‘Chocolate’ Bark

Since my very early days of enjoying cacao paste I have been determined to master the art of making my own chocolate using minimal ingredients. Now that I have had cacao in its purest form, any store bought chocolate I try pales so much in comparison I’ve completely lost my taste for it (which is quite shocking coming from a lifelong chocolate lover).

Here’s one variation I love - chocolate bark. The world is your oyster when it comes to the added ingredients but pictured here is dried cranberries, chopped pistachios and coconut flakes 🥥.

𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
🍫 100g Soma Cacao* (Karkar Island or Australian)
🍫 3-4 tablespoons coconut oil
🍫1/4 cup pure maple syrup
🍫 3-4 tablespoons peanut or almond butter (optional)
🍫 handful each of dried cranberries, coconut flakes, and chopped pistachios or walnuts.
🍫 a couple pinches of sea salt

*𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 100𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘰, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 50𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 30-40𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘪𝘭 - 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵!

𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱
1. Melt coconut oil and cacao using the double boiler method (using a saucepan with water and a large glass/pyrex/metal bowl on top which you place the ingredients in), or a microwave (but heat in short bursts).
2. Stir in the maple syrup and almond/peanut butter if using, and add a pinch of sea salt.
3. Stir in half of the cranberries, coconut flakes and nuts.
4. With a spatula, spoon the chocolate mixture onto a parchment-lined pan or sheet and smooth out until it's about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle on the remaining nuts, cranberries and all of the coconut flakes. Place into freezer on a flat surface for about 15 minutes, until solid.
5. Remove from freezer and break apart into chunks. Store in the freezer until ready to eat.