Like most of us, I really enjoy a good hit of chocolate and I would not want to live without it as a staple treat. Chocolate is divine.
We are quite lucky to have some really wonderful companies making healthier versions nowadays (you might have to hunt some down at a health food shop mind you) but I do recommend have a go at whipping some up yourself. This bark style recipe is seriously hassle free and if you haven’t dealt with chocolate making before I promise it’s way easier than you think. The bonus is you get to see first hand what goes in and have a bit of a play with your favourite flavours.
Here is my version jam-packed with goodness. It’s also dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free. I limit my syrups by mixing with stevia. It gives a more balanced flavour.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup raw cacao butter
- 1/2 Cup raw cacao powder
- 6 drops vanilla stevia plus 1 tsp coconut syrup or rice malt syrup
- 1 Tbs lucuma powder (optional extra sweetener)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup toasted buckwheat kernels or chopped nuts
- 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
- 2 Tbs cacao nibs
- 1 tsp bee pollen
Method:
- Place a small saucepan with a few inches of boiled water on low heat. You are going to “temper” some chocolate.
- Place a metal or glass bowl over top, it has to fit so there’s a few inches gap between the hot water and the bottom of the bowl.
- Melt cacao butter in bowl, ensuring it doesn’t get too hot. Once melted turn off the heat.
- Now add your rice malt syrup and vanilla. Stir in.
- Next add your cacao powder, cinnamon and lucuma and a dash of salt. You can sift if you like however I didn’t with mine and it wasn’t lumpy. Add bit by bit.
- Stir again then remove the bowl from the heat.
- Line a cookie sheet type of tray with piece of baking paper.
- Spread half of the nuts across the bottom of the paper.
- Now pour the chocolate gently over top using a spoon. Don’t pour too quickly however it’s not important to be perfect. You just want the chocolate to flow across the sheet and create a base.
- Now scatter raspberries.
- Add another layer of chocolate, it doesn’t have to reach the edges or have any particular shape, it’s essentially a thin blob.
- Sprinkle with bee pollen and cacao nibs last.
- Your final layer should be only a few cm’s thick.
- Place in freezer to set for about an hour.
- Once ready, use a knife to start the break, it will just shatter into random chunks. Magnifique!
I like to keep the finished product in the freezer but it can be kept in the fridge as well. You will probably find it a bit more “melty” than other chocolate. It’s super rich and oh so satisfying.
xo Sita
