Join Me for Merienda: V and GF Homemade Dark Chocolate

Hello everybody!

So, I've been busy freezing in my region, but trying to keep warm by keeping busy by testing out recipes etc.This is a quick post and is originally derived from a post that I shared for the 21 Day- Dairy Free Challenge, group on facebook that was sponsored by So Delicious. If you follow my blog; you know already that I am Vegan; so joining the group was for fun and also a way to show support to others who are trying to change their lifestyles. It's been fun so far and helping one another in whatever capacity that we are able to do so, has always been my way of life =) 

I love dark chocolate and I do believe that dark chocolate loves me back, too! =)

I will have to keep on refining the recipe, but for now, here is a a decent one that yields a yummy and dark chocolatey bar of goodness. You can play around with the ingredient add-in's as you go along.

This one was embedded with more toasted sunflower seeds and toasted coconut

You can see the original batch has a grittier texture due to the coconut sugar, as well as the add in's of coconut and sunflower seeds.

This is the 'plain,' batch made with the 'powdered,' organic coconut sugar

This 'plain,' batch with the 'powdered,' organic coconut sugar, yielded a smoother texture

It's really easy and quick to put together as long as you have all the ingredients.

Ingredients:

Roughly a little more than 1/4C of organic coconut oil, melted

4-5Tb Cacao Powder

A Handful of organic coconut sugar (you can grind this with a mixer into a powdered sugar consistency; if you want a smoother bar, otherwise mixing it in as is, will just give you a crunchier texture)

A pinch of Himalayan pink sea salt

A tiny splash of pure vanilla

*A pinch of powdered Moringa

Toasted unsweetened coconut

Toasted unsalted sunflower seeds

*This can easily be omitted, as it may be difficult to procure in the U.S.

Method:

Melt the coconut until liquid, add in the sweetener of your choosing and dissolve to combine as much as possible. Then add in cacao combining well until fully incorporated. Next add in the Himalayan pink sea salt, pure vanilla, optional powdered Moringa and lastly a handful of the toasted coconut and sunflower seeds.

Pour the mixture into the mold of your choosing and tap it to remove excess air bubbles. Top with additional sunflower and coconut; if desired.

Place into the fridge or freezer to harden uncovered for at least 15 minutes.

I usually wrap my bars in parchment paper and then keep them in a container with a cover in the fridge. I'm sure you could freeze them, but would they really need to last that long? ;p

I love being able to make these bars from scratch because it's really economical and a fun way to satiate your creative pleasure and craving, while still being healthy.

As I mentioned earlier, you can play around with flavors and add-in's.

I tried one batch adding in some organic orange oil and it reminded me of some fruit truffles that I had enjoyed in the past. I had another batch that had some organic lavender and ground vanilla bean sugar mixed with it and it tasted lovely =)

I did try to do a batch with carob powder and it didn't taste bad, but the texture is much different than cacao based bars (as anybody who has eaten carob confections vs. chocolate confections in the past, knows!) So, I will be working on that version for the future. 

This original recipe was thrown together in a span of less than 15 minutes; so I'm sure I'll be updating it again in the future. Until then, please feel free to follow this blog and leave me comments or questions in the section below!

Wishing you all much success!!!!

Love,

Jessica <3

*P.S. : The formatting for this post was weird, but as long as you can read it, I'll be glad.
I'll come back later and change it up ;)

Join me for Merienda: Jess' 2 Kinds of Sweet Tamales: Almond,Pepita and Mulberry & Walnut/Sunflower, Fig and Cinnamon

Saludos Amigos!

You have entered Jess' Sweet Tamale Town. I hope that you enjoy your stay and of course, enjoy the food.

I was making corn tortillas from masa the other day and seeing as how simple that was; decided that I would try to make Sweet Tamales. I knew I wasn't going to make the traditional Mexican style Tamales because I didn't have any dried corn husks, but I did have banana leaves in the freezer. I don't consider this some kind of 'Nu-Asian' or 'fusion' cuisine because people in the Philippines do make Tamales wrapped in Banana or Palm Leaves.

This is a very easy snack to put together and the most time consuming thing is probably the time it takes to steam them, which is about 30 to 40 minutes depending on what kind of steamer that you're using.

Gracias por su ayuda!!!

Maseca! If you don't have the luxury of being able to purchase freshly made masa from a tortilla factory or local Latino market; the next best thing is to use Masa flour, also sometimes known as 'Maseca.' It's very easy to work with as you only need to add water and a pinch of salt to create your masa.

