Monday, March 22, 2010

Healthy Fruit & Nut Chocolate

With Easter just around the corner, I had to find a healthy chocolate recipe for you.

Would you believe it – a healthy chocolate with an adorable flavour. It is hard to believe they are a raw, all natural treat containing no preservatives, refined sugar, dairy or emulsifiers. Cacao is very high in antioxidants, magnesium and mood enhancing chemicals such as anandamine. In fact, raw cacao powder is the top ranking antioxidant food source. We’ve added some cashews, raisins and goji berries so that each mouthful is packed with health- giving nutrients. 


Ingredients
•   300g raw cacao butter
•   1? cups raw cacao powder
•   1/3 cup agave nectar or unprocessed honey
•   1 handful of cashews
•   1 handful of raisins
•   1 handful of goji berries
•   1 large vanilla pod
•   1 pinch of salt 


Tools Power Mill, chocolate mould or ice tray
Time 10 minutes
Serves 20 - 30 depending on the size of your moulds 


Method
1. Melt the cacao butter to liquid in a dehydrator at 45°C or heat in a small saucepan placed inside a larger saucepan full of water. Keep on a very low heat and be careful not to let the water get hot.
2. Scrape out the insides of the vanilla pods, save the seeds and discard the outer pod.
3. Pour the melted cacao butter into a blender along with the agave nectar, salt, and vanilla pod seeds and blend until smooth.
4. Add the cacao powder and pulse your blender to mix. Caution! Do not over blend as the mixture will separate. For fruit and nut chocolate, add the raisins and cashews and pulse the blender to mix through. Alternatively you can chop the cashews and raisins by hand and mix through manually.
5. Spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray or chocolate mould and put in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
6. Gently press the chocolates from the mould or use a butter knife to pop the chocolates out of the ice cube tray. Eat and enjoy!