Raw Chocolate Making – Bit of the Good Stuff

Chocolate-Coated ‘Strawberry Coconut Ice’ (Vegan / Dairy-free)

Published on February 13, 2015 by Sharon11 Comments

When I was young, I used to love the tins of Quality Street that we shared as a ‘treat’ at Christmas. My eyes lit up every time I opened the lid and saw all those shiny, bright wrappings. Usually people have a Quality Street ‘favourite’ but not me… I loved all of them bar one… and that was the hard toffee penny in the gold wrapper. In fact, I’m wondering whether anyone actually likes those toffees. In my house, they were always the last ones left in the tin.

[Source]

My taste buds have changed a lot since I was a kid and now, even the thought of eating a Quality Street chocolate makes me feel queasy. I just don’t like the taste of cane sugar anymore, nor the nauseating feeling it leaves me with for hours after I’ve eaten it. However, as you’ll have seen on my blog, I do still love chocolates A LOT. It’s just that these days, I prefer to make my own and fill them with ingredients that make me (and everyone else) feel great.

This week I’ve been having fun creating a new chocolate to share with friends and family this weekend. I daren’t admit how many I’ve eaten this week but it’s well into double figures. Good thing I’m running a lot at the moment!

This new chocolate is a healthy hybrid of two of my favourite Quality Street chocs – the Strawberry Delight and Coconut Eclair. Its flavour and texture is not dissimilar to ‘coconut ice’ (or a strawberry flavoured bounty!) but it tastes fresh and ‘real’ rather than sugary and processed. It’s really yummy!

It’s super easy to make too! It’s simply a case of whizzing coconut and strawberries together in a food processor, popping them in the freezer to firm up, then coating in dark chocolate. I like to make my own raw chocolate, but you could easily melt down a bar of chocolate or some choc chips if you prefer.

At Christmas time, I was really lucky to win a Twitter giveaway hosted by Sevenhills Organics. The prize was £250 worth of superfoods! In my amazing haul, was some beautiful cacao powder and cacao butter, which I used to make these chocs.

I’ve never seen cacao butter in buttons before. As well as being super cute, they’re much easier to use than the solid blocks that I normally buy. You simply pop them straight in the double boiler – no messing about with chopping or grating. I’ll definitely be buying these again!

The sweetener I used for these chocolates was Clarks Carob Fruit Syrup. If you’ve read my other raw choc posts, you’ll know that I love the subtle flavour of carob fruit syrups in my chocs. I’ve used Sweet Freedom before and the Clarks Carob Fruit Syrup is similar in taste, though much lighter and thinner in texture. It’s a fairly new product and currently only available from Ocado (I was sent some samples to trial). If you can’t get hold of carob fruit syrup, or you wish to make the chocolates raw, then organic agave nectar is a good substitute.

[print_this]

Makes about 20 chocolates (freezable)
Hands on time: 30 minutes Freezing time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ready in: 2 hours

Ingredients

Strawberry ‘Coconut Ice’
100g / 3½ oz / 1 cup desiccated coconut
3 TBSP virgin coconut oil, melted
2½ TBSP carob fruit syrup (or organic agave nectar)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
37g / 1¼ oz / ¼ cup fresh or frozen strawberry slices

Raw Chocolate
55g / 2 oz / ½ cup & 2 TBSP cacao powder
60g / 2 oz / ½ cup cacao butter (finely chopped or grated if in a solid block)
2½ – 3 TBSP carob fruit syrup (or organic agave nectar)

Method
Whizz the desiccated coconut in a food processor for a few seconds to make it finer. Add the remaining ingredients and process until completely combined and it starts to stick together (this will take a couple of minutes). Stop now and then to scrape down the bowl.

Transfer the mixture to a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a rectangle about 1cm / ½ inch thick. (I aim for a rectangle 18cm x 9cm (7 x 3½ inches) so it’s easy to divide into equal pieces). If your mixture is too firm to smooth and level by hand, place another sheet of paper on top and use a rolling pin. Freeze for at least an hour.

