite a few black walnut trees on our property, harvesting and processing the nut meat is not our business. So, we found another family business and ordered some samples to see if their black walnuts tasted as amazing as ours. We were very pleasantly surprised!
They bring an intensity that's on par with our dark chocolate. Talk about synergy! The chocolate and black walnuts together create something in the flavor that's bigger than either ingredient alone—just like the famous "flavor fireworks" scene from Ratatouille.
The health benefits of black walnuts
Many people are interested in black walnuts because nuts (in general) are often associated with healthy fats and nutrient-density.
There are also people interested in black walnuts because of the astringent properties in the husks and other parts of the tree.
We aren't making any health claims about our chocolate or about black walnuts. Below is just info we're sharing from sources that talk about black walnuts so you can learn more and draw your own conclusions.
According to WebMD:
"If you have a nut allergy, you should avoid black walnuts. The tannins in black walnuts could interfere with anticoagulants or medication for stomach disorders".
If the above concerns don't raise any red flags for you, the article goes on to list these benefits:
- Cardiovascular health
- Disease prevention
- Cholesterol reduction
- Obesity prevention
- Better gut bacteria
- Lower blood sugar
Hammons Black Walnuts
For even more general info, check out Hammons Black Walnuts' site here, they're a great purveyor of black walnuts and have links to a Black Walnut Nutritional Profile and the University of Nebraska Nutritional Study.
How to Enjoy Black Walnuts
Did you watch the YouTube clip above? If not, you need to!
Our Batch No. 3 Dark Chocolate Leaflets with Black Walnuts produce a very similar flavor experience! Not so much with cheese and strawberries, but absolutely when it comes to a really unique and amazing flavor sensation.
If you're looking for a chocolate experience that's a smooth, deep, intense burst of satisfying flavor, Batch No. 3 was made for you.
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