Hello! With Valentine’s Day this week and Easter coming up next month, Chocolate season is upon us. So, here’s an easy recipe for a delicious chocolate concoction that is as healthy as it can be while still being called a treat.
This recipe has been developed by my husband Nick, who has a great interest in cooking nutritious food. He tested this until he got it just right. I was the lucky taste tester and can attest to the fact that it is very good. It’s not very sweet, though, so, if you find it not to your preference, play around with the kinds of chocolate you use. It’s best made with bars of chocolate intended for baking but chocolate chips will work in a pinch.
There are photographs of the process following the written recipe.
Healthy Fruit and Nut Dark Chocolate Treat
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit. We like apricots and raisins.
- 1 cup raw almonds.
- 3 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, like those hard squares you get in the baking section (or adjust the amounts to use less unsweetened and more semi-sweet, if you’d like it to be sweeter)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp corn syrup (this adds a bit of sweetness but also softens the chocolate so it’s not too hard to bite into.)
- Optional : about 1/4 cup dried flaked coconut and/or roasted salted peanuts or cashews.
Instructions
In a dry frying pan, toast almonds until they’re slightly browned. (Careful, they will burn easily).
Chop large pieces of fruit such as apricots.
Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over two edges because you’ll use the paper later to lift the treat out of the pan easily.
Mix the fruit and nuts together, spreading evenly in the pan. Sprinkle on optional ingredients, if using.
In a double boiler (preferred), or a bowl over a pot with water in it, melt coconut oil. Add corn syrup and chocolates. Stir until completely melted. Leave over the hot water until ready to use so it stays pourable.
Pour the chocolate mixture over fruit and nuts, as evenly as you can. Shake the pan to distribute the chocolate over the fruits and nuts.
Refrigerate until firm.
Using the edges of the parchment paper to lift the whole thing out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Using a large heavy knife, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces.
As this has no wax or preservatives in it, it is melty if left out at room temperature too long, so store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Note: the parchment paper can be reused to make this recipe again, or to make cookies or other sweet things.
Description
A nutritious, yet delicious, dark chocolate treat, with almonds and dried fruit.
Ingredients part 2
Instructions part 2
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I hope you try it and like it if you do!
xo loulou
