DIY Honey Mama's Cacao Bars

This one is the real deal. When I say this recipe is DELICIOUS, I mean it. It’s naturally free from soy, eggs, dairy, gluten, added sugar and grains.

Buy the real Honey Mama’s online HERE. But I HAD to find a way to make this for myself. That stuff isn’t cheap!

A candy thermometer is crucial for this recipe, as the right boiling temperature is important for any homemade chocolate. And I promise you’ll use your thermometer will be used over and over again!

Ingredients

• **Required: Candy thermometer

• 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (I use 72%)

• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder OR cocoa powder

• 3 tablespoons roasted unsalted nuts

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• pinch of sea salt, garnish

Instructions

1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a little to hang over the sides (it may shift on you later!). Sprinkle chopped chocolate along the bottom of the loaf tin in an even layer.

2. In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine cacao or cocoa powder and nuts, pulse until crumbly, enough that you can no longer really see the nuts. Set aside.

3. Add honey and coconut oil to a small sauce-pot and bring to a boil. Add candy thermometer and bring to 250 degrees F. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in cacao/nut mixture, and vanilla extract.

4. Pour mixture over chocolate into the loaf pan in an even a layer. Tear off any excess paper and freeze for 30 minutes, or refrigerate about an hour until chocolate is firm and set. Slice, and keep leftovers in the fridge.

Alternative 1

Simpler’s method:

• 1/4 cup cacao powder

• 2 tbsp coconut butter

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 tbsp honey

• pinch of salt

It couldn't be any more simple, just warm up all of your ingredients and mix until smooth, combine in a small saucepan over low heat. You don't want it to get too hot, just enough to combine (this helps keep the benefits of the honey from deteriorating from over-heating)! Pour into a parchment lined dish and place in the fridge to set.

When firm, cut into pieces, dust with more cacao powder if you wish, and store in the fridge!

Alternative 2

More fudgey:

• 1 cup coconut oil (more coconut oil means it will turn more wet, and needs to stay in the fridge)

• 1 cup cocoa powder

• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

• Raw Honey (or other natural sweetener like maple syrup or stevia)

• Pinch of sea salt

• Optional: 2-4 Drops peppermint essential oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Measure 1 cup of coconut oil and scoop it out into a mixing bowl. Whip the coconut oil with a stand or hand mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Note: If your coconut oil is room temperature and already liquid you can skip this step.

2. Mix the whipped (or melted if you live in warmer climate) coconut oil, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt together. Mix well and slowly add honey or sweetener of choice. Taste as you go to make sure you don’t over sweeten your fudge. Mix in 2 drops of peppermint essential oil if using.

3. Pour fudge into a 9×5 inch pan (this is a bread size pan). Spread fudge evenly cover the pan with a lid or plastic wrap.

4. Refrigerate until fudge is set and hard, about 4 hours.

5. Cut fudge into small squares and serve.