I started making chocolate after becoming increasingly frustrated by the fact that the cocoa content (the healthiest ingredient) in most brands seems to be gradually decreasing to make room for more sugar. I’ve experimented with raw chocolate, buying my own cacao liquor and cacao butter which is fun, but it can be expensive and some people struggle to source these so the basic ingredient of these homemade chocolates is 85% dark chocolate.
You can recreate some of your favourite chocolate bars with healthier ingredients. I created these for my Mum who has a weakness for Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut, white chocolate buttons and Chocolate Gingers.
Fruit and Nut Bars
Ingredients
2 x 100g bars of 85% dark chocolate
Half a 170g jar of cashew butter
4-5 tablespoons Coconut Manna or 1/4 bar of creamed coconut (melted)
Handful of organic raisins (soak in warm water for 10 minutes)
Handful of toasted hazlenuts
Instructions
Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (pyrex dish placed over pan of simmering water)
Add the Coconut Manna or bar of creamed coconut to the chocolate and stir gently until everything has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove from the heat, add in half a jar of cashew butter and continue to stir until the mixture looks similar to milk chocolate. You can add more cashew butter or creamed coconut if you prefer a more ‘milky’ bar.
Drain the raisins and add with the toasted hazlenuts.
Poor into a tin lined with greaseproof paper and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Once set remove from the dish, remove the paper and slice into bars. Keep refrigerated or if you have no will power FREEZE the rest 🙂
Chocolate Gingers
Ingredients
2 x 100g bars of 85-90% dark chocolate
Half a 170g jar of almond butter
250g pack of organic chrystallised ginger
Instructions
Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (pyrex dish placed over pan of simmering water)
Whilst the chocolate is melting, place the ginger in a heat proof dish. Boil some water and pour over the ginger until covered. This dissolves the sugar. Pour away the liquid so you are left with ginger minus the sugar – you don’t need it! Chop the ginger into small pieces.
Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the almond butter, mix thoroughly. Once smooth add in the chopped ginger and stir.
Pour into a tin lined with greaseproof paper and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Once set remove from the dish, remove the paper and slice into bars. Keep refrigerated or again you can freeze.
Optional extras – ginger powder if you like a strong ginger taste. Steenbergs Sri Lankan ginger powder is sweeter than other brands and 1-2 teaspoons makes a great addition. Or try a handful of chopped Brazil nuts.
White Chocolate Buttons
Ingredients
Coconut Manna (buy here)
Instructions
Ok so coconut Manna is not particularly easy to source but it’s definitely worth it. I melt the whole jar (place in a bowl of hot water until the contents of the jar is liquid). Once melted pour into a bowl and mix well as the oil and flesh often separate whilst in the jar. You can play around with this and try adding some organic cocoa powder, peppermint oil, nut butter or cacao nibs. Pour the liquid manna into moulds (you can use an ice cube tray, patty tins or buy chocolate moulds) and place in the fridge to set for 1-2 hours.
