Valentine's Day is around the corner and you know what that means- chocolate! Well ok, I suppose it can mean a lot of other things as well: love, flowers, excitement, romance, joy ...or maybe even nothing. But you're probably not here for relationship reflefctions so let's talk about chocolate ;-) Whether you choose to make or buy your chocolate this holiday (if you're including chocolate at all), please just make it the best quality possible. And even better, make it raw. As you may know, raw chocolate contains the 2 "bliss chemicals" PEA and anandamide. Both PEA and anandamide are neurotransmitters that lead to feelings of excitement and enhance feelings of love...So what better time to indulge in or share this decadent Superfood than the "love holiday"! For Valentine's Day I wanted to create a recipe that would not only be beautiful and taste delicious, but that could just as easily be shared for dessert or given as a gift. Enter these pretty little Chocolate Cherry Chews. A cross between a chocolate truffle and a fudge brownie, these mouth-watering little treats are just insanely good. So go ahead and share these with someone you love...whether that someone is a significant other, a friend, or even just yourself :)
Chocolate Chews~ 1 c dried sweet cherries, soaked for 1 hour 1/4 c coconut creme lucuma-vanilla 2 T extra virgin coconut oil 1/4 c + 3 T lucuma powder 1/2 c cacao powder pinch salt, to taste 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder 3 T raw honey 2 T coconut sugar (or to taste- increase for more sweetness) 1/2 T coconut flour 1 dropper vanilla stevia 1 1/2 tsp almond extract 1 1/2 oz cacao paste, melted in dehydrator or double boiler Additional coconut creme lucuma-vanilla and cacao nibs for topping optional: 2 drops cherry essence, pinch cayenne, pinch cinnamon Process soaked cherries, coconut creme and coconut oil in food processor until cherries are completely broken down. Add remaining ingredients except for cacao paste and process well to combine. Add melted cacao paste and process well again. Remove batter from processor and roll into balls or pat into loaf pan lined with wax or parchement paper. If making truffles, roll in additional lucuma powder or cacao nibs. If making squares in the loaf pan, top with cacao nibs and drizzle with melted lucuma-vanilla coconut creme or pour creme over top for a thicker layer. Chill for 30 minutes or longer in the refrigerator and cut into small squares to serve. Serve chilled and enjoy!
P.S. Happy (Early) Valentine's Day!
