It’s been a long while since I posted a recipe on here! I hope the sheer deliciousness of this raw chocolate recipe will make up for that…
Chocolate in its purest state is actually really good for you. Its the ridiculous amount of sugar and other additives that make ‘regular’ chocolate so bad to your health and your wasitline. Cacao is totally a superfood as it’s full of antioxidants and other great phytonutrients. Buying 70% cacao (or higher) chocolate is better – I like to think of it as just 30% additives – but raw chocolate is the creme de la creme. By not heating the cacao above 42oC, you don’t denature the amazing phytonutrients and enzymes it has to offer, meaning you get all of the amazing benefits of real chocolate.
I used to always buy raw chocolate from stores like Real Foods. I honestly never realised how simple it was to make! All you need is 3 base ingredients (cacao butter, raw cacao powder and liquid sweetener, all preferably organic), and some optional flavourings. This time I used 45g maple syrup as the sweetener, and I added some vanilla extract and sea salt to flavour the chocolate.
I roughly based this on the Raw Chocolate Company’s recipe but have definitely made it my own over time.
Ingredients
90g cacao butter
60g raw cacao powder
45-60g maple syrup or other sweetener
1tsp good quality vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Directions
Set some water to simmer on low heat on the hob in a saucepan. Plate a Pyrex bowl in the saucepan (banne marie style).
Add the cacao butter and allow to slowly melt.
Remove from heat and add the maple syrup to the bowl.
Add the cacao powder to the mixture, and stir.
Add the vanilla extract and sea salt, and stir again!
Pour into a mold* and place in fridge to set.
*I use an ice cube tray, as this gives perfect sized chocolates for me!
Mmmm chocolate.
It really is that simple. As they have less artificial junk ingredients to increase their melting temperature, they will need to be kept in the fridge. This recipe normally makes me 15 or so ice cube-sized chocolates, which is perfect to last a few days or up to a week.
Enjoy!
Tali xxx
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