Raw Chocolate -> YUM!

Last year I started making my own raw chocolate and suddenly realised how easy, more satisfying and nutritious it is. This year, I’ll be holding several workshops on body confidence, empowering women, overcoming limiting beliefs and clean-eating!

Stay tuned for the MindBodyFood Raw Chocolate-making workshop in Toowoomba, 2013!

Chocolate is good for you – yes it is! But not the processed store-bought, sugar laden chocolate. We’re talking raw, healthy, unprocessed and Guilt-Free chocolate that’s a pure and nutritious form of Cacao.

Cacao is the seed of a fruit of an Amazonian tree that was brought to Central America during or before the time of the Olmecs. Cacao beans were so revered by the Mayans and Aztecs that they used them as money!

Cacao beans contain no sugar and between 12% and 50% fat depending on variety and growth conditions. Depending on the method, Cacao is made into a raw form of butter or powder. The only two components that come from the cacao bean.

Raw cacao contains hundreds of natural chemicals and is high in magnesium, iron, chromium, tryptophan, and antioxidants.

So… How can you make your own delicious and healthy raw chocolate at home? Easy!

If you feel inclined to take photos of your efforts, please send me pics to include on the Facebook Page!

BASIC RAW CHOCOLATE RECIPE

(100g each = small batch, 250g each = large batch)

100g Raw organic Cacao Butter
100g Raw organic Cacao Powder
80-100g Raw Honey (adjust the amount to taste)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract or Powder

Method:

Melt the Cacao Butter over a bain-marie (bowl over a pot of hot water) – never melt chocolate directly in a pan or pot as it will burn!
Once melted, add the Vanilla extract (and any other flavouring) and stir completely. If using powder add that at the next step.
Combine the melted Cacao Butter and Cacao Powder and mix through thoroughly and quickly.
Add in the raw honey and quickly stir through until completely combined – the chocolate will become shiny and smooth.
Pour or spoon into moulds. Set in the fridge for at least 30mins, or 15mins in the freezer if you’re in a hurry!

* You can make a variety of chocolate flavours simply by adding various ingredients like orange rind, cacao nibs, cinnamon, chili, roasted almonds or hazelnuts, goji berries, seeds, or any other addition that you think might work. Make a couple of small batches and experiment!

** Some raw chocolate is made using Raw Organic Coconut Oil (can liquify at room temp) instead of Cacao Butter (remains solid at room temp), which requires the chocolate to be kept in the freezer or fridge as it will melt very quickly. I find it also has a greasier taste which I don’t like as much, so again, experiment and choose for yourself.