I know, I used about a million too many exclamation points there but I am so excited to share this recipe with you all.
I love chocolate. like, LOVE chocolate. Like eat a whole sleeve of thin mint cookies in one sitting chocolate....
That may not be good for you, but this chocolate recipe is actually HEALTHY and GOOD for you! That's right, you don't even need to convince yourself its healthy, it really is!
How you ask? Well let me tell you :)
Cocoa Powder - high in magnesium and other minerals that your body needs to function properly (ones like copper and zinc)
Coconut Oil - a super food for metabolic function - i.e. it supports and speeds up your metabolic functions (read - metabolism)
Raw Honey - full of antibacterial properties as well an all natural energy source, and if your honey is raw it is unheated, untreated with chemicals and unprocessed
and there you have it - homemade chocolate!!! No really, it is just that easy :)
It will take you longer to read this whole short post than to actually make the chocolate. Let's walk through it quick.
In a medium saucepan combine the cocoa powder and coconut oil and whisk over low until all the cocoa powder has dissolved and incorporated completely.
Remove from the heat, add in your vanilla extract and then let it sit for a minute or two until the mixture is warm but not hot.
Add in your honey and stir well until it has all incorporated and is smooth and glistens.
you are DONE! Really, that is it :)
Now, keep in mind that because you are using coconut oil you need to place this mixture into the refrigerator for a few minutes to harden. Coconut oil hardens above 76 degrees F. You need to keep the chocolate cool.
From this step you can turn your chocolate into plain bars by spreading it (while warm and liquid) into a parchment lined cookie sheet and then just break it into chunks, into silicone molds to make shapes, etc...
You can add different extracts, peppermint is great as well as orange, and have different flavors. You can use it as a coating for pretzels or fruit, and my favorite turn it into peanut butter cups :)
Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
(makes 6 cups from standard cupcake sized silicone liners)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey (raw is suggested - you can also use pure maple syrup)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil (not included in the 1/2 cup listed above)
After making the chocolate as listed above, you can continue on to form the cups. You really do need the silicone cupcake molds to make these pop right out easily.
While the chocolate mixture is cooling a bit, combine the 2 tablespoons of both peanut butter and coconut oil in a small bowl
Set up your silicone liners on a small sheet tray and transfer your liquid chocolate mixture into a plastic bottle. You do NOT have to do this step, it just makes it really easy to keep everything clean and helps you fill the liners easily. I got mine from bed bath and beyond for around 2 to 3 dollars. You can reuse them over and over after washing.
Fill each liner about 1/3 of the way full with the chocolate mixture (you should use half of what you have made), this will be your bottom layer to the cup.
Set this in the freezer for about 10 minutes until the chocolate hardens a bit.
Fill each liner with the peanut butter mixture. You will use all of it between the 6 cups. You want to try and make sure you cover each layer pretty well so you get peanut butter in each bit...if you take bites that is and do not inhale them all at once ;)
Set back in the freezer to harden up for another 10 minutes.
Remove from freezer and use the rest of your chocolate to completely cover the peanut butter. This will make your cup liner about 2/3 full. This is perfect, you are NOT looking to fill up the liners.
Freeze another 10 minutes or longer until the cups are hardened and peel away from the liner easily. I put a small dot of peanut butter on top of mine so I knew those ones were peanut butter. You can fill these bad boys with coconut butter or almond butter or whatever your heart desires.
When these are easily removable (or you get too impatient - cough cough), remove them and EAT!
Just remember to keep these in the fridge or else they will melt everywhere and that would be sad. I would cry. a lot.
Take a look at these babies....and proceed to drool...it's ok, I understand.
and then give them to your 2 year old.... but be prepared that they will in fact look like a hot mess after they finish with a bite...
need proof...
I warned you it won't be pretty...
Happy Eating :)
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