This Vegan Homemade Dark Chocolate recipe will let you make your own guilt-free treat at home. Homemade chocolate is inherently magical due to its smooth texture, intoxicating aroma, and pure cocoa flavor. This chocolate is vegan, smooth, and opulent, with no dairy or processed fillers. When making this Vegan Homemade Dark Chocolate recipe, you have complete control over the sweetness, texture, and flavor add-ins such as nuts, fruit, or spices, making it a nutritious alternative to store-bought chocolate or a thoughtful gift.
NUMERICAL FACTS
- Cuisine: American-inspired bakery treat
- Diet: Vegan, free from gluten and dairy, can be free from refined sugar too
- Course: Dessert, snack, Confectionery
- Five minutes will be required for cooking
- Prep done in ten minutes
- The entire time will be 15 minutes + chilling time
- Size/portion: 1 piece of 28 grams
- There are twelve servings all over
- The stovetop cooking and chilling method will involve
TOOLS
- A saucepan(if using the double-boiler process)
- Freezer or refrigerator
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowl, heatproof
- Parchment-lined baking dish, Chocolate mold, or a silicone mold
- Measuring cups
- Silicone spatula or whisk
INGREDIENTS
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
- Vanilla essence, one tsp.
- 100 grams of cocoa butter
- Agave or maple syrup, one-fourth cup
- Optional add-ins
- 2 tablespoons of dried fruits or chopped nuts
- One teaspoon of either powdered cinnamon or espresso powder.
INGREDIENT NOTES
COCOA POWDER
- You will need the unsweetened version of cacao powder or high-quality cocoa for the classic bitter and deep flavor. Dutch-processed cocoa creates a less acidic and smoother taste, so you can also try it.
VANILLA ESSENCE
- The few drops of vanilla essence will balance the sweet and bitter flavor of the chocolate perfectly. If you are a fan of pure chocolate flavor, then you may skip the essence or use almond essence in its place.
COCOA BUTTER
- Utilize the cocoa butter that has been finely chopped. It serves as the smooth, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth base for the homemade chocolate. You can also use the coconut oil in its place, but it melts more quickly than cocoa butter.
SEA SALT
- Only a pinch of salt addition enhances the depth of the chocolate flavor to the next level. You can also give a gourmet touch to the chocolate by sprinkling the sea salt on top.
MAPLE OR AGAVE SYRUP
- This is the natural, plant-based sweetener to sweeten the chocolate, keeping it suitable for vegans and free from refined sugar.
ADD-INS
- Dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, or goji berries, or nuts like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc., in addition, will provide the texture and nutrients to your chocolate.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Keep a half-filled water saucepan on a normal flame.
- Place a heat-proof bowl over it such that the water doesn’t directly touch the base of the bowl.
- As the water starts steaming, add the cocoa butter pieces to the double-boiler.
- Stir them occasionally while heating over a normal flame till they melt.
- Add the cocoa powder and whisk in the melted cocoa butter till it becomes totally lump-free.
- Now, add the sea salt, vanilla essence, and maple or agave syrup.
- Mix well till you get the shining, sweet, and smooth chocolate.
- Taste and regulate the sweetness as per your requirement.
- Turn the flame off and mix any optional add-ins of your choice.
- Pour the chocolate into the molds, and place the prepared molds in the freezer or fridge to set.
- It will take an hour in the refrigerator and half an hour in the freezer to set.
- Demold the chocolates once they become hard.
- Your Vegan Homemade Dark Chocolate is ready to enjoy.
TIPS
- Be careful while adding the add-ins. The add-ins should be dry to avoid seizing the chocolate.
- If you are a beginner and want that professional shine in your chocolates, then temper them using the temperature control process.
- You can lower the sweetener amount to half if you are a lover of dark chocolate bitterness.
STORING DIRECTIONS FOR LEFTOVERS
FRIDGE
- Save the hardened pieces of chocolate in a sealed jar. Refrigerate them for about fourteen days.
FREEZING
- Wrap the individual chocolate pieces using the parchment liner and pack them in freezer-safe bags. This way, you can easily freeze them for approximately three months.
FAQs
Why does my chocolate contain grains?
- Always sift the cocoa powder before using, and whisk it properly with cocoa butter before proceeding to the next step. This will let you have the smoothest chocolate ever.
Can I make the chocolates in different flavors?
- Yes, you can add extracts of almond, peppermint, orange, etc., coffee, or cinnamon powder to create a variety of chocolates.
Is it possible to lower its carbs to make it suitable for keto?
- Yes, you can make it perfectly suitable for keto diets by replacing the maple or agave syrup with keto sweeteners like stevia or erythritol.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS/SERVING
Size/serve: One ounce(28 grams)
The quantity of calories: ~160 kcal
Carbs(total): Ten grams
Fiber content: 3 g
Net carbs: Seven grams
Fat content: 13 g
Sugar: Six grams
Proteins: 2 g
Sodium: 15 milligrams
