Many of you know by now that I have quite the sweet tooth. I actually don’t do much baking for the particular reason (I would eat it ALL, sigh). This Raw Chocolate Bark has become my favorite go-to along with my Perfect Banana Ice Cream. I love it mostly because it’s easy, uber fast and I can take a few nibbles and be satisfied. It is also packed full of nutrients and minerals and won’t leave you feeling like you were naughty. It is also easy to customize to your liking so don’t be afraid to experiment!
Raw Dark Chocolate Bark
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 extra virgin coconut oil*
1/2 cup high quality raw cocao powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
4 drops liquid stevia**
A pinch of Himalayan Salt
Optional Add-ins~
1/4+ cup goji berries or dried fruit of your choice
1/4+ cup chopped nuts (macadamia, walnuts, almonds, cashews)
1/4+ cup seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)
1/4 cup shaved coconut
2 Tablespoons Bee Pollen or Chia Seeds
Servings varied based on add-ins
DIRECTIONS:
Place the coconut oil in a medium glass or metal bowl and set over a pot filled with a few inches of hot water. The oil should melt quickly. If it does not melt you can place the pot over a burner on a very low simmer for a few minutes.
Once it is melted; add the cacao powder, vanilla, stevia and salt and stir well to combine. You can either put your add-ins now and mix well- or wait after the next step.
Pour the chocolate onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and spread out evenly about 1/4 inch thick. If you have not included the add-ins yet; sprinkle evenly over the chocolate all the way to the edges. I sometimes like to omit the salt in the mixture and sprinkle some larger flakes over the top now.
Place in the fridge until it hardens. Then break up gently and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to a month. This does get start to get soft at room temp so eat directly out of the fridge.
Tips & Notes~
*Cacao butter can be used as a more stable exchange for the coconut oil so you can keep at room temp. It can be hard to find however so I have included the coconut oil in this recipe to make it more accessible. Use the butter the same way but it will take a bit longer to melt. You will also want to add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil as well to the cacao butter. I get mine on Vitacost.com.
**The idea of this recipe is to have something decadent that is very low-sugar. If you do not like the taste of stevia; use only a couple drops and then a touch more maple syrup. Too much syrup will change the consistency however so be careful. By mixing the two you will not taste the stevia I promise!