To make the chocolate, prepare a double boiler by placing a small amount of water in a saucepan and a heat-proof bowl on top. Gently heat the water. Place the cacao butter in the bowl and leave it to melt. Once melted, whisk in the cacao powder followed by the syrup. Taste test and add more sweetener, if needed.

Remove the ‘coconut ice’ from the freezer and slice into squares. Drop one square into the chocolate bowl and quickly coat it in chocolate (I use two teaspoons for this). Shake off the excess, then place it back on the parchment paper. Repeat until all the pieces are coated in chocolate. Place in the fridge or freezer until set. They will keep for up to five days in the fridge or for weeks in the freezer stored in an airtight container. Remove from the freezer and leave for a couple of minutes to defrost before eating.

[/print_this]

Products used in this recipe (UK stockists)
East End Desiccated Coconut
Essential Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Clarks Carob Fruit Syrup (Sweet Freedom and Organic Agave Nectar will work too)
Steenburgs Organic Fairtrade Vanilla Extract
Sevenhills Organic Cacao Powder
Sevenhills Organic Cacao Butter
Magimix Food Processor

Did you have a favourite Quality Street as a kid? If so, let me know as I’d love to try my hand at recreating it at home! 😀

Coconut Chocolate Bark with Goji Berries and Pecans

Published on February 28, 2014 by Sharon17 Comments

My love affair with the little goji berry is still going strong ♥ I adore their sweet/salty flavour and vibrant colour. I eat gojis every day, sprinkled on my porridge, muesli, yoghurts and chocolate chia puddings. And, as you may have seen already, they’re my favourite ingredient to add to home-made chocolates.

And did you know, goji berries are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet? They are a complete protein, contain 11 essential vitamins, 22 trace minerals, and are packed with antioxidants, including flavonoids, polyphenols, carotenoids and vitamins C, E and A. They contain more vitamin C than oranges, more betacarotene than carrots and more iron than spinach. No wonder the goji berry is referred to as the ‘fruit of longevity and well-being‘!

Of course, in the East, they’ve known about the health benefits of goji berries for thousands of years. We’ve been a bit slower to catch on in the West, but we’re finally getting there 😉

Recently, nu3 invited me to take part in blogger challenge to create a recipe using their goji berries. Of course, I was more than happy to accept! I started to think of all kinds of weird and wonderful creations, but M suggested that I should keep it simple and rather than creating something new, I should share one of our family favourites.

And heeding his advice, this is what I’ve chosen to do. My entry for the Nu3 challenge is a simple home-made chocolate bark. M and Lil’ L mentioned to me the other day that this could actually be their favourite chocolate ever! Now that is a statement!

I make this chocolate using virgin coconut oil (instead of cocoa butter), which gives it a gentle hint of coconut flavour and a glorious ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ sensation. It also features two of my favourite ingredients – goji berries and pecans – which add extra dimensions of flavour, texture and nutrients.

This chocolate is incredibly easy to make. No expertise required! You simply melt the coconut oil, stir in the remaining ingredients, and pour them into a container. I line the container with cling film, which makes it really easy to lift out. Sometimes I toast the pecans prior to chopping them but this isn’t an essential step.

The chocolate is then placed in the freezer until set and voila, you have your own scrumptious chocolate bark ♥ And you can feel very proud that you made it yourself, from scratch 😀

It is up to you how you choose to break up the chocolate. You can either go for the rustic look and chop it into shards, or go for more uniform squares.

Store and serve the chocolates straight from the fridge and freezer, as coconut oil goes soft and melty at room temperature. In an airtight container, they will keep for weeks, but I somehow doubt they’ll last that long 😉

[print_this]Makes around 20 chocolates
Hands-on time: 20 minutes Setting time: 1 hour

Ingredients
70g / 2½ oz / 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
58g / 2 oz / ½ cup cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
2½-3 TBSP Sweet Freedom fruit syrup (or agave nectar)
2½ TBSP goji berries, divided
58g / 2 oz / ½ cup pecans (raw or lightly toasted)

You will also need: medium-size saucepan, heat-proof bowl, whisk, container about 20cm x 9cm / 8” x 3½” (I use my smallest bread pan or a plastic container), cling film (plastic wrap)

Method

Preparation
Line a container with cling film, leaving sufficient hanging over the edges so you can lift out the chocolate.

