Raw & Vegan Chocolate Desserts: Chocolate Sauce 5 Ways

Dark chocolate has moved up in the world- once sinfully delicious, now a “superfood” with more antioxidants than blueberries and the highest concentration of magnesium than any other food. If eaten as part of a raw whole foods based diet, chocolate helps protect us from aging and chronic disease, calms our nerves, relaxes our muscles, helps us sleep and makes us happy.  And this Raw Chocolate Sauce is guaranteed to deliver comfort and joy this holiday season- in any of the 5 delicious healthy recipes ideas below.

In the Chocolate Sauce recipe, use either raw cacao or natural cocoa powder- the only difference is that the cocoa powder is made from roasted seeds of the cacao tree, while the raw cacao is cold-pressed from fermented beans. So cocoa powder is not raw but raw cacao, if not properly fermented, can be bitter and acidic.  It is a personal choice and for many, taste trumps purity. Another consideration is raw cacao product quality and integrity since the raw food market is relatively unregulated. Safety and sustainability are an important part of any raw, vegan or gluten-free diet. If you feel deprived or the food doesn’t deliver, the diet is not sustainable. Remember- the goal is to eat more raw food to live a healthy and happy life.  This chocolate sauce can be a friend along the way.

Raw Chocolate Sauce

Makes 1 cup

1 cup agave nectar

1 cup cacao powder (or natural cocoa powder)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Chocolate Mint Glaze:

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

For Chocolate Mocha Glaze:

½ teaspoon coffee extract

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. If too thick add more melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon at a time.  Add flavor extracts as desired.

1. Chocolate Dipped Fruit: Dip cut up fresh fruit into glaze for a delicious fruit fondue. Pineapple, strawberries, bananas, orange slices, star fruit and kiwi all work beautifully.

2. Chocolate Dipped Macaroons: Dip Hail Merry Blonde & Choco Macaroons into glaze for a decadent rich raw cookie.

3. Raw Chocolate Mocha Pudding Tarts: press a Hail Merry Macaroon into a mini cupcake tin. With a small ice cream measure, scoop Chocolate Chia Pudding into macaroon-lined tin. Chill for 30 minutes and then drizzle with Chocolate Mocha Glaze before serving. Garnish with fresh fruit and mint leaves.

4. Banana Split: slice a banana lengthwise and then into 4 spears. Top bananas with plain coconut yogurt, and drizzle decoratively with maple syrup and Chocolate Mint Glaze. Garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately.

5. Frozen Sundae: Drizzle glaze over raw ice cream or sorbet and top with chopped Hail Merry Vanilla Maple Almonds.