Plant-based recipe developer and food stylist, Natalie Penny created these no-bake, gluten-free Chocolate Cups, using Firetree's Philippines, Mindanao Island 73% cocoa chocolate.
She says, "These tasty little treats are a cinch to make, and simply the perfect little pick-me-up! You can either make 12 dinky cups, or 6 larger ones – it's totally up to you. I finished them with a pinch of sea salt".
Makes: 6 larger or 12 dinky cups
INGREDIENTS
½ cup (125g) nut butter of your choice – I used peanut
½ cup (90g) oat flour
3 medjool dates, stoned
2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Good pinch sea salt
12 teaspoons syrup – I used oat (see Top Tip)
50g Firetree chocolate
Extra sea salt, to sprinkle on top
METHOD
- Place the nut butter, oat flour, dates, 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor, and blend until it clumps together.
- Take 12 mini muffin cases, and press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each – or, if you like, use standard-sized muffin cases, and divide the mixture into 6 portions, creating a hollow in the centre of the mixture to form cups.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of syrup into each cup, depending on their size, then place in the fridge to firm up.
- Place the chocolate and the remaining teaspoon of coconut oil in a metal bowl over a small pan of boiling water, and stir until melted. Don't let the water touch the bowl, or the chocolate might seize up.
- Remove the cups from the fridge and spoon 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate into each cup, depending on their size.
- Sprinkle with a little sea salt and place back into the fridge to set. Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
TOP TIP Natalie used oat syrup to create the caramel layer, but date syrup, brown rice syrup, maple, honey, or dulce de leche would all work just as well.
For more plant-based recipes from Natalie, visit her website or Instagram profile.
