Cacao Raspberry Almond Bark

Cacao Raspberry Almond Bark

 

I am a bit of a chocolate fanatic, rarely saying no to anything involving chocolate.

Ok, let’s be honest… when I say rarely, I mean never.

In fact, I love it so much that I’ve dreamed of making my own chocolate from scratch for years.

I don’t mean melting chocolate chips or chocolate candies into mods and then eating them. I mean using the raw ingredients to make my own chocolate.

The Secret Is Raw Cacao Butter

I had no idea where to start but then I saw it… Wildly Organic Cacao Butter. Making my own chocolate was possible, and I was going to add a low-glycemic twist!

Why raw cacao butter (or raw cacao powder, for that matter)?

Because raw cacao butter and raw cacao powder are packed with nutrients!

  • ¼ cup of raw cacao powder contains 15% the daily value of iron, 35% the daily value of Vitamin C, and 28% of the daily value of fiber
  • Cacao butter is high in antioxidants such as oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid.

After looking at some recipes for homemade chocolate, I was ready to try it out. On my first attempt, I used a recipe that called for coconut oil. I also used coconut sugar to sweeten the chocolate. That ended poorly.  The coconut sugar didn’t dissolve and the coconut oil made the chocolate more liquid than smooth and creamy.

So I started over. I dropped the coconut oil out of the recipe and added a bit more cacao butter and a bit less cacao powder. I also used Wildly Organic Coconut Syrup for the sweetening agent.

Guess what? It worked! The melted chocolate was so smooth and creamy, and the balance of flavors was perfect!

Once I had figured out the right formula, I was able to play with the chocolate a bit and experiment with cacao ratios to go with different ingredients in the chocolate.

Add in crunchy almonds and tart freeze-dried raspberries, and this becomes a healthy way to satisfy a chocolate craving!

The best news? Because I use freeze-dried raspberries instead of fresh berries, this bark will stay fresh even at room temperature!

I am particularly fond of this recipe for Cacao Raspberry Almond Bark. I can’t wait for you to try it and start experimenting with chocolate, too.

Have you ever made your own chocolate? What do you think of this Cacao Raspberry Almond Bark?

Cacao Raspberry Almond Bark
A dark chocolate richly filled with almonds and tart raspberries -- this bark is a delightful, perennial treat!
    Servings16 pieces
    Prep Time20 minutes
    Cook Time30 minutes
    Passive Time30 minutes
    Ingredients
    Instructions
    1. In a double boiler, melt the cacao butter.
    2. Once the cacao butter is completely melted, add the coconut syrup and stir until they are thoroughly mixed together.
    3. Use a whisk to gradually stir the cacao powder in. Stir until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and uniform.
    4. Take the chocolate off the heat and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
    5. Add 1 cup of freeze dried raspberries and 1 cup of chopped almonds to the mixture and stir until all the nuts and berries are completely coated.
    6. Pour the mixture onto a flat cookie sheet covered with wax paper and smooth until flat.
    7. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens. You can place it in the freezer if you need the chocolate to harden faster.
    8. Cut the chocolate into 2-inch x 1-inch pieces and enjoy!

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