Chocolate + Essential Oils
Chocolate.
How do you celebrate Easter without it?
Even being dairy and refined sugar free - I still find a way to indulge - and making your own nutrient dense chocolate at home is sooo easy - and infusing it with essential oils simply takes it to a whole other level!
3 basic ways to make your own healthy chocolate with essential oils
Quick - Store Bought Version | When you're time poor - grab yourself the best quality block of dark chocolate you can find (my preference is a dairy and refined sugar free one). Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, turn off the heat and add in your essential oils - mix well and then set into little chocolate moulds or a lined tray!
Coconut Oil Version | Most of us these days have a jar of coconut oil in our cupboard - and it's a wonderful base for making delicious chocolate - just note - it does melt very quickly when out of the fridge!
In a small pan, mix together 1 cup coconut oil, ¾ cup raw cacao, 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup, raw honey or rice malt syrup and a pinch of good salt. Once melted and mixed together, turn off the heat and add in your essential oils - mix well and then set in chocolate moulds or a lined tray.
Cacao Butter Version | This is a wonderful version as cacao butter doesn't melt as quickly as coconut oil when out of the fridge and it produces a very smooth chocolate. In a small pan, melt 200g cacao butter (roughly chopped) with 3/4 cup raw cacao, 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup, raw honey or rice malt syrup and pinch of good salt. Once melted and mixed together, turn off the heat and add in your essential oils - mix well and then set in chocolate moulds or a lined tray.
Essential Oil Flavour Combos
Tip 1 - When cooking with essential oils, I personally only use Young Living food grade essential oils.
Tip 2 - These oils are potent, so a little goes a long way. Start with less than you need as you can always add more!
Some of my favourite combinations
5 -10 drops Orange or Bergamot | lovely on it's own or mixed with your favourite chopped nuts and/or shredded coconut.
Chai Mix | 2 drops Cinnamon, Nutmeg + Black Pepper and 3-5 drops Orange.
3-5 drops Peppermint | lovely on its own or mixed with the crunch of buckwheat groats or chia seeds.
3-5 drops Rose | lovely on its own or mixed with your favourite chopped nuts and/or edible rose petals and/or freeze dried raspberries.
2 drops Ginger + 4 drops Lime | I love to mix with my fav chopped nuts, or some roughly chopped glaced ginger for a chewy texture.