Roughly chop the pecans and place 2 TBSP in a mini food processor along with 2 TBSP goji berries. Pulse until finely chopped.

Add a small amount of water to a saucepan and place a heat-proof bowl on top. Gently heat the water. Throughout the chocolate making process, you want to keep the water gently heated. On my electric hob, once the water has reached a simmer, I turn the heat down to 2. On a gas hob, I suggest turning the heat off once the coconut oil has melted and just give it an occasional blast of heat, if needed.

Ready, set, go!
Roughly chop the coconut oil and place it in the heat-proof bowl. Once melted, whisk in the cocoa powder. Next whisk in the liquid sweetener. I use about 2½ TBSP Sweet Freedom. If using agave syrup, 2 TBSP should be sufficient. Taste test, and add more sweetener, if needed.

Remove from the heat and stir in the finely chopped pecans and goji berries, along with another 2-3 TBSP of the chopped pecans. Lift the bowl and dry the bottom with a tea towel, before pouring the chocolate into the prepared container. Tap the container on the worktop to remove any air bubbles. Sprinkle the top of the chocolate with the remaining chopped pecans and whole goji berries. Lightly press them into the chocolate.

When completely cool, place the chocolate in the freezer until fully set (around 1 hour). Once set, lift the chocolate out the container and cut into pieces using a sharp, smooth edged knife.

Coconut oil becomes soft at room temperature, so serve the chocolate straight from the fridge or freezer. In an airtight container, the chocolate will keep for weeks.

[/print_this]

Products used in this recipe
– nu3 goji berries
– Essential Organic Virgin Coconut Oil – I bought this from Harvest in Bath, but it’s also available in other health food shops and online stores, including Amazon
– Sweet Freedom Original, available from Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado and online stores, including Amazon
– Kenwood Mini Chopper, purchased from Amazon

[This recipe has been entered into Ricki Heller’s Wellness Weekend]

Good luck to all the bloggers entering the nu3 challenge. I’m sure there will be many beautiful and inspiring entries ♥

I think nu3 are planning to invite the public to vote on the entries and a prize will be awarded to the entry with the most votes. As soon as I have the details, I’ll post a link.

Have a great weekend everyone! xx

UPDATE: Thank you so much to everyone that voted for me in the nu3 Blogger Challenge ♥ I am so thrilled to have won! 😀

Valentines Raw Chocolate Giveaway!

Published on February 7, 2013 by Sharon73 Comments

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and all the desserts and treats in my house have gone ♥ heart shaped ♥

Last week I was making Raw Chocolate Pecan Brownie Hearts and Raw Chocolate Cream Hearts (now safely hidden away in the freezer)…

… and today I made a batch of Heart-shaped Raw Chocolates 🙂

I LOVE making my own chocolates. They’re something extremely therapeutic about the whole chocolate making process. These chocolate hearts really are filled with love ♥

They’re also filled with goji berries and almond pieces 😉

Yes friends, we have another delicious, nutrient-packed, delicious treat for our loved ones this Valentines 🙂

As an added bonus, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free and free from refined sugar, which means that they’re suitable for any loved ones with intolerances to wheat, gluten, dairy or sugar.

Do you fancy having a try at making some yourself? I promise you it’s really easy! If I can do it, you certainly can! You can find the step-by-step instructions of how I make the chocolates here.

But, guess what? I didn’t make the batch of chocolates today for me or my boys. No, my lovely readers, I made these chocolates to give away to YOU!

To be in with a chance of winning them, all you need to do is leave me a comment below (any comment will do!)

The giveaway is international, but only suitable for readers living in cooler climates (the chocolates won’t be able to cope with heat… if you live in a tropical country, the postman would likely end up with a package of liquid chocolate in his bag and that could prove messy!)

The giveaway will be open until midnight GMT on Valentine’s Day (Thursday 14th February 2013).

Good luck everyone! xx

London, Whole Foods, Saf & Raw Chocolate Pecan Bark

Published on May 21, 2012 by Sharon8 Comments

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend!

