Chocolate and love go together like, well… Valentine’s Day and roses. Hugs and kisses. Conversation hearts and handmade heart-shaped cards. When February 14th rolls around (just a few days away, by the way), it’s hard not to notice the aisles and aisles of chocolate boxes and foil-wrapped treats at markets and specialty stores — but tempting as they may be, do you really want to gift the apple of your eye chocolate made with artificial ingredients and high fructose corn syrup?
We didn’t think so! Sweet as they are (and they are really, really sweet), those mass-produced chocolates you see nestled in heart-shaped boxes are anything but wholesome.
We think a much better way of saying ‘I Love You’ would be bestowing your beloved with a box of handmade sweets crafted from good-for-you ingredients like raw cacao powder, raw cacao butter and pure maple syrup. Ingredients that satisfy a sweet tooth while showing the one you love that you love all of them — and their wellbeing.
But these aren’t the chalky health food chocolates found in your local market, not by a long shot. Smooth and decadent, these creamy bon bons taste like the real thing while giving a full body hug of benefits, including the antioxidant properties and mood-boosting compounds found in raw cacao powder and the energy and hormone supporting benefits of maca. Package up a box for your sweetheart, your friends or your family members to show them just how much you love them this V-day. Read on for the recipe:
Better-for-You Bon Bons
Ingredients:
⅓ cup raw cacao butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
¾ cup unsweetened sunflower seed butter
½ cup maple syrup or raw honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup raw cacao powder
1 tsp maca powder
½ tsp Maldon salt
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Optional toppings: Shredded coconut, cacao powder, peanut butter powder, matcha powder, toasted and chopped nuts
Directions:
In a double boiler or in a heatproof glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, whisk together the cacao butter and coconut oil until melted. Fold in the sunflower seed butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix well.
Add the cacao powder, maca powder and Maldon salt. Mix until completely blended — it will have the consistency of ganache. Stir in the shredded coconut. Try not to eat it all at this step.
Place the bowl in the fridge to allow the mixture to solidify, about one hour.
Once the mixture is workable (like cookie dough), remove from the fridge. Use a spoon to scoop out the mixture and roll the “dough” between your palms to create bon bons. Roll each bon bon in optional toppings and place on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate until ready to gift or eat.
Store in the fridge.
How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? Share your ideas with us on social by tagging us @AvocadoMattress and #AvocadoGreenMagazine
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