Raw Chocolate Florentines

RAW . VEGAN . GLUTEN-FREE

These gorgeous, healthier chocolate treats are perfect for Christmas! Raw cacao is high in magnesium and iron, but if you can't get raw you can substitute with a good quality cocoa powder.

Top them with any of your favourite nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Raw bright green pistachios look amazingly festive with dried red goji berries or cranberries.

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate:

75g Raw Cacao Butter (grated)

5 tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

5 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch Himalayan Salt

Suggested Toppings:

Dried fruits - eg. mulberries, raisins, goji berries, cranberries (unsweetened)

Seeds - eg. chia, pumpkin, raw or toasted sunflower seeds

Nuts - eg. raw or toasted cashews, chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios

METHOD

1. Prepare all your toppings first into little bowls or piles on a chopping board. Making sure you have chopped or toasted any nuts and seeds in a dry pan or under a grill for a few minutes.

2. Melt the cacao butter in a bowl over a pan of hot (not boiling) water.

3. Whisk in the rest of the chocolate ingredients and remove the bowl from over the heat.

4. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly for a few minutes so it's not too runny.

4. Line a flat baking tray with parchment paper and use a tablespoon to spoon the chocolate into blobs on the paper.

5. Working quite quickly, because the chocolate will start to set, garnish the chocolates with your chosen toppings and transfer to the fridge to set fully.

NOTES

Store the chocolates in a sealed container, separating the layers with parchments paper.

These will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks, or the freezer for 2 months.