Healthy Hot Chocolate (sugar-free, dairy-free, soy-free)
Everybody loves a creamy, sweet cup of hot cocoa (especially at Christmas time) – but why not make it healthy by using cacao (raw cocoa) and avoiding dairy, soy & sugar altogether?
Enjoy an absolutely creamy, thick & decadent, healthy & guilt-free cup of hot cacao in a few easy steps – here’s how:
Ingredients:
-6 teaspoons cacao powder (raw, unprocessed cocoa)
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground vanilla powder/ extract
-2 to 3 cups full cream, unsweetened pure coconut milk (no sulfates or preservatives)
-10 teaspoons 100% pure maple syrup
-pinch of sea salt
(serves 2-4)
Instructions:
-add 2 cups of the coconut and the cacao powder to a blender
-blend until smooth
-place the mix into a large pot
-place the pot on the stove over a medium-high heat
-add the pure maple syrup to the pot
-stir continuously while the mixture gets hot (no need to make it hot enough to boil – it should just simmer)
-add the cinnamon, raw vanilla and sea salt
-continue to stir (careful not to let the bottom burn or stick to the pot)
-if any cacao lumps occur in the mixture (they shouldn’t after blending), remove the pot from the stove and carefully pour the hot cacao mixture through a fine metal sieve and into a large bowl (careful not to burn yourself) and push the lumps through the sieve with the back of a spoon
-then pour the cacao mixture back though the sieve again from the bowl and into the pot (a chocolate syrup may form on the sieve – scrape it all off with the spoon and mix it back into the cacao mixture)
-place the pot (with the cacao mixture inside) back onto the stove and stir until hot (simmer not boil)
-pour the hot cacao into small mugs/ cute tea cups
-use the other 1/2 cup coconut milk to decorate the hot cacao (by pouring it over the served hot cacao with a tablespoon and making patterns), this will also help to cool the hot cacao so that it is drinkable
-drink and enjoy!
