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Chocolate and almond butter cups




So this summer I have been turning into a bit of a hippy and trying veganism, vegetarianism and eating a more raw diet. I can't say I'm a total convert yet which was made obvious last night when I ate a moo but that was just a small relapse!

My latest craze has been experimenting with funky vegan desserts using new ingredients like raw cacao butter, coconut oil and lots of dates and nuts. If you have tried raw chocolate before you have probably become a little bit obsessed, it's all creamy and amazing, not even that much like normal chocolate, more like rich chocolate mousse without the naughty stuff in it..phew! However out in the mountains it is totally impossible to get, I have one pack of cacao butter and I have a feeling it's going to be gone pretty swiftly with this new recipe. You will need to go to an organic health foods shop like wholefoods to find the raw cacao powder and butter.




makes 5/6 mini cupcakes

1/4 cup raw organic cacao butter melted
1/4 cup raw organic cacao powder
agave syrup

6 teaspoons of almond butter (1/3 cup raw almonds if you make it yourself)

I should mention that you can buy almond butter already made but it's pretty cool and less expensive to make it yourself, that is if you have a magimix.
Put your almonds in a food processor and blend for about 12 mins until they become smooth like butter. You may think you have got there when your almond mix turns into a ball but keep going for a few more minutes as after that the nuts release their oil and become smoother and less firm.

Melt the cacao butter in a bowl over some hot water and then using a whisk mix in the cacao powder and then agave. You can add in extra flavours like cinnamon, coffee essence, salt, chilli to the chocolate if you like just mix them in.

Spoon the chocolate into the bottom of your mini cupcake cases, you want just enough to cover the bottom then stick in the freezer to set for a few minutes. Tart up your almond butter with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of honey or agave and spoon a little ball into the middle of the set case and then pour over the remaining chocolate. The choccy mix may have firmed up a bit so just warm it over some hot water in your bowl again until it's at pouring consistency.

Once they are all covered sprinkle over any other toppings like coconut flakes, gogi berries, sea salt, chopped nuts. Cool in the fridge or freezer until they are firm then munch them all because as I said they are good for you! Actually maybe share a few to prove that all this hippy healthy stuff actually tastes good.

Guest photographer Melody Sky

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