Magical Cacao
Prep 10 minutes
Serves 1
Gluten-free, Vegan (optional)
I’ll admit it: I’m a bit obsessed with drinking cups of this seriously comforting cacao. I’m not so much into coffee these days, and there’s only so much herbal tea you can drink (to be fair, I still drink a lot of it!). But my daily cup of cacao is my thing. My ritual. My experience. My moment among the craziness of juggling work and parenting life. Right now, I would not be without it! And it’s just as good whether enjoyed in quiet solitude or shared while chattering with a friend. Over the years, this recipe has got more and more indulgent, to the point where now I’m basically just drinking a dessert from a mug. A bit ridic… but I’m okay with that! Here it is for you now – I hope you love it as much as I do. The cacao buttons are a ‘sometimes’ treat for me (expensive), but they make it insanely good.
Ingredients
4 pitted dates, chopped (see tip)
1/2 cup soy milk or coconut drinking milk (see tips)
1/3 cup water (see tip)
2 tbsp full-fat coconut cream (see tip)
1 tbsp cacao powder (or ceremonial grade cacao buttons)
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp almond butter (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
2 tsp (or 2 buttons) cacao butter (optional)
To serve (optional)
Cacao nibs
Marshmallows (see page 98 Nourish)
To make
Add all ingredients to a saucepan over a medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to warm up and nearly start to simmer. Transfer to a blender or bullet and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then blitz until silky smooth.
Transfer back to the saucepan and bring up to your preferred drinking temperature if it’s not hot enough.
Pour into a favourite mug, add a homemade marshmallow or some cacao nibs if you have them, and enjoy!
Tips & Swaps
– If you’re using medjool dates, you’ll only need 2 per person.
– Bonsoy is the only soy milk I can truly recommend, as it’s non-GMO, organic and contains no cane sugar or seed oils. And it’s DELICIOUS – creamy and fresh.
-Soy milk goes really thick when blended, which is why there’s water added. If using regular milk or another plant-based milk, you don’t need the water – just use extra milk in it’s place.
– I recommend finding a good coconut drinking milk without vegetable/seed oils or rice syrup/cane sugar.
– I use the thickened coconut cream from the top of the can.
