Salted Caramel Chocolates

On Saturday, I attended a seminar on nutrition for fertility organised by a wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable nutritional therapist called Belinda Blake. She runs these workshops called Fabulous Foods, focusing on which foods can help for different conditions.
Each time the focus is on a different topic and on this occasion the subject was fertility. Throughout the seminar Belinda suggested delicious recipes made with specific foods that would help women looking to conceive, and each delegate got a sample to taste. Oh boy... There were smoothies, beetroot fish cakes, asparagus hummus and much more. However, this post popped into my head towards the last part of the seminar, the one dealing with libido. You heard me.. And since Valentine's Day is around the corner, I thought you MIGHT be interested in her recipe for Salted Caramel Chocolates. These mouthwatering bites contain magnesium, a mineral that many people seem to be depleted in and can help the body to  produce energy but also helps the nervous system to function efficiently.   

And.. They happen to also have Maca powder in them, Maca is a Peruvian root which, in addition to help the body deal with stressors, is also thought to have an aphrodisiac effect. Just saying..

So here it is.. 

Makes 12 

Ingredients for the chocolate:

70g cacao butter

60g coconut oil

Pinch of Hymalaian pinch rock salt

85g pure maple syrup or Sweet Freedom

65g Cocoa Powder

For the salted caramel centre:

8 fresh mediocre dates pitted 

2 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp pure maple syrup or Sweet  Freedom

1tsp Maca powder

Pinch of Himalayan pink rock salt 

To make the chocolate:

Bring a small pan of water to the boil and then take off the heat. 

Place the cacao butter, coconut oil and salt una. Heatproof bowl and place in top of the pan of steaming water, stirring occasionally until fully melted.

Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.

To make the salted caramel centre: 

Place all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth caramel.

To assemble:

Line a mini muffin tin with sweet paper cases.

Drop a spoonful of the raw chocolate into the bottom of each case and then place in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to set.

When firm to the touch, remove from the freezer and drop a teaspoonful of salted caramel into each cup, smoothing down where needed.

Lastly, spoon or pour the remaining raw chocolate into each cup, ensuring the caramel is covered.

Return to the fridge to set.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you..

Love,

Xxx

Foodolina

PS: The next Fabulous Foods events with Belinda are taking place at Institute of Optimum Nutrition (click on the link and call the institute on 020 8614 7800 to book your place) in Richmond, and here are the date for you all:

5th March 2016: Women's Health- The Menopause and Beyond
2nd April 2016:  Digestive Health
11th June 2016:  Pregnancy and Weaning

Should you want to have a one to one consultation with her instead, you can email her at: blakenutrition@googlemail.com