These are a great version of chocolate bars and a healthier option too. You can play around with the basic recipe and add nuts, coconut and different flavourings. My next batch will have some chopped pecan nuts in. Oooh, cherries would be nice too! (Makes note to self). I made mint only because I had an urge for some After Eights chocolate. This did the job and kept my urges at bay. Make sure you store these chocolate bars in the fridge since the coconut oil is a liquid at room temperature and you will soon have a mess on your hands/sofa if not. It won't be pretty. Tasty yes, but not pretty. It is also my excuse for taking a large portion of them and scoffing the lot with the argument " but they will melt"...
Make sure you use virgin coconut oil and the best quality cocoa powder you can find. I used powdered Stevia but liquid might be better (I only had powdered in my cupboard). You could use any other liquid sweetener too. This also makes a great chocolate dipping sauce if you use it before placing it in the refrigerator. I made a batch of mini donuts with almond flour, then dipped them in the chocolate sauce. It left a lovely chocolate glaze. I'll post this one another day as they did not last long enough to take a photo of them.
Coconut oil is good for you too! Coconut oil is antiviral, antibacterial and can also help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida. It can positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Coconut oil has a saturated fat called lauric acid,which increases the good HDL cholesterol in the blood to help improve cholesterol ratio levels. Coconut can help restore normal thyroid function. When the thyroid does not function optimally, it can contribute to higher levels of bad cholesterol. Coconut fats have special fats called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). It has been shown that breaking down these types of healthy fats in the liver leads to efficient burning of energy. I could go on....it's good for the skin too...
So simple to make, something a child could do. Or the Chief Taster. I put mine into a baking dish for flat squares, but you could get creative and put them in a silicon mini muffin tray for cute little chocolate rounds.
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup coconut oil
½ tspn stevia (or sweetener of choice)
½ tspn mint extract (or other flavourings of choice)
METHOD
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper. You will have a "challenge" getting the chocolate out otherwise!
- Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly until blended.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and place in a refrigerator.
- When hard, cut into pieces or break into chunks. (It will take about 30 mins to harden, depending upon the temperature of your fridge).
- Eat and enjoy!
Makes about 15 one inch squares
