“I’ve never met a chocolate I didn’t like.”
~ Anonymous
A Celebrated Reintroduction
What’s a chocolate recipe doing on a website dedicated to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol? Strict AIP isn’t meant to last forever, and chocolate is a food many people are able to successfully reintroduce back into their diet. This recipe is even a sneak peek for my AIP Reintroduction Guide.
If you’re curious about chocolate and where it fits on a healing diet, I wrote an article last week that delved into its history, science, pros and cons. Today’s base recipe is made with natural cocoa powder, raw honey and unrefined coconut oil, all healing foods in their own right. You won’t find any soy lecithin, refined sugar or artificial additives here.
Adding the flavors is the fun part. During my experiments, I discovered just about everything tastes good with chocolate. I’ve listed my favorite infusions below, but feel free to experiment with other flavors, too.
Recipe
inspired by a recipe from the Coconut Mama
Flavor Infused Homemade Chocolates (Paleo, GAPS, AIP Stage 1 Reintro)
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 15 chocolates
Ingredients
Plain version: (these chocolates also taste delicious with no flavor infusion)
- 6 Tbsp. coconut oil
- Flavor infusion (see below)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1–3 Tbsp. raw honey (to taste)
- 6 Tbsp. natural cocoa powder
- sea salt (sprinkle at end)
Flavor Infusions: (lavender, orange, mint, and ginger)
- 1/2 Tbsp. dried lavender blossoms, or 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lavender blossoms
- peel of 1 orange (use a vegetable peeler to zest large strips)
- 2 large sprigs of fresh mint
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low heat.
- Add the flavor infusion and remove from heat. Cover the pan and allow to steep 30 minutes.
- Strain the flavoring from the oil and return oil to saucepan. Warm the oil again over low heat, and add the vanilla and honey. Stir to blend.
- Add the cocoa and stir until it dissolves. Turn off heat.
- If you are using a flexible candy mold, place it on a plate or cookie sheet, for stability. Pour chocolate into a glass measuring cup, stir it again, and then pour into your candy mold. If you don't have a candy mold, pour the chocolate directly from the pan onto a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and put in freezer for 2 hours.
- Pop the chocolates out of the mold, or if you're using the cookie sheet method, break the chocolate into bite-sized pieces.
- Store your chocolates in an airtight container in the fridge. (They'll melt at room temperature.)
Notes
- Candy Molds: I use this heart-shaped silicone mold, and this recipe makes 3/4 cup of melted chocolate, which is just enough to fill the mold. If you don't have a candy mold, you can double the recipe and pour the chocolate onto a silicone or parchment lined cookie sheet. I've made it both ways and I like the texture better of the molded chocolates, but both methods work.
- AIP Note: Since cocoa is a seed, it's excluded during the elimination period of the paleo autoimmune protocol. When you're ready to reintroduce it, homemade chocolates are the safest way, since store-bought chocolate often contains other ingredients (like soy, dairy and refined sugar.) This recipe is perfect for that reintroduction. If you're missing chocolate during the elimination period of the AIP, try this recipe for Carob Truffles from A Squirrel in the Kitchen.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Treats
- Method: Stovetop
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Is it possible to make these without coconut or palm? Maybe using avocado oil instead?
Hi Lee. A solid fat is necessary for the chocolate to solidify. Cocoa butter would be a better substitute.
Hi. I’ve been making these and they are great! Fennel and cardamom have been my favorite flavors so far. I’m having issues with the surface coming out chalky and with a little sink hole in the chocolates. It didn’t happen the first couple times, but now it happens every time. It doesn’t affect the flavor, but I want them to look pretty! Any ideas about this? Thank you!
Hi Emily. Something must have changed between now and then. Have you changed brands at all? Sometimes that can make a difference. Also, I heat the chocolate gently and briefly. Sometimes if you cook it longer or at a higher heat, it changes the chemistry. Lastly, are you freezing them longer than 2 hours? That sometimes adds a white coating on the surface of the chocolates. Those are my best guesses!
I just made these infused with ginger and funnily they are amazing BUT even one TBSP of honey was too sweet for me after being on AIP. I am trying these as I never had a problem with good quality cocoa.
Isn’t that awesome, Kimmy? You can try them sweetener-free, if you like! Best wishes with your reintro.
thank you, yes it´s amazing how the tastebuds change.
These are delicous, fixed my chocolate craving. Thanks
You’re welcome, Mary! So glad you enjoyed them.
i love these chocolates!!!!!!!!!!!
Margaret, that’s awesome! Thanks for the testimonial.
I can’t have coconut oil. Is there another oil that would work?
Try cocoa butter.
HEAVENLY!!!! Just made these with the orange zest, and I like a little more salt taste so I added some extra salt into the actual chocolate, rather than just sprinkled on top. These are DELECTABLE!!! Thank you so much! I now have a great use for the raw honey I bought from a friend’s fundraiser and for the old candy molds I never ended up using!
Thanks for developing such a wholesome chocolate recipe for us AIP’ers!!!! My life is saved!!! 🙂 <3<3<3<3<3
This is one of my favorite recipes. I’m glad you like it, too!
Just made the Mint and Ginger infused choccie.
Downside these really don’t stand well as the get closer to room temp.
Was making them for my Son’s class for Vday. Sadly had to scrap the plan.
Will re melt and add cocao butter to see if that helps to keep its shape.
You’re absolutely right, Liese. As the recipe says, these need to be kept in the refrigerator.
Are you melting the coconut oil before measuring? Or at solid state?
I’ve done both ways, and it doesn’t change the outcome of the recipe.
Wondering if I can use fractionated coconut oil? I have used it before in baking…..just curious; making today and I am going to infuse with essential oil for Valentines <3
Cindy, since fractionated coconut oil is liquid at any temperature, I don’t think the chocolates would “set” the way they do in the freezer with unrefined coconut oil.
Eileen, I’ve made these several times now! So good 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
Thanks for posting this recipe! I have a similar one that includes almond or peanut butter. It’s a great recipe, but sometimes I don’t want that “nutty” flavor. Looking forward to giving this one a try!
Those look so beautiful! I can’t wait to try them. Thanks for the great recipe!
What pretty chocolates, and the flavours sound delicious. I’ve pinned this post to my Candy board on Pinterest.
Now those look like a good alternative to store-bought chocolate! Yummy!
MMM these look great. Thanks for posting!
i love making my own chocolate too..i think many forget than CAN do it so easily! Featuring your recipe next week on AFW Eileen!
Eileen, I think I love you. As soon as I saw that you shared this on WNWNW I had to come by. Every time I pick up a chocolate bar I have to put it back down because it either has nuts, soy lecithin, natural flavours or god knows what else that I don’t want to/can’t eat. Now I’m off to get a chocolate mold…
I just pinned this…Cannot WAIT to try!
I’d love to make these chocolates as favors for my wedding. I’m wondering, how do you strain the flavor infusion from the coconut oil?
Thanks!
Hmmm. Since they have to be refrigerated, I don’t know that they’d work as wedding favors, unfortunately. As for the straining, for big things like the sprigs of mint or large pieces of orange peel, I just pick them out by hand. For smaller things like the lavender and ginger, I use a mesh strainer.
You can also use Young Living Essential Oils to flavor infuse without having to strain. Just a drop or 2 is plenty for a recipe this size and won’t impact the consistency. Young Living oils are safe to ingest and have many health benefits as well as adding flavor.
I can’t wait to make these! I’m going to try the plain version tonight 🙂
Thanks!