Chocolate (no)Nut cups! Dairy, Gluten and Nut Free

I love chocolate, I mean, who doesn't? Towards the end of last year, I was told, for health reasons to go gluten and dairy free. So I did, and I've been steadily losing weight ever since, so I can't complain too much. Although I suddenly found myself missing out on the luxuries my family were enjoying, especially at Christmas. So I made sure I could find a way to make my own chocolate for my little luxury. It took a while, but I finally found the best way to make chocolate that had the crack of chocolate, tasted like chocolate and was scrummy yummy!

Here is my most successful batch yet, (I made use of a failed batch of sunflower seed butter - NB: Rice Malt Syrup instead of Agave Syrup gives you a candied butter, not a spreadable one!)....they disappeared within 24 hours!

So, basically this little beauty has a sunflower butter centre, surrounded by yummy chocolate. My husband is surprised at how much the sun butter actually tastes like nuts. He'd swear blind the centre was peanut butter.

After how quickly these disappeared I had to make more, and thought I would share this recipe with you!

Ingredients Needed:

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa powder (GF)

Vanilla

Agave Syrup

Sunflower butter (or Peanut butter if no nut allergy)

I didn't use specific measurements. However, its roughly 2:1 Cocoa Butter to Cocoa powder. I.E, 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup of powder.

vanilla and agave syrup are to taste only. If you like your chocolate sweeter, and more syrup. Vanilla can be substituted with peppermint oil or flavour of your choice.

Step 1:

Grate your cocoa butter into a heat proof bowl, place over a double boiler to melt.

Grating makes it easier to melt your cocoa butter.

Don't worry about washing your hands when you have finished this step, just rub that excess butter into your hands. It will make your skin super soft, and is completely natural and chemical free.

Step 2:

For chocolate cups, lay out about 20 mini patty cases.

Alternatively you could line a shallow tray with parchment paper a "block" of chocolate and skip the filling.

While waiting for your cocoa to melt, place a dollop of sun butter into your paper cases.

Step 3:

Stir in your Agave Syrup, Vanilla and cocoa powder until it is smooth.

Taste.

Add more Agave syrup or cocoa powder as necessary to get the right taste.

NB: It will be a darker flavour than milk chocolate, but more agave will sweeten it.

Step 4:

Spoon in your chocolate into the cases, fill them all up as you go.

There should be enough chocolate from a round a cupful of cocoa butter to fill in all the cases.

If you want to play it safe, half fill each cup, then go back and top them up.

Step 5:

When they are all filled up, place your chocolate cups into the fridge to set.

Don't worry about spillage, it will set on your plate and you can scrap it off and eat it later.

When your chocolate is all set, curl up with a good book and enjoy!

S