I was lucky enough to start my weekend a day early, with a trip to London on Friday to spend the day with my gorgeous friends Helen and Naomi, and Naomi’s beautiful 9-month old daughter. It was really good to see them, and I had such a great time! 🙂

I met them in Kensington and we headed to Whole Foods which is located in the historic Barkers Building on Kensington High Street.

I’ve heard so much in blogging world about Whole Foods and I never thought that I would actually get to go there myself. It was health food heaven!!! It was so beautifully laid out. Just visiting the store was an incredible experience in itself!

[Source]

But just as I thought the day couldn’t get any better, we hopped in the glass elevator and went upstairs to the Saf Restaurant. ‘Saf’ stands for ‘Simply Authentic Food’ and also means ‘Pure’ in Turkish. You can find out more about their mission and philosophy on their website.

I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the menu. It was 100% plant-based! That means I could eat anything on the menu! That is seriously a first for me!

Everything sounded so delicious that I wish I could have tried it all. To be fair, I did manage to get through quite a lot of the menu 😉 Between the three of us, we ordered a range of dishes to sample, which included the following…

Curried Kale Crisps – Raw marinated and dehydrated Kale crisps flavored with curried coconut flakes

Saf Cheese Trio – A selection of their signature, olive, herb and smoked paprika ‘cheeses’, served with flax crackers, raw quince jam and drizzled with herb oil

Spinach and Date Gyoza – Organic madjol date, spinach, caramelized onion and chive dumplings, served with black vinaigrette

Saf Banh Mi – Kentish flute baguette with their trademark vegan mayonnaise, kimchee, roasted aubergine, maple glazed tofu and torn fresh mint and coriander

Vietnamese Wrap – Rice paper wrap with pickled daikon radish, maple glazed tofu, mixed salad leaves and their own miso-sambal sauce

Saf Burger – Seasonal vegetable patty, grilled onion, gherkin, tomato, gem lettuce with homemade tomato fig jam and special tarragon aioli served on a wholegrain bun

… plus 3 different salads!

I was totally blown away by the food! I don’t think I’ve tasted anything like it before. So, so tasty!

After a breather to let our meal go down, I couldn’t leave the restaurant without trying one of their desserts. Well, two actually 😉

Chocolate & Orange Torte – Raw cocoa & cashew cream ganache with cocoa nib & cashew crust served with orange bubbles

Butternut Cheesecake – Butternut & cashew cheese with a coconut & lemon zest base served with champagne sabayon

I nearly didn’t try the latter because the name put me off. Butternut cheesecake? Mmm, didn’t sound very appetising but I was intrigued. It turned out that the cheesecake was absolutely stunning. Probably the best cheesecake I’ve tasted in my life! I would so love to try and re-create it at home.

Saf has an Iphone app which provides the recipes for a selection of their dishes. Unfortunately, I haven’t got an Iphone myself but hopefully I’ll be able to borrow a friend’s or ask a friend to download the recipes for me.

In summary, Saf is a fantastic plant-based dining experience in a beautiful environment. If you’re ever in London, you must check it out!

After a wonderful day in London with my friends, I returned to Bath fired up with enthusiasm for plant-based cooking and experimenting with new recipes. Not least because I was armed with a brand new cook book that Naomi had bought me for my birthday called ‘Veggiestan’. Thank you Naomi!

The author writes a blog under the same name, which is really worth checking out.

My family loves middle-eastern food, so I can’t wait to start trying out Sally’s recipes. The book is beautifully designed and makes a great read. I actually started reading it in bed on Saturday morning with a cup of coffee. Is that sad or what? Please tell me I’m not the only one that sits in bed reading cook books!!

So, all fired up, I spent this morning in the kichen creating a variety of baked goods for this week’s lunchboxes and some raw chocolate goodies. As well as making some goji hearts to send to Becca (the winner of my giveaway 🙂 ), I also made some raw chocolate pecan bark. Using raw ingredients allows the chocolate to retain all its wonderful antioxidants and other nutritional qualities. I also opted to use Sweet Freedom Fruit Sweetener instead of sugar. The result? A home-made chocolate bark that’s packed with nutrients, low GI and suitable for diabetics. Happy days! 🙂

It also tastes scrumptious!

