I’m still blown away every time I have this chocolate by how good it is! The ingredients couldn’t be simpler, but I think that’s actually the key. The store-bought chocolate most of us are used to is made with processed forms of cocoa beans, so the flavor changes (and some of the nutrients get stripped away) — which is why sugar and other flavorings are added.
But what I’ve learned in my homemade chocolate making, is that you really don’t need to add much if you start with good-quality base ingredients. All you need for this delicious dark chocolate is cacao butter, cacao powder, maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt. That’s it!
You can definitely get creative and add toppings if you want (cacao nibs, sliced almonds, etc.), but I’d recommend starting with the basic recipe just to appreciate how surprisingly tasty it is.
Why I use Cacao instead of Cocoa
Skip ahead if you just read about this in my Chocolate Energy Balls post but…cacao powder is key to getting the health benefits that we associate with dark chocolate. Raw cacao is a great source of powerful antioxidants that protect the nervous system and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Same goes for cacao butter, which is the oil/fat of the cacao bean — you want the raw, cold-pressed version. Cacao butter is what makes this chocolate so creamy, and it’s also delicious blended into coffee btw!
Use a mold or muffin liners
I got this silicone chocolate bar mold on Amazon and it’s so easy to use (and inexpensive!). But you can also just grab some muffin liners and make chocolate cups — the mini liners would be perfect for bite-sized pieces.
p.s. Stay tuned for easy homemade peanut butter cups…
Easy Homemade Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (about 100 g) raw cacao butter, chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup (about 40 g) raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- dash fine sea salt
- pink Himalayan salt or more sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, set a large glass mixing bowl on top to create a ‘double-broiler’ (the bowl shouldn’t touch the water). Add the chopped cacao butter into the bowl and cook until completely melted (4-6 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, prepare your mold or muffin liners (see note).
- Remove the bowl from the heat and stir or whisk in the maple, cacao powder and a dash of sea salt.
- Set the mold onto a cutting board or pan that will fit in your fridge or freezer. If you want salted chocolate, grind some pink salt or more sea salt into the bottom of the mold, and then pour half of the mixture into the mold, filling it up to the edge. Carefully move the mold to the fridge to set for 30 or so minutes, or the freezer for about 10 minutes. Once fully solid, pop the chocolate out of the mold and enjoy! Store in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for a month.
- This recipe makes exactly enough for 2 bars in that mold. You can either leave the remaining chocolate mixture out while the first bar is setting and then make the second immediately after, or keep the mixture in the fridge until you’re ready (it will last about a week). Either way, microwave it for as long as needed to remelt it to the same consistency, and stir well.
Alex K.
Not only does this chocolate taste incredibly creamy and rich, it is also very easy to make with minimal equipment, skill or ingredients. Siobhan’s recommendations for ingredient amounts are spot on as a starting point, but it is also fun to experiment with ratios and different add-ins to discover your own personal chocolate preference. It is a perfect way to satisfy a sweet tooth right from your own kitchen. The outcome is far superior to any packaged chocolate I’ve tried and I will definitely be whipping this up as much as possible.
Siobhan
This is making me NEED to make some more now haha so glad you loved it! And agree about the mix ins – my current fave is dried wild blueberries