A lot of people look at me confused when I say "i'm making raw chocolate". It is usually followed with a puzzled look and a response of "what is that?"
Raw Chocolate is a chocolate made from scratch using only natural ingredients and nothing artificial or processed. I use three base ingredients in mine - Honey, Raw organic Cocoa Powder and Coconut oil. Thats it. I then flavour it how ever I wish with various different ingredients. It is so quick and easy to make and doesn't break the bank in regards to ingredients buying. People spend heaps of cash on a slab of posh looking chocolate (in certain stores I won't mention the names) when you can make it yourself and give it to people as a nice home made gift, or just gobble it up as a sweet treat after dinner. This is a choco-holics god send!
Base Ingredients:
3 x tablespoons Raw Coconut Oil\
2 x tablespoon Raw Unprocessed Honey
2 x tablespoons Raw Organic Cocoa Powder
Chocolate Flavours:
Raspberry and Coconut - small handful of frozen or fresh raspberries & Coconut flakes or Chips
Nutty - Toasted Hazelnuts, Macadamias and Almonds - (broken not crushed)
Chocolate Orange - Juice of one orange, orange zest
Fruity and nutty - Chopped Dates & Toasted Almonds
Method:
1. In a pan on a low heat melt your coconut oil (do not allow to boil or bubble)
2. Stir in slowly your honey until it is fully liquified.
3. Stir in your cocoa powder, continuously stirring until a smooth dark molten chocolate forms.
4. *** this is where you add your flavour***
5. Use a bread loaf tin or tray, and line with grease proof baking paper - Pour in your molten chocolate.
6. Add your flavour Ingredients.
(For the orange flavour, you stir in the orange juice whilst the molten chocolate is still in the pan, then sprinkle the zest on the top after pouring in the baking tray.
7. Pop in the freezer for 30mins until set, then transfer into the fridge.
Keep in a sealed tupperware or on a plate tightly cling filmed.
Recipe tip: When I give this people as a gift I usually buy some pretty string from hobby craft, wrap the bar neatly in baking paper and tie with the string in a bow. This looks very 'artisan / rustic' and gives it a more special appearance.