And it’s super quick and easy to make!

Fancy having a go?

Here’s the recipe:

[print_this]

Raw Chocolate Pecan Bark

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooling time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients
65g / 2 1/3 oz raw cacao butter
50g / 1 3/4 oz raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp vanilla powder (optional)
2-3 tbsp Sweet Freedom fruit sweetener, to taste (agave syrup will also work)
1/2 cup pecan nuts, chopped
Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

Method

Add a small amount of water to a saucepan and place a heat-proof bowl on top. Gently heat the water.
Note: Throughout the chocolate-making process, make sure that the water stays on a very low heat. You don’t want the water to be boiling or for steam to be escaping out the sides of the saucepan.
Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or non-stick baking paper.
Finely chop or grate the cacao butter and place it in the heat-proof bowl.
Once the cacao butter has melted, whisk in the cacao powder. Add the vanilla powder (if using) and 2-3 tbsp liquid sweetener, to taste. Mix in half the chopped pecan nuts.
Tip the chocolate onto the prepared tray and use a knife to spread to the desired thickness.
Sprinkle on the remaining pecans and lightly press into the chocolate. Sprinkle on some Pink Himalayan salt, if desired.
Allow to cool before transferring to the refrigerator. Once set, cut to the desired size using a sharp knife, or break into pieces. (For me, the ingredient quantities yield 20 bite-size squares).

[/print_this]So where can you buy raw chocolate making ingredients? Some local health food shops stock them. In Bath, you can buy them from Harvest, on Walcot Street. I also buy my ingredients from Elements for Life, which has on online shop. For those interested in trying out raw chocolate making, the Elements for Life Raw Chocolate Making Starter Kits are great. They include raw cacao butter, raw cacao powder, Sweet Freedom fruit sweetener and a heart silicone mould, all for just £14.99. These also make great gifts for dark chocolate lovers.

Lil’ L absolutely loves raw chocolate and, given its fantastic nutritional profile, I’m happy for him to eat it on a regular basis. In fact, I would even encourage it. As well as the raw chocs, I also add raw cacao powder to his smoothies and use it in desserts.

Since visiting Saf, I’m fired up to try making more raw desserts and treats. I’ve already got a few ideas for new recipes, so I’ll test them soon and let you know how I get on. Are you a fan of raw desserts? If so, what’s your favourite? Please send me links to your favourite recipes so I can check them out.

Have a great week everyone! The Olympic Torch arrives in Bath tomorrow, so you can imagine how buzzing the city is at the moment!

A Weekend of Treats, Rounded off with a Raw Chocolate Orange Chia Dessert!

Published on February 28, 2012 by Sharon12 Comments

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great week so far! 🙂

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday but I was busy all day taking photographs for “the book”! My aim is to get all the photos finished by Easter, which isn’t far off considering how quickly the weeks are flying by!

So how was your weekend? For us, it was a weekend of “treats”! Lil’ L had the treat of going to stay for a night with his lovely nanny in Dorset, while M and I went for our belated Valentine’s night away at Carey’s Manor in Brockenhurst, Hampshire.

This place is pretty special…

[Source]

and has the most beautiful Thai-style spa with hydrotherapy facilities.

[Source]

Okay, I’ll stop the photos now 😉

This was our first ‘date night’ in months and it was nice to go somewhere special and spend some quality time together. We reduced the costs as much as possible by staying on the Friday night (thus avoiding the Saturday night supplements), and we also took advantage of the hotel’s special free evening meal offer.

We were booked into the hotel’s Manor Restaurant for our evening meal, and I can happily report that the chef rose to the challenge of meeting my dietary requirements 😉 I didn’t take any photos as it wasn’t the type of restaurant where you can whip out your camera and start snapping the food , but here’s a quick run down of what they served me:

Entree – strawberry sorbet (M was given a white onion cappuccino which sounds bizarre to me, but apparently it was really nice!)

Starter – beetroot carpaccio with mushrooms, rocket and a balsamic dressing.

Main course – wild mushroom risotto…which they made with soya milk for me!

