Chocolate - 50 Wicked Bites

(Raw, Gluten Free, Vegan, No Refined Sugar)

This is a special gift, for someone with the special gift of healing.   Richard Wickes is an amazing physical therapist, whom also specializes in at fascial therapy, Yuen Method and his very own Wickes Way.  Richard approaches healing the body through the physical, emotional, spiritual and energetic.  Honestly, I have no idea how he does it or what he actually does, but he has helped me on many occasions, you can contact him at Strengthen Everything. 

This recipe is for him, well to be more precise the chocolate I made using this recipe were a gift for Richard.  I promised him some homemade chocolate in return for a very urgent treatment he gave me.  His request was peppermint and coconut, and the final result is truly wicked!  Just as Richard brings out the best in his clients, this chocolate is truly the best I have ever made.

This amount makes about 50 bon-bon size bites or a full size chocolate bark.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups raw cacao paste (shaved off the block with a knife)
  
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
  
• 3 Tablespoons coconut nectar (heaping)
  
• 2 Tablespoons carob pod concentrate (heaping)
  
• 1 teaspoon BaoBaob fruit powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt
  
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more)
  
• 1 Cup shredded coconut flakes
  

Directions

• Melt the raw cacao paste and coconut oil together (at low heat in the dehydrator or double boiler or oven - keep below 105 degrees Fahrenheit)
  
• Mix well
  
• Add the coconut nectar and taste
  
• Add the carob pod concentrate and taste
  
• (NOTE: If you don't have those, you can use coconut sugar or maple syrup - any sweetener of your choice, but taste as you go to get the right level of sweetness for YOU)
  
• Mix well and adjust sweetness level until it is right for you
  
• Add the BaoBaob fruit powder - this is super tangy and adds a special taste
  
• Add the salt
  
• Add the peppermint, mix well an taste again - you might opt to add more
  
• Add the coconut flakes, mix well
  

Now it is time for you to either:
Put the chocolate in the molds, using a spatula to smooth it into each shape
or
Put a piece of parchment paper on a dinner plate, and pour the chocolate on that and smooth

Then put it in the fridge or freezer for 8-12 hours until totally solid
Finally, remove from the molds or chop the bark and put in a storage container in the fridge
Note: if you take them out of the mold too early, they might look like mine do in this photo - I was in a bit of a rush and made them very fresh for the gift, so they didn't set perfectly.

Since this is primarily cacao paste, it holds it's form at room temperature very well - but like any other chocolate, not in extreme heat.

Related Links
LantauMama - Homemade 'healthy' Chocolate or Carob Bark

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