Sugar-free, Allergy-free Easter Candy: Choco-Coco Nests and Fudge Sunny Bunnies
(Dairy and gluten free, ACD and vegan option)
yield: 8 3"-inch nests
active time: 20 minutes
total time: 2 hours (includes chilling)
Choco-Coco Nests
Sweet and rich, these remind me of my childhood favorite: Milk Coconut Nests! Instead of using melted chocolate, I melted coconut butter and added cocoa powder. All the great chocolate flavor, without any added sugar or soy emulsifiers! The nests can easily be made with carob if you are on an elimination diet or if you are intolerant to chocolate. I make them with stevia, but feel free to use a natural sweetener of your choice instead. These are delicious, easy to make, and totally kid friendly. Sure to be a favorite!
1 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup coconut butter (Artisana, Tropical Traditions, or make your own à la HEAB) or Go Organic creamed coconut
2 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder
20 drops stevia or 1-2 Tbsp agave, honey, maple, or brown rice syrup, to taste
"egg" decoration: jelly beans, goji berries, freeze-dried blueberries, snipped apricots, almonds, cashews, etc
Line a baking sheet or tray with wax paper or parchment paper. Set aside. Get out your "egg" decoration and have ready to go!
Place coconut cream in a double boiler, or in a large glass bowl placed on top of a small pot of water (the bowl should rest on the rim of the pot, and be above the water). Bring water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let the coconut cream warm until smooth. Remove from heat. Add stevia/agave and cocoa/carob, and stir until smooth, then add shredded coconut.
Scoop 2 Tbsp of the mixture onto the lined baking sheet, spreading out into a 3"-wide mound. Create a small indentation in the middle, and press your "eggs" into the mixture lightly, so that they stick when the mixture cools. Once you've made all your nests, place baking sheet in the refrigerator to cool completely, about 1-1 1/2 hours.
Can be stored at room temperature, but may soften. For best freshness, store in a well-sealed jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days (though they won't last that long...).
Recipes and photographs Copyrights © 2010 by Kim Christensen
Source:
www.affairsofliving.com
