Sunday, February 24, 2013

Paleo Elderberry Cocoa Bark



I've been reading about elderberry. Elderberry provides a huge boost to your immune system. People make elderberry syrup and elderberry jam. I'd ordered some freeze-dried elderberries from nuts.com. (I always get my big chunky coconut chips from nuts.com, too) They look like little freeze-dried blueberries, but they aren't as sweet.

I wanted to make a paleo elderberry cocoa bark, so I did. It's good.
 I melted 2/3 cup coconut oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. I took it off the heat and added:

3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
2 TBSP honey (pure maple syrup or real agave nectar would work, too)
2 tsp real vanilla
 I stirred this up and then added:
3/4 cup coconut chips ( the chunky coconut from nuts.com)
1/4 cup freeze-dried elderberries, optional (goji berries or nuts would be nice, too, if you don't have elderberries on hand)

I poured this mixture onto a foil-covered cookie and spread it out. I think I'll use wax paper next time, though. 


Anyway, I popped it into the freezer so it would set up. I left it about 30 minutes. Then I took it out and broke it up and put it in a freezer bag.  Most of us around here loved it, but if elderberry is new to you, you might not want to eat too much of it at a time. It's been known to make a few people nauseous, so that's my disclaimer. It's also known to cure nausea, so who knows? Maybe I will try to come up with something with cooked elderberry as an ingredient - that might make a difference.




2 comments:

  1. Hi! I tried this recipe last night for dessert but it did not freeze well enough to break, it stayed very gel-like and wouldn't snap apart until after it had been in the freezer overnight, and even then it starts melting immediately after it is out. Any tips to make it freeze solid?

    Thank you!

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  2. What coconut oil did you use? Were your elderberries freeze-dried? Mine comes out frozen every time. (I've been making it with nuts and goji berries for a long time - the elderberries are new)

    I mean, because it's coconut oil based, it begins to melt on your fingers when you eat it, but I've never had it not set up and be gel-like....

    Anyone else?

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