Eat clean with these cacao-based chocolate recipes from model and kitchen whiz Abigail O’Neill.

Cranberry ripe made with cacao

Ingredients (serves 4)
•    80g creamed coconut, finely chopped
•    1 rounded tbsp raw organic coconut oil
•    1 cup organic dried cranberries
•    ½ cup desiccated coconut
•    ½ tsp vanilla powder
•    2 tbsp agave
•    Classic Dark for top and bottom of slice

Classic Dark
•    40g raw cacao liquor, finely chopped
•    30g raw cacao butter, finely chopped
•    1 tbsp raw organic coconut oil
•    ¼ tsp vanilla powder
•    1½ tbsp raw dark agave
•    1–2 tbsp raw cacao powder

Method
Prepare Classic Dark by melting finely chopped cacao butter and liquor with coconut oil in a glass bowl over boiling water. Remove from heat. Whisk in all other ingredients, adding raw cacao powder last. Chill half of prepared raw chocolate in the base of a lined, sealable glass dish. Keep the other half slightly warm. Process all filling ingredients in a food processor until they are fine and have begun to bind. Press cranberry mixture firmly onto hardened chocolate. Spread the remaining chocolate over slice and chill until firm. Cut into squares and enjoy with your favourite pot of tea, fruit, or simply as is!

kj 2087 | Fat 39.3g | Carb 34.5g | Protein 2.9g | Sugar 28.5g

Choc-mint mousse

Ingredients (serves 4)
•    2 medium–large avocados
•    200ml organic coconut cream or ¾ cup green coconut water + ½ cup coconut flesh
•    1⁄3 cup coconut sugar
•    2 tbsp maple syrup
•    2 tsp tahini
•    6–8 drops essential oil of peppermint
•    ¾ cup organic cocoa powder
 

Method
Beginning with avocados and continuing in order, blend all together until velvety smooth. Once perfectly combined, present small portions of mousse in glasses or small bowls to serve.

Chocolate bunnies made with cacao

Ingredients (makes 5 large or 10 smaller bunnies)
•    200g creamed coconut, chopped
•    2 big tbsp raw honey
•    ¼ tsp vanilla powder
•    1 big tbsp nut butter of your choice
•    ½ cup chopped raw Brazil nuts
•    ½ cup mixed sultanas, currants and raisins
•    Pinch of fine sea salt
•    1⁄3 cup raw cacao powder  

Method
Place creamed coconut into a glass bowl to melt over a larger bowl of boiling water. Remove from heat adding all other ingredients and mix together gently until combined. Scrape into Easter Bunny chocolate moulds and set in the freezer to harden. Keep chilled until ready to eat on Easter morning!

The nut butter will add its own unique hint of flavour to the chocolate. Hazelnut, macadamia, cashew, Brazil or even tahini will work beautifully! To make this recipe allergy free, use raw organic coconut oil in place of nut butter and omit Brazil nuts.

kJ 626 | Fat 20.2g | Carb 12.1g | Protein 4.97g | Sugar 9.85g

Protein bars

Ingredients (makes 20 bars)
•    1 cup dates
•    ¾ cup Brazil nuts
•    ¾ cup rice protein powder
•    1⁄3 cup chia seeds
•    ½ cup desiccated coconut
•    1⁄3 cup raw cacao nibs or beans
•    ½ cup raw organic coconut oil
•    ½ cup raw cacao powder
•    2 tbsp tahini
•    1–2 tbsp raw honey
•    2 tbsp water
•    Hemp seeds or desiccated coconut for top and bottom

WHAT YOU’LL DO
Whiz together dates, nuts and protein powder to break up. Add in everything else and process until mixture begins to bind. Sprinkle a glass storage dish with a little hemp or coconut and press mixture down firmly, topping with more hemp seeds or coconut. Cut into bars as needed. Lasts nicely for up to a week in the fridge.

Experiment with organic dried figs or goji berries in place of dates. They’re not as sweet, but are also delicious!

kJ 787 | Fat 14.5g | Carb 8.7g | Protein 4.7g | Sugar 7.5g

Notella

Ingredients (fills 435g jar)
•    40g cacao butter, finely chopped
•    ½ cup cold-pressed macadamia oil
•    ½ cup raw agave
•    ½ cup hazelnut butter
•    1 tsp vanilla powder
•    Pinch Himalayan pink salt
•    1⁄3 cup raw cacao OR organic cocoa powder

Method
Melt cacao butter in a glass bowl over boiling water. Remove from heat and, using a small whisk, mix in everything else until perfectly smooth. Pour into a glass jar and allow to thicken as it cools or use as is. It will keep out of the fridge – even longer in the fridge but will set quite firmly. It generally disappears in a matter of days.

Note the difference in flavour of this spread when using raw cacao over organic cocoa, or perhaps even try a mixture of both. The organic cocoa adds more mellow chocolate tones while the raw cacao creates a stronger and slightly earthier taste.

kJ 195 | Fat 6g | Carb 1g | Protein 0.8g | Sugar 0.6g

Forever young halva

Ingredients (serves 6-10)
•    4 cups finely ground sesame seeds
•    ½ tsp vanilla powder
•    ½ cup raw honey
•    1 tbsp raw agave
•    1 tbsp raw cacao powder
•    Bee pollen, optional, for sprinkling

Method
Use a coffee grinder to finely grind half-cup portions of sesame seeds until fine. Mix together ground seeds, vanilla and honey – hands may be necessary! Split the mixture, pressing two-thirds into a glass dish. Add agave and cacao to the remaining third and mix together well. Firmly press chocolate halva mix over the vanilla layer. Top with bee pollen if desired and chill to firm. Homemade halva keeps well in the fridge. Cut into chunks or slice as needed.

kJ 787 | Fat 14.5g | Carb 8.7g | Protein 4.7g | Sugar 7.5g

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