Dessert – pineapple carpaccio with shredded basil and coconut sorbet.

All courses were totally delicious! I really want to have a try at making both the beetroot and pineapple carpaccios as they were stunning!

After our meal, M and I stayed in the lounge until 1 in the morning chatting. We haven’t had an opportunity to do that in a long time. It was really nice! 🙂

The next day, we met my mum and Lil’ L in Burley. Every time I visit this village, I have to stop at the Old Farmhouse Tearooms for a soy cappuccino and slice of their ginger cake. That cake is dairy free and gluten free… and totally scrumptious!

We then took a circular walk on the common to walk off our cake. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, it was warm enough to not wear a coat. Is this really February? The crazy weather continues!

Along the walk, we saw lots of this beautiful yellow gorse…

We warned Lil’ L that it’s really prickly but you know kids.. they have to find out for themselves 😉

We also came across lots of these beautiful little New Forest ponies. So cute!

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend. Lil’ L loved his time with nanny and, since M and I rarely go on dates these days (perhaps 2-3 times a year?), we really cherished our night away. M has suggested that we do it again later this year and I’m totally up for that!

As you can imagine, I did very little cooking this weekend …. but I did make a raw chocolate orange chia pudding! I’ve only recently started to buy chia seeds as they have been hard to come by in this country. Local to me, they’re now available from the Harvest Health Food shop in Bath. I also purchase them from online stores including Healthy Supplies, Elements for Life, and Earthfare. I find that the cost of chia seeds can really vary from one store to another, and at different times of year, so I always make sure I shop around.

[Source]

These seeds come from the beautiful chia plant, which belongs to the mint family (salvia hispanica).

[Source]

I’ve read so much good stuff about them on the Internet. Here’s a quick rundown of its nutritional profile:

Chia is a very rich source of omega 3 essential fatty acid
It is a good source of protein, and contains all 9 essential amino acids.
It is high in dietary fibre.
It’s easily digested and absorbs more than 9 times its weight in liquid when soaked, helping to regulate blood sugar and hydration.
Chia is a good source of minerals, notably phosphorus, manganese, calcium and zinc.

They sound like another “super food” to me!

[Source]

The seeds have been eaten throughout Central and Southern America for thousands of years, and were part of the staple diet of the Aztecs and Indians. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that chia seeds have a history of safe use as a food. However, for some reason (which I’m yet to fathom out) these little seeds have been classed as a “novel food” under the EU Novel Food Act 1997. This means that when you buy chia seeds in Europe, they have a big label on the packet that they can only be consumed as an ingredient for baked goods comprising a maximum 5% of the content!

Since I haven’t read anything on the Internet about chia seeds being harmful and, on the contrary, have read time and again about the health benefits of this little seed, I’ve joined my fellow American and Canadian health foodie friends in eating chia seeds raw 🙂 If you bake them, you lose the omega 3 content which, to me, defeats the object of eating them in the first place.

And in their raw form, chia seeds make the most AMAZING chocolate desserts! Chocolate orange is my current favourite flavour, but I’m looking forward to trying mocha and hazelnut versions. The possibilities are endless!

It’s so simple to make. Here’s how I do it:

[print_this]

Raw Chocolate Orange Chia Dessert

Serves 2
Prep: 5 minutes (+ 1-2 hours chilling time, preferably overnight)

Ingredients
2 tbsp raw chia seeds
1/2 cup water (or you can use non dairy milk)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
2 tbsp Sweet Freedom fruit sweetener (or other natural liquid sweetener, such as agave syrup)
1/2 tsp orange extract
grated orange rind and raw chocolate shavings, for garnish

Method

Mix the chia seeds and water together in a small bowl. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight). The mixture will transform into a gel.
Blend the chia gel, freshly squeezed orange juice, cocoa powder, fruit sweetener and orange extract to a smooth consistency. Place in small dessert bowls, and sprinkle with orange rind and chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

[/print_this]

Do you eat chia seeds? If so, what is your favourite way of serving them? Please add links to your favourite recipes in the comment section below as I’d love to try them out!

