Chocolate Hearts

The ingredients in chocolate candy usually includes dairy milk, butter, and sugar, but these candies use nondairy ingredients and are sweetened with pure maple syrup. Make this candy for Valentines Day, or any day!

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder or cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure, alcohol-free vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds or until creamy smooth.
2. Pour into heart shaped silicone tray candy molds. You may need 2 or 3 trays, depending on the size and amount of molds per tray. Once all the molds are filled, use the dull side of a butter knife to gently scrape away any excess batter. Place in freezer for 1 hour or until completely hardened.
3. Remove from freezer and dislodge* the candies from the tray. Serve straight from the freezer, since these candies tend to soften quickly at room temperature, or store in an airtight container placed in the freezer for up to three weeks.

Variations:

1. If you’re needing to limit your caffeine intake, replace the cocoa powder or cacao powder with carob powder, since carob powder doesn’t contain caffeine.
2. Replace the maple syrup with yacon syrup or agave nectar, if preferred.
3. For mint chocolate or cherry chocolate candies, use only 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and replace the optional almond extract with 1/2 teaspoon of either mint extract or cherry extract.
4. For candy bars, skip the molds and pour the chocolate batter into a shallow, 8-inch x 12-inch parchment paper lined baking pan. After freezing until hardened, use a chef’s knife to cut into 2-inch x 4-inch rectangles, or brake into several large pieces.

Yield:
Makes around 45 bite-size candies

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*Silicone tray candy molds allow you to push on the back of each mold to pop the hardened candy out. Plastic tray molds can also be used, but you may need to loosen the candy with a butter knife before flipping the tray to allow the candies to fall out. If you don’t have candy molds, see the variation above for candy bars.