Overview
A highly treasured food that dates back to 2000 BC, cacao, combined with dried fruits and nuts creates a delightful treat that is boosted with healthy calories for cardiovascular support, gut microbiome and stem cell function.
This recipe uses raw cacao in its purest most beneficial form, plus dark chocolate which contains the highest amount of flavanols of any type of chocolate. The tart sweetness of the apricots and the light crunch of the pecans blend wonderfully with this chocolaty goodness. We encourage you to try any combination of nuts and dried fruits in this recipe.
https://drwilliamli.com/7-pleasantly-surprising-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/
Vegan
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 – 14 clusters
Allergens: Contains nuts
Ingredients:
- 4-1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder (raw, unprocessed cocoa powder)
- 1-1/2 cups pecans
- 1/2 cups unsulfured dried apricots cut into 1/4″ pieces
Preparation:
Lightly toast raw pecans in a 350’ preheated oven for 3 minutes. Add more time as needed to toast, monitoring so as not to burn. If using roasted pecans this step is not needed.
Melt the chocolate pieces and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler pot or in a small heat tolerant bowl placed in a saucepan with 1-2” of water that has been brought to a gentle boil. Stir continually for about 2-3 minutes or until chocolate and oil combine. Remove from heat and add the cacao powder, stirring until smooth.
Add the pecans and apricots and combine until chocolate covers both. If chocolate remains you may add more fruit and nuts as needed.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Shape as desired. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Once chilled, use cookie scoop or roll into 1” balls. May be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.