Easter is fast approaching, simply walking through a grocery store during the upcoming weeks to Easter is enough to send me into a sugar induced haze, there is chocolate being sold everywhere you look! Unfortunately if you’re after chocolate which is not 80% milk, or 80% sugar, then it can be an incredibly frustrating experience, thankfully I have just the recipe to subside the sweet cravings without resorting to milk chocolate…
I have used 75% cocoa dark chocolate for the recipe, 80-85% can also be used. I have not tested the recipe with 99% but if anyone does I would love to know how it turns out.
Ingredients:
Makes 5 balls of each flavor, or 1 tray of chocolate bark.
- 100 grams 75% cocoa dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted organic butter
- 3 tablespoons pure cream
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- pinch of salt
- 4 teaspoons artificial sweetener, or liquid equivelent (I have used Stevia)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut, toasted
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and crushed. Reserve 5 whole.
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Method:
Using a double boiler melt the coconut oil, butter, artifical sweetener and pure cream. Once the butter has melted add the chocolate and salt, stir to combine. Remove from heat when no chocolate lumps are present.
Coconut/ Hazelnut/ Almond balls Method:
Separate the chocolate mixture into 3 bowls. Add 1/3 cup of toasted coconut to one bowl, 1/3 cup hazelnuts to another bowl and 1/3 cup slivered almonds to the remaining bowl. Freeze the bowls for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate mixture has hardened slightly.
Once pliable shape teaspoon sized portions into round balls, add a whole hazelnut to the centre of each hazelnut flavoured ball. Roll the shaped chocolate balls in their respective coatings.
Mixed Bark Method:
Requires 1 tablespoon butter, extra
Using a medium baking tray, spread the tablespoon of butter evenly over the tray. Lay a piece of baking paper over the tray and press down, ensuring the entire tray is covered. Doing so will ensure the paper will not slip, and the chocolate will not stick to the baking tray.
Pour the chocolate mixture onto the center of the pan, using a spatula spread the chocolate evenly over the surface of the pan.
Sprinkle the coconut flakes, crushed hazelnuts and slivered almonds evenly over the surface.
Freeze overnight. To separate the chocolate simply snap into bite size pieces, then peel off the baking paper.
Store: In the fridge, covered.
Lasts for: 2 weeks.
