Healthy Chocolate Bark Candy

My recipe for healthy chocolate candy can easily be made gluten free and sugar free. Try different nuts, dried cherries, even cinnamon and chipotle spice! 

Consuming a little chocolate and a little coconut oil daily has been shown to have many health benefits!

1 1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 to 1/3 cup good quality cocoa powder
stevia or coconut sugar to sweeten
3/4 cup salted peanuts or other nuts of choice
 a few teaspoons of caramel,
optional

Place chilled (this helps the chocolate to set up more quickly) nuts in the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. 

Melt oil over low heat in a small saucepan on the stove. Whisk in sweetener of choice until the sweetener is thoroughly dissolved. Pour the chocolate mixture over the nuts, making a thin layer in the bottom of the pan. Place pan in freezer to set up until firm, for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove from freezer and drizzle a small amount of the caramel (if using) over the chocolate with a spoon. Allow the caramel to harden a bit, then break up the now solid chocolate bark with a table knife and store in the refrigerator.

Makes: 2 cups of chocolate candy "bark".

This recipe is from my cookbook: "The Farmer's Daughter Cooks Gluten Free."

To watch a slide show "tour" of the cookbook, click this link:

Youtube slide show "tour" of book here:

Chocolate Torte

A torte is a rich cake made with little or no flour. Works for me; how about you?! This one is almost like eating a candy bar.

¾ cup GF flour blend

1/3 cup cocoa

Pinch of sea salt

¼ t. baking soda

8 ounces semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate*

¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks)

1¼ cups sugar

1 t. GF vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup toasted walnuts, separated**

Glaze

4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 350˚F. Use a non-stick 9 or 10 inch cake pan; no smaller.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda a set aside. 

Microwave chocolate and butter in a medium-sized bowl for one minute, stirring halfway though. Continue microwaving for 15 second intervals and stir mixture until smooth. 

Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then stir in beaten eggs, buttermilk and ¾ cup of the walnuts. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour batter into cake pan, tapping the pan against your countertop to assist in removing air bubbles. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and cool in pan for five minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack and cool completely.

Glaze: Place chocolate in a small bowl. Heat cream just until simmering and pour over chocolate. Stir until smooth and chocolate is completely melted. Pour glaze over cake and smooth over top and sides. Pat remaining ¼ cup of walnuts around the top of the cake. Serve cake when glaze is firm.

Notes:*I used Trader Joes giant-size Belgium chocolate bar. **I used black walnuts.

Option: I prepared a mixed berry glaze with mixed (thawed) frozen berries, 2 T. of raspberry preserves, and 1 T. of raspberry liquor and drizzled over the top of each serving. Decadent!

Makes: Eight to sixteen servings.

This recipe is from my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. It is available at:   

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-