Make 100% natural, delicious dairy free milk chocolate just in time for the Easter Bunny! This homemade chocolate is vegan and free from processed sugars & additives. Made with just 4 natural ingredients they are quick and easy to make! Add in your favourite natural flavourings and make the perfect vegan milk chocolate treat!
¼tspSea Salt * optional but recommended (about 1.5g)
INSTRUCTIONS
MISE EN PLACE - PREPARATIONS
Set up Double Boiler
Add water to a small pot and place a bowl that just fits on top. Ensure that the bowl is not touching the water. Remove bowl and bring water to a boil.
Prepare your ingredients
Chop cacao butter into thin slices. Extract the vanilla beans. See my white chocolate video for details if you are unsure how to do this.
230 g Cacao Butter OR Cocoa Butter
Blend sugars, salt and vanilla beans in a high speed blender starting on low and progressing to high for about 1-2 mins until reaches a powdered consistency (like icing sugar). If you are using store bought coconut milk powder - blend it with the sugars. If using my homemade coconut milk powder it will be added later!
100 g Cane Sugar, 65 g Coconut Sugar, 150 g Coconut Milk Powder, 1/2 seeds 1 Vanilla Bean, 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Roast Cacao Nibs
Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Spread cacao nibs (aka cocoa nibs) on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast nibs for 10 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
200 g Cacao Nibs
Melt 1/2 Cacao Butter (while cacao nibs are roasting)
Once the water comes to a boil on the double boiler. Turn the stove off and place the bowl, with 1/2 cacao butter (115g) in it, on top of the pot. Do not let any water get into the bowl or it will cause the chocolate to seize (clump & separate).
Whisk continuously until cacao butter is totally melted.
Blend Cacao Nibs with Melted Cacao Butter
Pour the roasted cacao nibs and the 115g melted cacao butter into the high speed blender & blend starting on low, then high for 2-5 minutes until it reaches a smooth liquid consistency. Be patient with this, it takes a little time. It will first begin to form a paste, then slowly increase the speed and it will begin to liquify as the fats are released from the cacao nibs.
If using homemade coconut milk powder, add it to the blender once the above mixture becomes liquid and continue mixing for 1 minute.
150 g Coconut Milk Powder
Add Dry Powdered Sugar mixture
Slowly add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and coconut milk powder (if using store bought) mixture to the blender, adding a little at a time and blend until smooth.
Add Optional Flavouring and Place Chocolate in Moulds
Add any flavouring you'd like to the liquid chocolate and gently mix in.
Place your silicone mould(s) on a baking tray.
Carefully release the steam when opening the blender lid, it's hot! Pour the chocolate into the silicone moulds.
Chill to Set
If you'd like to create the perfect looking chocolates, allow the chocolate to cool on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour. This will prevent any white streaks from forming on the top.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or ideally 1-2 hours (if you can wait that long)! You can also do the "quick chill method" and place it directly into the freezer for 20-30 mins.
Remove from refrigerator & gently push chocolate out of moulds.
Enjoy! I recommend keeping this chocolate wrapped in parchment, then inside an air tight container in a cool place. Keeps well in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks and for months in the freezer. It will soften a little at room temperature.
Notes
Do NOT get water into the chocolate at any point! It will seize & the chocolate will separate.
My kids prefer the taste of the milk chocolate I make with 1/2 cocoa butter (115g) and half cacao butter (115g) as cacao butter has a much stronger flavour. Try mixing the two & slowly increasing the amount of cacao each time you make it!