Simple but sophisticated raw chocolates topped with raspberries and pink salt make a wonderful homemade treat.
If you're still looking for a simple but tasty homemade gift or treat to share this season, these little raw chocolates could not be easier to make and they make a nice finale to any holiday meal. They’re a total crowd pleaser too; set out a tray of these after dinner and see how quickly they’re scooped up!
What I love about them is that you can whip them up in no time since they’re one of those melt, stir and pour numbers that’s super convenient to make at the last minute. All you’ll need are a handful of ingredients as well as a little bit of time to let them cool until they set in the fridge and you’re done.
The finished chocolates keep well at room temperature for a while so you can make a big batch ahead of time to keep on hand to offer to guests or for when a craving strikes.
What's in raw chocolate?
- Raw cacao powder - Raw cacao is what gives these chocolates their raw status. If you can’t find raw cacao, feel free to use a good quality cocoa powder instead which will be just as tasty but won't be a fully raw chocolate.
- Cacao butter - Cacao butter is what gives these chocolates their creamy texture . You can use coconut oil in a pinch if you need, just keep in mind that they’ll then be on the fudgier side with a hint of coconut.
- Coconut nectar - Made from the sap of coconut trees this sweetener has a rich caramel-like flavor that works well with chocolate.
- Freeze dried raspberries (optional) - I've added freeze-dried raspberries and a pinch of coarse pink salt to round out the sweet and bitter flavors with a little salt and tartness but you can use whatever flavors appeal to you or just leave them plain.
If you have a chocolate mold you can use it to make pretty shapes or just pour them into miniature paper cups like I did.
Pack them up in little gift boxes or tins and you have a thoughtful homemade gift that anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate, but be sure to save a few for yourself too.
More homemade chocolates:
Raw Chocolates
Simple but sophisticated raw chocolates topped with raspberries and pink salt make a wonderful homemade treat.
Ingredients
- ½ cup/ 112g raw cacao butter, finely shaved
- 1 cup/ 80g raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup/60ml raw coconut nectar
- Seeds scraped from ½ a vanilla bean or you can use vanilla powder instead but not extract.
- Freeze dried raspberries to top
- Coarse pink Himalayan salt to top
Instructions
- Place shaved cacao butter in a heat-proof glass bowl.
- Fill a small to medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and bring to a boil. Turn off and place the glass bowl with the cacao butter on top of the saucepan. (For a truly raw chocolates use an instant read thermometer to ensure that the temperature of the melting cacao butter does not go over 118 F.)
- Leave cacao butter to melt for a few minutes (this can take about 5 minutes or more). Once melted, whisk thoroughly and remove bowl from saucepan.
- Whisk in cacao powder until smooth, followed by the coconut nectar and vanilla bean seeds. Keep whisking for several minutes until smooth and the mixture had cooled and thickened slightly.
- Line a mini-cupcake tin with liners or use a chocolate mold. Spoon chocolate into each cup or mold about ⅔ full.
- Crush a few raspberries in the palm of your hand and place them in the center of each cup, pushing down lightly to submerge some of the pieces. Top with a pinch of salt and place in the freezer for fridge to set until firm (about 15 minutes in the freezer and 45 minutes in the fridge.
- Store refrigerated in an airtight container and serve at room temperature.
Notes
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Raw, Paleo
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 73Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 79mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Gorgeous chocolates! Chocolate and raspberries are my favorite combination, they are match in heaven! Love your photography on this recipe, Sylvie!
Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says
So pretty! Simple and elegant yet raw and wonderful. I have everything on hand to make these for New Year's Eve. 🙂 Thank you for sharing, Sylvie. Best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Sippitysup says
I'll try the coconut oil trick. It love it in every other way I've used it. GREG
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
I'm totally on board with these. And since I love coconut, I may just try it with coconut oil (since I actually have some in the pantry). Such a lovely dessert for the holiday season.