Ceremonial Cacao Chocolates (vegan)

December 04, 2022

reading time: 3 min

It was Caro Arévalo who introduced me to the concept of a cacao ceremony, but it's thanks to Ksenia Brief that this recipe for ceremonial cacao chocolates came about!

These chocolate hearts are perfect if you don't have the time to do a full-on cacao ceremony, but you need some serious grounding or a high frequency pick-me-up – whether at home or on the go.

If you aren't familiar with this heart-opening and grounding ritual, I have dedicated an entire blog post on the topic of how & why to do a cacao ceremony, including its various benefits, an explanation of ceremonial cacao, and where to purchase ceremonial cacao, so make sure to head over there if you are interested to learn more about it.

Making your own chocolate at home is easy – and it gives you the power to make it as wholesome and healthy (or as decadent) as you want! In our case, we are using only 4 basic ingredients: ceremonial cacao, cacao butter, coconut oil, and coconut sugar or raw cane sugar, as well as a bit of salt and some amazing optional additions.

Beyond the mood-enhancing properties of chocolate / cacao, intentionally consuming cacao is a powerful way to reconnect with yourself, your intuition, your creativity, or a loved one.

Since cacao is a powerful stimulant, it's best not to consume these chocolates after 7 pm or within four hours of your bedtime.

These chocolates are an incredibly nutritious and potent dessert or snack, and of the highest vibe treats you can get! Dark, melt-in-your-mouth, decadent ~~death by chocolate~~ health by chocolate.

To me, they are the epitome of the "Anti-Dementor chocolate" in Harry Potter :) I also like the name "soul chocolates" for them ❤️

CEREMONIAL CACAO CHOCOLATES

adapted from Ksenia Brief and This Rawsome Vegan Life

Preparation time: 30 mins
Main ingredients: ceremonial cacao, cacao butter, coconut oil, sugar
difficulty level: easy
makes: 30-40 chocolates
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, nut-free, yeast-free

Ingredients

1 cup (160 g) organic ceremonial cacao, chopped (I use the heirloom variety of Ecuadorian Cacao "Arriba Nacional" – read more about ceremonial cacao here)
1/2 cup (70 g) organic cacao butter, chopped
1/3 cup (60 g) organic coconut oil
1/4 cup (35 g) organic coconut sugar or raw cane sugar (or more, if you like it sweeter)
1/2 tsp sea salt
(optional) 2 tsp adaptogen powder (e. g. reishi, ashwagandha, maca, chaga, cordyceps ...)
(optional) 1 tsp ground cinnamon
(optional) 1 tsp vanilla extract

(optional) a handful of chopped pistachios or almonds
(optional) a handful of whole goji berries or chopped mulberries

Instructions

When preparing these ceremonial cacao chocolates, I recommend doing it with healing intentions, and perhaps listening to grounding healing music such as the Mama Cacao song, or Earth My Body or The River is Flowing, or even 101 Power Thoughts by Louise Hay if that resonates with you.

Place cacao butter and ceremonial cacao in a double boiler or a heat-safe bowl over a small saucepan with water. Keeping it on a low heat, heat up until it starts to melt, stirring gently.

Once mostly melted, add the coconut oil. Stir to combine.

Turn off the heat and mix in sugar and salt.

This is optional, but I recommend adding some spices and superfood powders, such as vanilla, cinnamon and/or adaptogen powder.

Pour into silicone molds, cupcake papers or an ice cube tray, about 1-2 cm thick.

Sprinkle on some chopped nuts and/or berries, or whatever you like. Chia seeds, sesame, shredded coconut, buckwheat groats, cacao nibs, orange zest, rose petals ... what ever you like!

Set in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until solid.

Enjoy by yourself or give to someone who might need some ♥