I think sometimes people get this picture of vegans as scrawny, malnourished hippies who eat nothing but sprouts while planning their next PETA protest. I mean, I even thought that once. But this is not the case (most of the time). I think most of us probably have more than one reason to abstain from certain types of foods or live the lifestyle that we've chosen. Most of us are not judgmental and will not glare at you if you choose to eat a hamburger while we eat a salad. Most of us just want to be normal and enjoy life.So what's more enjoyable than chocolate?
I absolutely adore (need) chocolate. Good chocolate! Real chocolate! Dark chocolate! The only problem with adoring and needing something in it's highest quality is that well... it's expensive! My mom used to tell me I had champagne taste and a beer pocketbook. She wasn't wrong. I do have expensive taste. I don't think that's a bad thing. But I also don't have the money to spend on every little thing that I want. So this is my way of having my chocolate and eating it too.
Total hippie fridge, right?!
Dark Chocolate Crazy Crunch Bar10 oz. vegan dark chocolate
1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil
Perky's Crunchy Flax Cearal (puffed brown rice or millet would be fine as well)
course ground coffee
roasted ground ginger
ground star anise
ground cardamom
1. Heat the chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl for 15 seconds at a time, stirring well in between each time. It can burn easily so don't go anywhere.
2. Once the chocolate is just melted and becoming smooth, stir in the coconut oil. Allow this to come to room temperature, stirring often. This only takes 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Layer the crispy cereal, ground coffee and spices in the candy bar mold until it is covered but not heaping.
4. Pour the cooled dark chocolate into your molds and gently swirl with a toothpick (or your finger, depending on whom you plan to share with).
5. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before unmolding. I like to gently wrap this in parchment paper and then put it inside a plastic sandwich bag. You can keep this in the fridge for a very long time or out on the counter for a week or so (provided it lasts that long).
Dark Chocolate Superfoods Bar
10 oz. vegan dark chocolate
1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil
dried goji berries
chopped dried apricots
chopped crystallized ginger
toasted pumpkin seeds
cinnamon
cloves (just a tiny pinch)
cayenne pepper (just a tiny pinch)
1. Heat the chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl for 15 seconds at a time, stirring well in between each time. It can burn easily so don't go anywhere.
2. Once the chocolate is just melted and becoming smooth, stir in the coconut oil. Allow this to come to room temperature, stirring often. This only takes 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Layer the dried fruit, pumpkin seeds and spices (going very easy on the cloves and cayenne) in the candy bar mold until it is covered but not heaping.
4. Pour the cooled dark chocolate into your molds and gently swirl with a toothpick (or your finger, depending on whom you plan to share with).
5. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before unmolding. I like to gently wrap this in parchment paper and then put it inside a plastic sandwich bag. You can keep this in the fridge for a very long time or out on the counter for a week or so (provided it lasts that long).
5 oz. vegan dark chocolate
5 oz. vegan white chocolate (recipe follows)
1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil
dried banana chips
This one might be good with peanut or almond butter incorporated into it somehow. Haven't tried it yet... but not a bad idea, huh?!
1. Heat the dark chocolate in a microwave safe glass bowl for 15 seconds at a time, stirring well in between each time. It can burn easily so don't go anywhere.
2. Once the chocolate is just melted and becoming smooth, stir in the coconut oil. Allow this to come to room temperature, stirring often. This only takes 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Melt your white chocolate in a separate microwave safe glass bowl for 15 seconds at a time. Stir it until it is smooth. It will be slightly runnier than the dark chocolate so no oil is needed.
4. Add whole chunks of dried banana to the bottom of the candy bar mold.
5. Plop the cooled dark chocolate and white chocolate into your molds and gently swirl with a toothpick (or your finger, depending on whom you plan to share with). Shake the mold slightly to get out air bubbles and push the chocolate around the banana slices as well as possible. You want them to peek out a bit, but be held in there pretty snug.
6. Sprinkle broken up chunks of dried banana all over the top (which is the bottom) and then gently push to secure them.
7. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before unmolding. I like to gently wrap this in parchment paper and then put it inside a plastic sandwich bag. You can keep this in the fridge for a very long time or out on the counter for a week or so (provided it lasts that long).
Simple Vegan White Chocolate
4 oz. grated cocoa butter
1/2 c. sugar of your choice (cane sugar, coconut sugar or a little less stevia would work well)
1 Tbsp. coconut flour
1 Tbsp. coconut milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1. In a food processor, add your sugar and coconut flour. Process until it resembles powdered sugar.
2. Gently heat your cocoa butter in a microwave safe glass bowl for 15 seconds at a time, stirring well in between each time.
3. Whisk your coconut milk (I scoop the cream right off the top of a can of full fat coconut milk) and vanilla into the melted cocoa butter. Continue whisking in your powdered sugar a little bit at a time until everything is uniformly incorporated and smooth.
4. Pour your white chocolate mixture into a candy bar mold or spread on wax paper. Place in fridge to cool for at least 2 hours.
Tip: You can use any kind of chocolate you like for these recipes. Use your favorite brand of chocolate bar or baking chips, anything will work. But if you don't wish to shell out $6 for a 10 oz. package of good vegan dark chocolate (and trust me, I'm with you on that one), look at the cheapest stuff first. I know that seems odd, but ingredients like milk and cream and butter are often more expensive than canola oil or soymilk solids. As long as the product has real cocoa butter and cocoa in it's first ingredients, and it is called chocolate (not "chocolaty"), then you've just found cheap, vegan chocolate.
So that's it! Beautiful, fancy chocolate bars that won't break the bank. You can be as creative as you like; using a wide variety of chocolates, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, cereals, spices, whatever. And what looks better than an original chocolate creation when you have visitors or you're gift giving?
I really hope I've left you feeling inspired to try this. Happy chocolate making!
Peace!
- Ali
Oooh, I'm going to have to try the Crunch Bar... Sounds perfect! Also, I have a friend who makes a cayenne/chocolate cookie - surprising!
ReplyDeleteYeah, the crunch bar is one of my favorites. I remake it over and over again. The coffee and anise flavor is really great together. And definitely try the superfoods, but go easy on the cayenne. Less is more. It is absolutely wonderful. It compliments the funny tarness of the goji berries and gives an intriguing, lip-tingling sensation. I could imagine it in a cookie. Maybe I'll try that next time I make a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
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