What do you think of the EU law on chia? Do you think it’s right to class chia as a ‘novel’ food when it’s been around for thousands of years? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great week everyone! xx

Raw Chocolate Coconut Cup Recipe & Giveaway Result!

Published on February 20, 2012 by Sharon8 Comments

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! 🙂

As promised, today I’m going to share my recipe for raw chocolate coconut cups. I’m not sure if the name is an accurate description of what these chocolates are, so if anyone can think of a better name, please let me know!

Raw Chocolate Coconut Cups

They are so simple and quick to make. If you guys do make them I would LOVE to see the pics! You could post them on my FB page or send them to me on Twitter (@GoodStuffSharon). I’m sure your pics will be amazing! 🙂

Here’s what you’ll need:

raw cacao (cocoa) powder & raw cacao (cocoa) butter
These can be bought from health food stores (such as Harvest in Bath) or online
creamed coconut
I use Patak’s creamed coconut sachets, which are available from major supermarkets here in the UK. Creamed coconut is pure coconut flesh, which is pulverised and formed into a solid block. It’s a common ingredient in Indian cooking, hence why Patak’s sell it.

I’m sure that coconut butter will be a fine replacement if you can’t get hold of creamed coconut.

Sweet Freedom Fruit Sweetener. This is my sweetener of choice for chocolates, but agave syrup will work fine too.

Goji berries, almonds & brazil nuts, finely chopped (I whizz them in my mini chopper). As you probably know by now, I’m a huge fan of goji berries. They not only taste wonderful, but they’re packed with goodness too 🙂 These can be bought from health food stores, some major supermarkets (Asda are currently selling them for £1.47/100g compared to £2/100g at Waitrose) and online.

[Source]

Petit Four cup cases. I double these up and use 2 cases per chocolate, to help them keep a nice round shape.

Apologies in advance to my US friends for not giving you quantities in cups. I wasn’t convinced by the online converter I found, so if anyone can recommend a decent one then please do let me know.

[print_this]

Ingredient quantities
60g raw cacao butter, grated or finely chopped & divided in half
50g raw cacao powder, divided in half
3 tbsp Sweet Freedom fruit sweetener (or agave syrup)
50g creamed coconut (or coconut butter)
2 tbsp finely chopped goji berries, almonds, brazils (optional topping)
12-14 petit four cup cases (or 24-28 if using 2 cases per chocolate)

Method

Arrange the petit four cup cases on a tray or in a freezable container (I use a plastic container)
Prepare a bain marie (double broiler) and place 30g cacao butter in the bain marie bowl. When it has melted, mix in 25g cacao powder and sweetener to taste (I use 1.5 T Sweet Freedom or 1T agave syrup)
Pour 1 tsp of the chocolate into each petit four cup (I find that there’s enough for about 13 cups). Place the chocolates in the freezer until they solidify (about 10 minutes)
Meanwhile, wash up the bain marie bowl and utensils, and dry thoroughly. Prepare the coconut layer by grating or finely chopping the creamed coconut. Place the coconut in the bain marie bowl and allow it to gently melt.
Remove the chocolates from the freezer and pour 1tsp of the melted coconut into each petit four cup. If there’s any coconut left over, share it between the cases. Place back in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
Wash up the bain marie bowl and utensils again and dry thoroughly. Prepare the final chocolate layer by melting the remaining 30g of cacao butter in the bain marie bowl. Mix in the remaining 25g of cacao powder and 1-1.5 tbsp sweetener.
Remove the chocolates from the freezer and pour in the final 1tsp of chocolate into each petit four cup. Sprinkle with the finely chopped goji berries and nuts, then place back in the freezer for a final 10 minutes.
Voila! Beautiful (and scrumptious!) raw chocolate coconut cups 🙂

[/print_this]

Valentine’s Giveaway Result
Thank you so much for all the lovely comments you left me on Valentine’s Day 🙂 So who’s the lucky winner of my Valentine’s giveaway?

Well, I organised the comments into chronological order and pressed the magic button on random.org.

The winner is the lovely Rachel who writes the fabulous blog My Naturally Frugal Family

Congratulations Rachel! Six of my raw chocolate coconut cups will be on their way to you shortly.

Have a wonderful week everyone! xx