Tis the season to throw open our windows (unless of course you live in Burlington, Ontario and then it’s still too darn cold), enjoy the tulip bulbs beginning to shoot through the soil (but hopefully not before our next frost or late season snowfall) and to  purchase our Easter Hams (well if you are a vegan that really doesn’t add up). But wait – there’s always chocolate right?! Yep – definitely chocolate.

The inspiration for this recipe started when I picked up some cute little silicone daisy trays at the Bulk Barn and I was fondly remembering the homemade chocolates my mom used to make when my sister and I were kids. Just out of curiosity I decided to take a peek at what exactly those meltable chocolate wafers (that are often used to make chocolates) are made out of- and I was more than a little freaked out. This is the actual ingredient list for the Blue Chocolate Molding Wafers:

Sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel and cottonseed oils, nonfat dry milk powder, milk, glyceryl lacto esters of fatty acids, soy lecithin added as an emulsifier, artificial colour, salt, artificial flavour.

Yeesh! So I decided to make my own homemade chocolate and still retain the yumminess factor to celebrate this festive Easter season.

Not to brag but these little chocolate flowers were tasty. Fudgier than store-bought chocolates but still melt-in-your mouth smooth and rich. And the best part is they are made with all-natural ingredients that won’t clog up our bodies or the bodies of our little bunnies with toxins and dyes. So this of course means you can be like me and eat at least 4 in one sitting with absolutely no guilt ; )

Happy Easter!

Homemade Easter Chocolates

4 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut cream (the thick cream on top when you open a can of full-fat coconut milk)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. raw cocoa powder
4-6 tbsp. raw agave nectar (depending on desired sweetness – you could also use maple syrup or liquid stevia if preferred)
Pinch of fine grade sea salt

Melt coconut oil over low heat. Add vanilla, coconut cream, cocoa, agave and salt. Stir to combine.

Spoon chocolate into *molds and place them in the freezer for 2 hours or overnight. Gently pop out and serve. Store in the freezer because they will melt at room temperature (I’m actually thinking one or two of these babies melted in a cup of non-dairy milk would also make a killer hot chocolate!)

Enjoy.

* Note: I used silicone molds for these chocolates and they worked well but I think paper cups or parchment paper would work too although there is a risk of the chocolate sticking to the paper.