Delicious coconut chocolate treat.

• Servings: 12
• Preparation time: 1 hour
• Cooking time: 1 hour
• Raw
• Vegan

Ingredients

• 12 Paper baking cups
• 2 tbsp Agave syrup
• 2 tbsp Coconut cream
• 3.5 cups Dried coconut flakes
• 4 Vanilla pods
• 4 tsp Liquid honey
• 50-60g Cacao butter
• 75g Cacao powder
• Salt

Preparation

Add the agave syrup, coconut cream and 3 cups of coconut flakes to a blender.

Score the vanilla pods and scrape the powder from the pods with a teaspoon on top of the other ingredients. Try to get as much of the vanilla from the pods as possible.

Blend all ingredients until fully mixed; about 30 seconds to a minute at a medium speed.

Spoon the mixture in to a mixing bowl. The mixture should be moist but firm, taste and add more agave if you like it sweeter.

Place the mixture into the fridge to harden slightly.

Blend the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut flakes and set aside.

Cooking

Add the cacao butter to a small bowl and place in a wide saucepan (a wok works well) with water on a low to medium heat. Try to melt the cacao butter slowly, reduce the heat if the water starts to bubble.

Whilst the cacao butter is melting add the cacao powder to a mixing bowl, if the powder has lumps break them with the back of a spoon. Add two pinches of high quality sea salt to the cacao powder.

When the cacao butter has nearly melted add the honey and stir it in to the melting cacao butter; once all the cacao butter has fully melted remove the bowl from the pan and let it sit for a moment so that the bowl cools. A good opportunity to rinse the saucepan.

Once the bowl has cooled pour the liquid on top of the cacao powder and mix thoroughly with a spoon for about 5-10 minutes. The consistency should be creamy - neither too thin nor too thick. Taste the chocolate and mix in a little more honey if you like.

Place the chocolate aside and remove the coconut mixture from the fridge. If the chocolate is too thin put it in the fridge to thicken a bit.

Roll the coconut mixture into twelve balls and place them in the paper baking cups. Carefully spoon the chocolate over the coconut balls (about a tablespoon of chocolate per ball) moving the chocolate around the edges of the ball to get a nice even spread.

Sprinkle the remaining coconut powder over the top of each ball for a decorative flourish.

Put in the freezer for one hour and move to the fridge afterwards.

Notes

• Can use dessicated coconut if flakes are not available.
• Try a teaspoon of vanilla essence if vanilla pods are not available.
• Experiment with honey or maple syrup as an alternative to agave syrup.
• Add chia, poppy or sunflower seeds to the mix for extra goodness.

Categories

• Sweet
• Dessert

Tags

• Coconut
• Treats