It is safe to say that most people enjoy chocolate in its various forms. However, as any health-conscious individual knows, conventional chocolate uses highly processed cacao and is full of unfavorable ingredients like refined sugars, dairy, oils, modified ingredients, and even various additives. But being a healthy individual does not mean you need to give up chocolate. You just need to source some from the healthiest and highest quality ingredients, or better yet make some yourself. Making your own chocolate is really easy and quick, and provides you with a treat that you can feel so good about eating!

In this recipe, I share with you how to make a simple, quick, and easy, smooth, and rich dark chocolate that is fully vegan. This chocolate uses only 3 base ingredients and provides you with the cacao in its highest, medicinal form for maximum health and nutrition benefits. Aside from some healthy fats, this chocolate also includes some vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, while being dairy-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free.

To learn about high-quality chocolate that comes from pure and raw cacao forms, and how to make your own delicious treats, watch my video How to Eat Cacao and Make Healthy Chocolate:

Characteristics

TYPE: Treat
PREPARATION: ~ 10 mins (+ a few hours of chilling time)
SERVING: Makes 2 traditional chocolate bars and 30 individual chocolates (or similar amount depending on the type of molds you have)

  • 100% Plant-based (Vegan)
  • Organic
  • Dairy-free
  • Oil-free
  • Wheat-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Peanut-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Refined sugar-free

Goodies Needed*

INGREDIENTS:

TOOLS:

Preparation Steps

  1. Weigh out your cacao butter, making it roughly 240g or 8.5oz, and transfer to your sauce pan. Begin to heat on lowest setting to melt the cacao butter fully. Stir frequently for faster melting and to prevent over-heating or burning.

  2. Once your cacao butter is fully melted, turn off the heat. (Remove the pan from hot surface if applicable.)

  3. Add in the cacao powder, and stir thoroughly until it is fully mixed with the cacao butter, making a smooth uniform chocolate sauce.

  4. Add in the maple syrup and vanilla extract, and stir until evenly combined. Taste a small amount to make sure the chocolate flavor and sweetness level is to your liking.

  5. Place your silicone molds onto a large cookie sheet. (This helps to prevent spilling or uneven setting of the liquified chocolate.)

  6. Transfer the mixture using a tablespoon into your silicone molds.

  7. Place the cookie sheet(s) into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before removing the chocolates from the molds.

  8. Store chocolates in a sealed container, in the refrigerator.

Tips

  • If you have an electric stove, use low heat to gently melt the cacao butter. If you have a gas stove, use the lowest flame setting possible or use a double boiler method to melt the butters and avoid over-heating or burning them.
  • These chocolates should be stored in the refrigerator, as they will melt easily in warm environments, and can also be frozen. They will keep well for days and weeks.
  • You can double or triple the quantities to make larger amounts of chocolate at once.
  • If you don’t have a scale, use roughly a one-to-one amount of cacao powder to melted cacao butter. For example, for every cup of melted cacao butter, use slightly less cacao powder (about 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup).
  • While these chocolates are a form of a healthy treat, they are very high in fat, and should be consumed wisely. A good serving amount to guide yourself by is 1 chocolate or 2 chocolate squares, per day, as part of special occasions or occasional treats in your diet.

Meal Health & Nutrition Benefits

Cacao Butter (Fat of the Cacao Bean)

  • provides some healthy fats (60% saturated fat to 40% unsaturated fat); is not a source of carbohydrates, fiber, or protein
  • provides some antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides some vitamins, specifically vitamin E, K, and choline
  • supports healthy skin and hair; best used as a natural skin moisturizer
  • Health Tips: Choose organic cacao and not cocoa, and avoid consuming large amounts of cacao butter for optimal health and weight.

Cacao (Powder, Nibs, Beans)

  • provides healthy fats, protein, some carbohydrates, and fiber
  • provides lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides vitamins, especially most B vitamins
  • provides minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • contains euphoric properties (anandamide), aphrodisiac properties (arginine), anti-depressant properties (tryptophan), anti-aging properties, and helps to stimulate and balance brain activity
  • helps maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
  • Tips: This information applies specifically to pure cacao products and not any chocolate with added dairy, sugar, or other additives. Choose organic and raw pure cacao products for maximum nutrition and health benefits.

Maple Syrup

  • provides mostly simple carbohydrates (sugars) and about 20% fewer calories than honey
  • provides antioxidants and phytonutrients
  • provides trace amounts of B vitamins
  • provides minerals, especially manganese, zinc, calcium, iron, potassium, copper, and magnesium
  • serves as a good, natural sweetener option, which provides some nutrition and health benefits

Vanilla

  • provides antioxidants and phytonutrients, like vanilloids, and has anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides some B vitamins
  • provides some minerals, especially manganese, potassium, copper, and magnesium
  • supports healing, prevention, and overall health
  • supports cardiovascular and nervous system health Tips: Use the vanilla bean directly or choose pure, natural, and organic vanilla extracts. Avoid synthetic vanilla and similar artificial vanilla products.

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