You know Roses and Quality Street chocolates and how they have that strawberry flavour? That used to be my all-time favourite!
I haven’t had these in ages, partly because they’re not vegan, but as it is with my dessert recipes, I feel like I think in my head they’d be good, it mulls in there for a while, and then bam! a few months later, I’m like ‘I can combine this, and this, and this, and voila!’.
I had that moment with my strawberry creams recipe and I’ve been dying to try it out and they worked out perfectly.
They’re so melt in your mouth delicious and they’re not sickly sweet either, and they leave that delicious ‘dark chocolate’ taste in your mouth after you’ve eaten them.
As I was making them though, I realised something.
I think I’ve been on a bit of a sugar high! When I talk about sugar, I don’t mean white sugar – I mean maple syrup, coconut sugar, fruit juice, fruit, agave syrup.
I wrote a post on sugar not so long ago, that talked about the different types of sugar and has a handy chart too (as much of a reference for you as it is for me!).
In normal circumstances, I eat a few pieces of fruit each day (usually an apple or two and some berries), and that’s about it, but lately:
- I made and scoffed those cranberry and spirulina bliss balls
- I made muffins for Rosco and happily ate about two from each batch (Apple and Cinnamon and Blueberry, Coconut and Almond)
- I wolfed down nearly all those chocolate crackles to myself
- I’ve been indulging in those nudie fruit box drinks as I rush out the door for breakfast, I’d say at least three times a week
- My work very kindly gave me a few blocks of Pana chocolate in Raw Cacao flavour (a block is only six pieces) and I pretty much died and went to heaven, ate it all and have had a constant stock in my house ever since
- Plus the usual fruit
I’m cool with sugar, but I think it needs to be a few pieces of fruit a day, and then a treat once in a while.
… But I had this magical brainwave with these strawberry creams
Of course, I tested the block of chocolate before using it (had to check I was using quality ingredients!), licked the spoon of the remaining chocolate, had a few more pieces, tasted my creation… a few times… you know… just to be sure.
Just to confirm with you… they’re pretty awesome!
… and then I had a massive headspin and had to sit outside in the fresh air for a few minutes.
Sitting there in the veggie patch, I listened to my body.
It said ‘Woah Nelly’
So I think I need to steady on with the sweets for a few months…. as soon as I finish these strawberry creams…. and the block of Pana Chocolate currently in the fridge…. then I’ll have a break for a few months. 🙂
- 1 block of dark chocolate (make sure it is a good brand - I used Whittakers)
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ⅔ cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons strawberry oil
- Get your chocolate moulds or little petit four cases out and ready.
- Break about a third (or even a bit less) of your chocolate up and melt it - I'm a bit of a cheat - I do mine on direct heat for a few moments, and then switch off the heat and let the heat of the pan cook the rest as I constantly stir. The safe way is to melt it in a bowl that is sitting in boiling water.
- Pour a tiny bit of the melted chocolate into the bottom of each mould (and swirl it up the sides too if you're getting technical) so you've covered the bottom.
- Put aside in the fridge to harden and start your filling.
- Put the coconut, coconut oil and maple syrup together in your blender and blitz it for several minutes, until the mixture is quite a creamy mix.The more you blend, the more the coconut breaks up.
- Add one teaspoon strawberry oil , quickly blitz and taste with a fresh spoon (you don't want to add too much). I used two teaspoons all up, but you might use more or you might use less depending on how you want the taste to be.
- Put the coconut mix in the fridge to harden a bit (about 10-15 minutes).
- Once it has hardened, spoon it into the cases on top of the dark chocolate and try not to have it touching the edges (easier said than done! I got a little skewer and where I'd been particularly messy, just used the skewer to push it away from the edges so much).
- Then, melt the rest of the chocolate and pour over the top, making sure you cover the sides first, and then the top.
The amount of dark chocolate you melt depends on how many moulds you have - this will make about 10-12, although I don't recommend reducing the quantity of the coconut mix because it makes it harder to blend the coconut. What I did with the leftover is put it into little flat love heart moulds on its own to make a lovely creamy mix (almost like a white chocolate). The coconut mix will also keep in the fridge (covered) for a few weeks.
Learn from my experience - don't lick the spoon that has had the strawberry oil on it - it burns your mouth!!!
P.S. Check me out at the Virtual Vegan Potluck