Prep Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 cups, or 8-9 servings

1 cup raw cacao butter, melted in a jar inside a hot water bath or in a dehydrator
1 cup raw cacao powder, sifted so all lumps are broken down
1/3 cup Coconut Nectar, or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
¼ tsp ground cayenne (optional)
pinch high mineral salt
½ cup dried fruit: cranberries, cherries, goji berries, chopped apricots or other
½ cup raw almonds, pecans, or other nut/seed, coarsely chopped

1. Arrange the coarsely chopped nuts and dried fruit inside a muffin pan, ice cube tray, silicone mold or pie plate, so the nuts and fruit are mixed well and uniformly spread.
2. Next, using a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix cacao powder, high mineral salt and optional spices together until well mixed.
3. Then, add the melted cacao butter to your dry mixture and stir quickly until everything is completely incorporated.
4. Lastly, add your liquid sweetener of choice and stir quickly until everything is completely incorporated and you have a bowl of sweet chocolate goodness before you.
5. Carefully pour the chocolate mixture into the molds over the fruit and nuts until they are uniformly covered.
6. Place the muffin tin, pie plate or chocolate molds in the freezer for about 30 minutes until the chocolate firms up.
7. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Dark Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark will last for up to 3-months Stored in the freezer, it will keep for up to 6-months, if you can keep it around that long!!

A Note from Alicia:

I admit it. I am a raw choco-holic. I love raw chocolate – how it tastes, how I feel when I eat it… and I love to share it! Believe it or not, I do share it from time to time… There are very good reasons why raw cacao is such a special ingredient, and why so many men and women all around the world love and adore it so.

Ingesting cacao stimulates the production of some pretty amazing chemicals in our bodies that mimic what it feels like to fall in love. *sigh* It’s also filled to the brim with magnesium, and antioxidants, so a little raw chocolate on a semi-regular basis can actually boost your beauty and health in some pretty amazing ways.

Just keep in mind that almost anything that is pleasurable in small amounts can become painful in large doses… So go easy with this Dark Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bark. This is a powerful food, and a little goes a looong way.

Last but not least, this chocolate has not been tempered, meaning it will begin to melt when left at room temperature. So store this yummy chocolate bark in the refrigerator or freezer, and if you travel with it, keep it on ice! Enjoy!

PS: This recipe doubles and triples well!