Today is Halloween in the US, and I’m baking with activated charcoal. Anyone else a fan? 🙂
While working on my latest bakes, I realized that I showcased dishes with activated charcoal on this blog on numerous occasions over the years (here and here , for example), but I never actually wrote a detailed article about activated charcoal per se. This overview prompted by Halloween baking intends to provide information as well as some delicious inspiration, as we all gear up for the holiday season 🙂
Activated charcoal “is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen at very high temperatures to make it more porous. This treatment changes its internal structure, reducing the size of its pores and increasing its surface area. The resulting fine black powder is either sold as is or encapsulated as supplements. Activated charcoal is also added to various food and nonfood products, from ice cream to toothpaste” (Alina Petre, “What Is Activated Charcoal? Benefits and Uses”)
I remember my mom giving me activated charcoal when I experienced upset stomach as a child. The coarse powder made a clinking sound as it went down my throat, and I didn’t like that 😂Nowadays, activated charcoal comes in a much smoother powder format, and recent studies confirm the positive effects of activated charcoal in certain applications, such as treatment of poisoning, diarrhea and flatulence, as well as in water filtration (healthline.com) As Petre adds further, caution is required since “more research is needed for almost all applications.”
Indeed, activated charcoal has been used as an emergency anti-poison treatment for many years, and a recent study conducted by NCBI (part of NIH) scientists confirms its efficacy in certain (not all) cases of poisoning. Why is this the case? As Petre explains, “It can bind to a wide variety of drugs, reducing their effects. This substance may be used to treat overdoses from both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.” Please exercise caution if taking activated charcoal, and talk to your healthcare provider before proceeding, in the first place, especially if taking medication whose efficacy might be reduced by activated charcoal. Moreover, I would never recommend making activated charcoal at home – the amount of dubious information out there is staggering!
I like to add 1-2 tsp (depending on the quantity of flour) of activated charcoal powder to my baked goods this time of year. Here’s the boule I made with activated charcoal for a recent Instagram challenge…
… and here is the subsequent open-faced sandwich with cream cheese spread and the last veggies, herbs and edible flowers from the garden:
For this year’s Halloween celebrations, I also made the spookilicious cupcakes with activated charcoal below…
… and the red velvet pumpkin spice bars below. I’m afraid “red velvet” might not be a good description, on this occasion – black velvet could be more fitting, lol
What is your favorite ingredient for Halloween baking? Let me know in the comments, and happy Halloween 🙂
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