Healthier Chocolate
By Kris Francefort
Total Time: 1 – 1/4 hours
Prep: 15 mins
Freeze: 1 hour
Yield: Approximately 3-cups melted chocolate
Today I decided that I needed chocolate back in my life after a 2 ½ year hiatus. But I was concerned about the saturated fat from coconut oil in my original recipe. So I experimented by swapping it for avocado oil and using less cacao butter from my previous recipe.
Not all fats are created equally. While all oils and butters have 14 grams of fat, the types of fat in their composition is startling and important to note! Here’s the breakdown per Tablespoon:
- Coconut oil has 13 grams of unhealthy saturated fat and 1 gram of healthy mono & polyunsaturated fats.
- Cacao butter has 8 grams of unhealthy saturated fat and 6 grams of healthy mono & polyunsaturated fats.
- Avocado oil has 1.5 grams of unhealthy saturated fat and 12.5 grams of healthy mono & polyunsaturated fats.
I’m very happy with the results and am loving the flavor and super-smooth melt-in-your-mouth texture! This makes a perfect gift year-round and especially during the holidays.
Ingredients – Choose organic whenever possible
1 cup melted cacao butter (about 1 ½ cups solid chunks)
¾ cup avocado oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
½ – 1 cup maple syrup (sweeten to your taste)
1 ½ – 2 cups raw cacao powder (dark/super-dark depending on your taste)
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional, but makes sweetness from maple syrup pop)
Instructions
- Melt solid chunks of cacao butter in a small saucepan over low heat (or in a double-boiler). Remove as soon as melted. Do not bring to extreme heat.
- Prepare container for chocolate shapes while cacao butter is melting.
- For bark-style chocolate:
- Choose a flat baking pan or sheet and make room for pan/sheet in freezer so that it rests flat. Note: a smaller pan will make thicker chocolate bark while a larger baking sheet will make thinner pieces.
- Prepare pan/sheet by lining with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- For chocolate molds:
- Make room for molds in freezer so that they rest flat. Note: if using silicone molds, you may need a plate of small baking sheet underneath for support.
- Because of the high fat content, there is no need to add extra oil.
- For bark-style chocolate:
- Add avocado oil, vanilla, and maple syrup to the pan. Whisk until combined.
- Add cacao powder in ½-cup increments, whisking smooth to incorporate with each addition.
- Add salt and whisk to combine.
- While chocolate is liquid, pour on either pan/sheet for bark or into molds for shapes.
- Place in freezer for an hour to ensure it’s solid.
- To make bark: break chocolate sheet into small, bite-sized pieces.
- For shapes: carefully remove from molds by twisting them upside down over a bowl to catch them when they’re released.
- Store in air-tight containers in the freezer for as long as 6 months.
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