Your Valentine’s gift sorted.. Easy Raw Chocolate Recipe.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and that usually means flowers and chocolate! The flowers are great, but the added sugar in the chocolate might not be. Today I’d thought I’d share my favourite healthy chocolate recipe to make for your significant other – it can even be a gift for them if you are unprepared for tomorrow! You can make it special by adding their favourite flavour or nuts, as in the quick tips below. Trust me when I tell you that this raw chocolate still curbs those sugar cravings, without all the added nasties. And above all – it’s really quick and easy to make!

I’d love to see how you went! Share your homemade raw chocolate with me on Instagram @healthybellyhappymind

What you need:

• 250g Cacao Butter (finely chopped)
• 2 Cups Cacao Powder
• ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ¼ tsp Pink Himalayan Salt

What you need to do:

• In a double boiler, or bowl and saucepan, warm cacao butter until completely melted, stirring to quicken the process.
• Make sure that the butter only reaches 41 degrees.
• Whisk in the cacao powder first, then stir in the salt and vanilla.
• Add the maple syrup last as this will thicken the chocolate.
• Transfer the bowl into cold water with ice pack or cubes and stir until the mixture reaches 27 degrees.
• Transfer back to the double boiler and stir until the mixture reaches 31 degree – this will not take long at all.
• Add any additional flavouring (see below) and pour into molds.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of an hour or until completely solid.

Quick tips for flavour:

• This chocolate is lovely with figs and Wild Orange or with Peppermint essential oil.
• Alternatively you can add cacao nibs, coconut and goji berries, inca/golden berries, dried fig, green powders, spirulina, acai powder, matcha powder, vanilla pistachio, lemon and lucuma or mesquite for added flavour.