Vegan Chocolate ( Soy-Free, Gluten-Free)
SOY FREE II GLUTEN FREE I VEGAN II DAIRY FREE II PALEO II SESAME FREE II EGG FREE II NIGHTSHADE FREE II FISH FREE II SHELLFISH FREE
If you are looking for a healthier chocolate that is allergy-friendly, I hope you love my vegan chocolate recipe. This vegan chocolate recipe is perfect for making gifts for your loved ones, and it's super healthy too! You can customise this vegan chocolate recipe in so many ways. It's quick and easy to assemble, and with only four base ingredients, it won't break the bank either. Good quality vegan chocolate can be pretty expensive, so this recipe is a game-changer. It's a no-cook recipe, no faffing, and ready in as little as 5 minutes. If you haven’t heard of raw chocolate, read on to find its health benefits.
Notes on Ingredients for Vegan Chocolate
Chocolate Fillings & Toppings
Here are some alternative fillings for my vegan chocolate recipe that I would recommend other than the ones I used in this recipe:
Chopped Medjool dates they are softer and sweeter and have a stunning caramel flavour.
Dried fruit like cranberries, sultanas, cherries, figs, and apples.
Salted caramel: take a look at my vegan salted caramel recipe here.
Nuts try pecans, brazils, roasted almonds, roasted hazelnuts, macadamia nuts.
Nut butter, try pistachio butter, peanut butter, almond butter or hazelnut butter.
Coconut: mix coconut with some coconut cream. You could also add freeze-dried raspberry or fruit powder to the mixture; take a look at my vegan bounty recipe here.
Gluten-free granola
Flavourings for vegan chocolate recipe
Use a few drops of orange extract
Peppermint extract
Coffee extract
A few drops of Chilli oil
Toppings that I would recommend for vegan chocolate decoration
Coconut
Orange zest
Gold powdered lustre - great for dusting onto the chocolate once its set
Sweetener
I used maple syrup as the sweetener, but you can also use agave, raw honey, or coconut blossom nectar. If you would like to make this sugar-free, add a few drops of liquid stevia or any keto sweetener. This would make it suitable for diabetics.
Cacao powder
Cacao is the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa. Both can benefit your health, but it's best to stick to either the raw version, cacao, or a chocolate product that has a high chocolate liquor content. Raw cacao can take some getting used to. It tastes a little different than cocoa products and can be slightly bitter.
Think of cacao as cocoa powder's healthier cousin. Cacao powder has been celebrated for centuries for its various nutritional benefits. Raw cacao powder is naturally rich in copper, magnesium, zinc, and protein, which nourish your body in multiple ways. It is called raw because it hasn’t been heat-treated above 118 degrees, and so retains more of its nutrients and antioxidants than its cousin, the roasted-to-death version.
Cacao butter
You can use either coconut oil or cacao butter for raw chocolate making. Coconut oil makes the chocolate a little softer, while cacao butter makes the chocolate have that snap that we are used to. Cacao Butter is the fat extracted from the cacao bean, unlike cacao nibs and powder, the butter is mild tasting but has a rich chocolatey aroma. If you want to try making your own chocolate then cacao butter is your starting point to the best texture and flavour. You can buy cacao butter online, or at a shop in the UK called the grapetree or any good health food store.
Chocolate moulds
This mould I used is from Lakeland, and I really love their products, as they are high quality and last forever. I only ever buy equipment once but choose to spend a little extra money so they last. You could buy this from anywhere else online, though, so take a look and see what you can find. Ikea also have funky silicone ice-cube trays, which you can use for this purpose, and of course, they are really cheap and good quality, too, so do shop around and see what you can find within your budget.
Ingredients
What is raw chocolate?
Raw food is considered anything processed below 118°C (48°C). Raw chocolate doesn't contain refined cane sugar, dairy, wheat or gluten, packers or bulking agents, and artificial additives, flavours, preservatives or colours. Think of it as chocolate without the junk. Raw chocolate is said to be high in essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron. It also contains more Vitamin B, protein, and fibre.
The best part? Raw chocolate is incredibly easy and quick to make! Healthy vegan chocolate YES, there is a god!
FAQ’s
Is it good to eat raw chocolate?
In fact, it could retain more nutrients because it goes through less processing. Eating cacao has many health benefits, such as aiding in heart, brain, and mental health and reducing inflammation within the body due to its antioxidant properties. Consuming raw cacao is typically safe.
Is chocolate raw dairy?
The cacoa bean, from which commercial chocolate is made, is a raw ingredient. It doesn't contain dairy, gluten, or any other allergenic components. It's what is added to the recipe to create many popular chocolates and candy bars that can cause concern.
Can you buy raw chocolate?
Yes you can, here are a few of my favourite brands:
Does raw chocolate taste good?
Indulging in raw cacao allows you to embark on a sensory journey, exploring a range of unmasked subtle flavours. Derived directly from the cacao tree, you can note earthiness and floral traces through each bite. Hints of fruitiness and acidity emerge in raw cacao, offering your taste buds a new palate for chocolate.
Is raw cacao a superfood?
Cacao beans contain a high source of iron which is needed for producing protein for red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. For vegetarians and pescatarians, cacao beans are an excellent source of iron. Cacao is not only delicious but also a superfood that can love you back with its rich benefits.
Is raw chocolate suitable for people with food allergies and intolerances?
In a word YES, it is top 14 allergy-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free. Unless you are allergic to cacao/ chocolate then its perfectly safe. Always check with your allergist or doctor if you are unsure.
Is cacao high in caffeine?
One tablespoon of cacao powder has about 12.4 milligrams of caffeine, while an eight-ounce cup of drip coffee is estimated to have anywhere from 70 milligrams to 120 milligrams of caffeine. Unless you consume excessive amounts of cacao daily, the amount of caffeine will not come close to coffee.
Enough of all the questions and answers, now to the fun part, the recipe for vegan chocolate! Read on to get the recipe and method.
30-minute prep time
Step by step
Recipe
Raw Chocolate
1.5 cups coconut oil ( or cacao butter)
2 cups cacao powder
1/3 cup maple syrup
pinch sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Fillings
Coconut
Dates
Sultanas/raisins
Nuts
Toasted buckwheat
Pumpkin seeds
Method
Melt the coconut oil or cacao butter over a very low heat, then add the other ingredients and whisk together
If its easier pour the chocolate into a jug so you can pour it into the moulds, or you can just spoon the chocolate into the moulds instead
Place the fillings into your moulds and then top with the chocolate
Chill in the fridge till set and then peel the chocolate out of the moulds and keep in the fridge till you are ready to gift wrap for your lucky friends and family.
Food shopping tips
Are you looking to save money on your FREE FROM ingredients without shopping in several places just to save a buck? Take a look at well easy they have made it well easy to shop for healthy free from allergy-specific ingredients. Find everything you need all in 1 place with over 50 filters. You will be sure to find food for your dietary restrictions that are healthy too!
And it’s cheaper than the health stores or supermarkets, don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself here. Check out my curated shopping list of all my recommended healthier ingredients that I love to cook with. Here’s the link. Use my code KAM10 for £10 off your first order ( £50 minimum order for the first shop).
This blog contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using the links. I have personally vetted and used all the products that I recommend.
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