Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Bites Recipe

Need a chocolate fix, but don't want to eat unhealthy processed food? Make your own chocolatey bites using our health conscious ingredients:

Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Bites Recipe (makes one big block)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of organic raw cacoa powder.
• ½ cup of quality organic coconut oil.
• ½ cup of hazelnuts, roughly chopped.
• ¼ cup of liquid sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, organic molasses or a mix of them.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• A pinch of salt.

Equipment list:

• Saucepan.
• Whisk.
• Spatula.
• Baking paper.
• Small tin or baking dish.

Method:

1. Line your small tin or baking dish with baking paper, make some space in your fridge for it.
2. Measure out your ingredients.
3. Add the coconut oil to your saucepan and place over a low-medium heat, until the coconut oil melts.
4. Add the honey and vanilla extract and whisk.
5. Add the salt, cacoa powder and nuts and whisk until all completely mixed in.
6. Scrape the mixture into your tin. Push into an even covering with your spatula.
7.  Place in the fridge to cool until set, leave for 2-3 hours or overnight.
8. Place chocolate block onto a chopping board and chop with a knife into desired sized pieces.
9. Keep chunks refrigerated as they have a lower melting temperature than normal chocolate.

Notes:

• Try replacing hazelnuts with your own favourite nuts – like almonds, brazil nuts or cashews.
• The area of your tin will determine how chunky your chocolate bites are. You can use a smaller tin for thicker pieces and vice versa.
• If the bites are too dark for your taste, you can reduce the amount of cacoa powder slightly to produce a more fudgy, less dark chocolate bite.

About the Ingredients.

Coconut Oil - A popular healthy alternative to traditional oils and fats, coconut oil is composed almost completely of metabolism-boosting medium chain triglycerides, which are a great source of energy.

Raw Cacao Powder - Raw cacao powder comes from cold-pressed, unroasted cocoa beans, unlike normal cocoa which is usually heated. It can help enhance your mood and provide an antioxidant boost. It contains up to four times the antioxidants of traditional cocoa powder and is also rich in magnesium and sulphur.

Honey - Traditionally used as a more natural sweetener then sugar, honey has a low glycaemic index. It’s rich in antioxidants and is thought to aid digestion.

Hazelnuts - Hazelnuts are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E and some B vitamins, along with the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium. They are also high in heart-healthy fats.