A few weeks ago I made almond milk by soaking almonds overnight, draining and washing them and popping them in the blender with filtered water and whizzing for 3 minutes. The resulting mixture was then placed in a sieve ( you can buy special nut milk bags to drain and squeeze the liquid out). We then had lovely milk and almond pulp….what to do with the pulp?
It seemed obvious to me that chocolate had to feature somewhere in this concoction so this is what followed…..please be aware that a lot of my cooking and food preparation is not an exact science. I tend to go with my instincts and wander around my kitchen waiting for inspiration. It has also been known for me to sit down to meditate wondering what we will eat and 20 minutes later I know exactly what to prepare!
So, I did measure out the ingredients but it would be absolutely fine to just do chunks and heaps of things…after all it will be a confection made with really great quality ingredients.
CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHUNKS
2-3oz almond pulp
3oz cocoa butter
1oz finely ground cacao nibs(optional)
2oz cacao powder
2tsp vanilla extract
2tblsp maple syrup
Scattering of raisins
METHOD
1. Gently melt cacao butter in pan.
2. In a bowl mix together almond pulp, cacao powder and raisins.
3. Stir melted butter into dry ingredients, mix well and add vanilla extract, maple syrup and raisins.
4. Place mixture into a container, pressing it down well with a spatula. Pop in the fridge to set.
5. Serve alone or with fresh fruit!
This is a raw food treat and is full of good things but despite what you may think you do not need very much at any one time!!
Be creative and instead of raisins try goji berries or shredded dates. Use agave syrup or coconut palm sugar for a change. Miss out the almond pulp altogether and replace some of the cacao butter with coconut butter to make a smooth chocolate. Add maca powder or baobab powder to increase the nutrition. Have fun and share with those you love and maybe even with those you don’t.