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–+ servings

CHOCÀROS

Innes HopeInnes Hope
No refined sugar, fat or nuts – am I kidding? No! These little raw wholefood beauties are for real. So what’s the secret? … Cocoa has a bitter taste, and carob is naturally sweet. Load the two in a perfect ratio and you have ‘Chocāros’ - healthy as, always on hand for unexpected guests, easy to make, and they taste decadent! What more could you want?
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Course Dessert, Snack
Servings 30 servings

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients

  • ¾ cup plant milk
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla essence

Dry Ingredients

  • ¾ cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup cocoa/cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup carob flour/powder
  • ½ cup chopped dates
  • 2 tbsp ground chia
  • choco dust see below

Choco Dust

  • ½ cup desiccated coconut
  • 2-3 tbsp carob powder

Instructions
 

  • Blend the milk, syrup, and vanilla for a few seconds and leave it in the blender.
  • Whizz the oats in a food processor for about 20 seconds. Remove ¼ cup of it and set that aside.
  • Stir the cocoa, carob, and chia into the rest of the oats in the processor. Add the dates and whizz for about a minute. The dates stay as small lumps, but that’s OK.
  • Transfer this dry mix into a bowl, make a well and pour in the wet mix. Stir thoroughly, then set aside for 2-3 hours or more, to thicken. Meanwhile …
  • When the mix is firm, use a strong spoon, then your hands, to work the ¼ cup of oat ‘fines’ into the mix, which should feel stiff, like playdough. Roll the mixture into a ball and coat evenly with a little Choco Dust – just enough to stop it sticking to your hands.
  • Scatter some Choco Dust onto a flat surface and roll the ball flat, about x1cm thick. Cut into strips, then rectangles, squish the excess into a ball, and repeat the process until all the mix is used. Tidy any rough edges by lightly pressing them into shape.
  • Line a storage container with baking paper, put the Chocāros in, then pop them in the freezer to firm up.

Choco Dust

  • Whizz ½ cup desiccated coconut in a food processor or nut/coffee grinder to a very fine grit. (Don’t use coconut flour. It won’t prevent the mix from absorbing moisture).
  • Mix 2 -3 Tbsp carob powder into the coconut fines to colour it.

Notes

Tips
  • If you don’t have the time to make Choco Dust, sifted carob flour will suffice - approximately ¼ cup should be enough.
  • Store your Chocāros in the freezer. By the time you’ve taken a few out and arranged them on a plate, they’re ready to eat.
  • If you want them to shine, mix ½ tsp of water into a teaspoon of maple syrup and brush a little across the top of each one just before serving.
  • A unique serving suggestion; try crumbling a few Chocāros’ though plant-based vanilla ice cream for an instant, healthy ‘cookies ‘n cream’ ice cream!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!