Cannabis can be taken in many ways: smoking it is the most popular choice and is the simplest solution, but marijuana can be processed to make food products that greatly amplify its effects . In the coffee shops of Amsterdam you can find many pastry products made with cannabis, ranging from brownies to muffins, up to space-cakes , which are real cakes whose secret ingredient is THC.
Ingesting products prepared with THC is very different from smoking marijuana : the effect is much more intense and long-lasting than that of a joint containing the same quantity of substance; cannabis is assimilated through the gastrointestinal tract, and the liver transforms THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, a chemical structure that amplifies the original effects of the cannabinoid.
The effect comes later, and we often risk overdoing it, also thanks to the appearance and flavor of these delicacies. The effect arrives after 45-90 minutes, and it is best to wait a bit to make sure that this "gastronomic" experience does not become too demanding to manage.
Where do you start to prepare a space cake?
To prepare a perfect space cake you need to start with butter . In fact, cannabis is not water-soluble , therefore - in order to use it in the preparation of gastronomic products - it must be treated in the right way. The best way is to prepare marijuana butter, or cannabutter : knowing how to make it will ensure the success of the undertaking, offering you a powerful and unexpected high.
There are many ways to prepare cannabutter, the recipe we propose is one of many. Cannabis butter can be made from the buds , but you can also use other parts of the plant and save the buds for smoking.
To preserve the best part of your harvest, you can use leaves and pruning waste . The leaves, in particular, have a high cannabinoid content, much higher than that present in stems or branches, thanks to a higher concentration of trichomes . Using a mix of leaves, stems and branches absolutely won't make you regret not using the best buds to make the butter.
How is cannabutter prepared?
To make a perfect cannabutter you will need a stove, a wooden spoon, two sieves, a mixer and some plastic containers.
INGREDIENTS:
- Marijuana
- Butter
- Waterfall
METHOD:
The first step is to grind the herb as finely as possible , to increase the contact surface and improve the extraction of the active ingredients when melting the butter.
To do this it is very convenient to use a mixer. The process of making cannabis butter is based on the principle of fusion of cannabis oils with the oils deriving from butter , through heat: the two separate parts blend effectively, becoming a unicum.
The chopped marijuana must be placed in a pot large enough to remain 2/3 empty; You will need to add butter and water to the pan in a ratio of 1:4 , so for every 250g of butter, you will need to add one liter of water (1000ml). You need to bring the mixture to the boil slowly, to avoid losing part of the active ingredient.
It is important to stick to these proportions when evaluating the capacity of the pans to use (1/3 and 2/3 respectively) because you will have to bring the mixture to the boil as soon as possible. When everything is boiling, mix regularly and add water when the original volume has halved.
Your cannabutter is ready when you see a layer of fat separating from the liquid part and tending to rise to the surface. After that, filter the liquid into a container, separating it from the marijuana mixture, which will have to be squeezed, in order to recover all the remaining oil. Place the container in the refrigerator overnight to allow the oils to solidify.
Marijuana butter should be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you want it to last longer, it is better to store it in the freezer, cutting it into smaller blocks which will need to be defrosted before use.
How to dose cannabis to prepare edibles?
Unfortunately, it is not always easy to calculate the right dose of marijuana to use for the preparation of butter to be used to create the so-called edibles, edible marijuana-based products.
Edibles are sold in every state where marijuana has been legalized , and with legalization is also coming standardization of the product. In many American states where the use of marijuana has been legalized (such as Colorado, California and Washington) increasingly rigorous laws are being passed to control and regulate the potency and quality of marijuana sold to the public, regardless of whether it is intended for therapeutic or recreational users.
In Washington, for example, all Cannabis-based products available in the various authorized stores must report the total percentage of THC and edibles cannot contain quantities greater than 10 milligrams. Colorado also allows a dosage of 10 milligrams of THC and most edibles are packaged in single-serving portions.
The effect of cannabis when ingested is amplified, and getting the doses wrong can play a trick on the unaware consumer.
If the operation is completely artisanal, it becomes even more difficult. Doses vary greatly depending on the cannabinoid profile of the marijuana you are using. Today, a normal strain of Cannabis can contain 10 to 20% THC . If you cannot find reliable information on the strain you are using, the advice is to assume that it contains around 15% THC.
Considering these values, it is plausible to assume that each gram of weed (or 1000mg) will contain approximately 150mg of THC. So, if you are making cannabutter by mixing 500 grams of butter with 20 grams of marijuana (15% THC) you are essentially getting 500 grams of butter with a total of 3000mg of THC (20g x 150mg). In this case, each gram of butter will contain approximately 6mg of THC (just over half of an average dosage).
Prepare a space cake
Once you have prepared the butter, you will have your main ingredient. From here on the procedure is very similar to that of making any cake.
NECESSARY:
- 1 cup cannabutter
- ½ cup of milk
- 1¾ cup flour
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 eggs
- Flavorings (chocolate chips, peanut butter, mixed fruit, hazelnuts or any other ingredient, to add an extra "touch" to the cake)
- Cake pan
- Medium sized bowl
METHOD:
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. In a small saucepan, melt your cannabis butter. Remember to defrost it beforehand if you have stored it in the freezer. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
Then add the eggs, milk and finally the melted butter. Mix until you obtain a homogeneous mixture, taking care that there is not too much liquid. At this point you can add the flavorings and non-dry ingredients.
Pour the mixture into a previously buttered cake tin. Place the pan in the central part of the oven and cook for about 25 minutes.
To make sure that your cake is cooked to perfection, you can insert a toothpick into the middle of the mixture: if, once removed, your toothpick is clean, the cake is ready to come out of the oven; However, if the dough sticks, the cake must be cooked for a little longer.
Once cooked, remove the space cake from the oven and let it rest for about half an hour. If desired, add a topping or icing. Make sure the cake has cooled well before proceeding.
And bon appetit!
But please, don't overdo it!