I only took photos of the batch that I made with the wild mulberry jam, almonds and pepitas; so those will be the ones that you see below. Once you have mastered this recipe; you can let your creativity run wild and come up with some really wonderful combinations for yourself. Right now, I'm thinking of making a batch of Chocolate Tamales; so that will be another interesting time in the 'lab.' ;p

Jess' Sweet, Almond, Pepita and 

Fresh Mulberry Jam Tamales-V,GF

Yields around 8 Tamales

Prepare your Steamer of choice

Ingredients:

*Freshly made Masa  for 8 Tortillas (Prepared according to the instructions on the package of the Maseca)

1/2-3/4C Organic Unrefined Sugar

Pinch Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

1/2 C coarsely ground almonds

Handful or two of organic pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 C Fresh Mulberry Jam

Pinch of Nutmeg

1tsp Baking Powder

4-5 Tb Organic Ground Flax Meal

1/3 C Neutral Oil such as Canola or Grapeseed Oil

Banana leaves cut into appropriately sized squares. Washed, dried and then oiled on the filling side.

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Jess' Sweet,Fig, Walnut/Sunflower Seed 

and Cinnamon Tamales-V,GF

Yields around 8 Tamales

Ingredients:

*Freshly made Masa  for 8 Tortillas (Prepared according to the instructions on the package of the Maseca)

1/2-3/4C Organic Unrefined Sugar

Pinch Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

1/2 C coarsley chopped Walnuts or  Organic Whole Shelled Sunflower Seeds

1/2 C Organic Fig Preserves or chopped reconstituted dried figs

1 tsp Cinnamon

1tsp Baking Powder

4-5 Tb Organic Ground Flax Meal

1/3 C Neutral Oil such as Canola or Grapeseed Oil

Banana leaves cut into appropriately sized squares. Washed, dried and then oiled on the filling side.

*I was just talking to my brother and asking him what a good substitute for masa would be (for those who want to avoid corn) and he said that he thinks that Amaranth flour might be a good substitute. I think it could work because Amaranth has a nutty and earthy flavor.

Method:

This is a very quick recipe if you have everything ready to go, especially the steamer and the banana leaves.

In a big bowl mix all ingredients together, being sure that all ingredients are evenly distributed. I like to add in the jam/preserves, once the dry ingredients have been mixed in because it seems to mix more evenly that way. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons worth of filling in each Banana leaf. You want to wrap it as neatly snugly as possible without squeezing the filling out.

Banana leaf that has been washed, dried and oiled.

Homemade Wild Mulberry Jam. 

This is what the masa mixture looks like before I add in the Wild Mulberry Jam.

The Wild Mulberries have come to town!

Mulberry Jam has been evenly distributed throughout the masa.

Masa that has gotten the banana leaf wrap treatment and is waiting for the sauna

This recipe should yield around 8 tamales, but it depends on how big or small you've decided to make them. If you have any leftover filling; no worries, just use oil small oven safe ramekins and fill those in and steam those separately from the banana leaf wrapped tamales for the same amount of cooking time.

I start from the edge and then roll it up and then tuck in the two ends underneath.

You don't really need to oil your steamer basket; if you have a liner in there, but you might want to just lightly oil it just to be sure that nothing sticks.

I arrange them evenly  in the basket and then I set the timer for 30 minutes.

I use an electric steamer because it's more energy efficient and much easier to heat and clean up as opposed to the stove top version, but you can use whatever you have. However, if you have the money to invest in a premium rice cooker/steamer; I would highly recommend buying one. I cook so many things in my cooker/steamer, way beyond just rice and steaming vegetables and dumplings. There will probably be a future post about electric steamers, but let's get back to to the tamales!

Serving:  You can serve them as is, but if you're plating them I would open up the Tamale leaving the Banana leaf underneath it and slicing it on the bias in 3 or more sections and then topping it with more Preserves or fruit.

Naked tamale fresh out of the steamer.

Dressed tamale with more of the homemade Wild Mulberry Jam.

Storing: If you plan to eat them within a few days, I would store them in an air tight container in the fridge, but if it's any longer than a week; you should individually wrap them and freeze them in a zip top bag. Always label and date whatever you're freezing . To reheat them from the freezer, I would put them in the steamer for 15-20 minutes.

I shared both kinds with a friend the other day and they tasted just as good from the freezer as they did when they were freshly steamed for the first time.

So, that is all from Jess' sweet tamale town for now. Perhaps in the future there will be a visit from Jess' savory tamale town, but in the meantime; please do, give the sweet tamales a try and let me know what you think of them.

Wishing you all good health and happy cooking!

Love,

Jessica