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The Paleo Chocolate Cookbook

By: Ben Hirshberg

36 Healthy and Delicious Homemade Chocolate Bar Recipes for Your Primal Sweet Tooth!

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Copyright © Ben Hirshberg, 2013

Version 1.4

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FOR GRANDMA DAR

You’re the biggest chocolate lover there is!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PURPOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 EXPERIMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CLASSIC FLAVORS

Classic Dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

NUT/SEED FLAVORS Almond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Brazil Nut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Cashew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Hazelnut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Macadamia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Pine Nut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Pumpkin Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Sunflower Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Walnut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

FRUIT FLAVORS Apricot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Banana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Blueberry Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Goji Berry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Mango . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Papaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 !Pineapple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Raspberry Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Raisin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

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CREAMIER, FUDGE-LIKE FLAVORS Almond Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Almond Butter Crunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Cashew Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Cashew Butter Crunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Hazelnut Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Hazelnut Butter Crunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Macadamia Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Macadamia Butter Crunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Sunflower Seed Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Sunflower Seed Butter Crunch . . . . . . . . . . 36

OTHER Coconut Flake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Coffee Crunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Cool Peppermint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Trail Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

UNIQUE FLAVORS Bacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Goat Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Spicy Cayenne Cinnamon . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Wasabi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 OTHER TITLES BY BEN HIRSHBERG . . . . . . 46

What If (After a Tough Day) You Could Eat a Tub of Ice Cream...

And Feel GOOD About Doing It?

30 Different Recipe Flavors

Full of Nutrients and Healthy Fats

100% Paleo Ingredients

Incredibly Easy to Make

Enjoy Ice Cream with Zero Guilt

It turns out that you can. Ice cream, if made properly, can be a Paleo superfood!

If you like The Paleo Chocolate Cookbook, then you’re going to love The Paleo Ice Cream Cookbook!

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PURPOSE This book was written because I see a lot of people

restricting themselves in the pursuit of good health. Eating the foods we love and staying healthy can be a difficult balance to strike, because the food we grew to love before learning about nutrition may not be the most health promoting. We don’t want to put crap in our bodies, but restricting the foods that we allow ourselves to eat just doesn’t seem right. My solution to this predicament is finding a way to make all of our favorite foods healthy. Hence, Paleo Chocolate!

These recipes are my answer to the conventional chocolate bar. I find store-bought bars to have unhealthy ingredients, be expensive, or taste less than stellar. With the homemade chocolate bars my goal was to create a recipe that was simple, healthy, and tasted wonderful. After making a base recipe that I was happy with, I decided to try making different flavors. The end result of those experiments is this book. If I could pick 36 chocolate bar flavors to be sold in a store, the recipes in this book would be those flavors.

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QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS The quality of ingredients that go into your chocolate is

important! A cheap store-bought honey will likely impact your health differently than a jar of raw honey from the farmers market. Obviously everyone should do what is within their means and worrying too much about quality of ingredients is counterproductive, but it is something that should be considered where health is concerned.

EXPERIMENTATION

Please experiment with all of the recipes in this book! If you prefer coconut oil to butter, substitute it. If you want to try half coconut oil and butter, then go for it! I enjoy butter in my chocolate recipes, but your taste buds could have a difference in opinion. More subtle substitutions should be tested out as well. Try using 1 cup of almond butter instead of a 1/2 cup, or try using salted butter instead of unsalted butter and sea salt. The recipes in this book were formulated the way they are because that is how they tasted best to my testers and me. But everyone is different, so play around with the recipes!

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CLASSIC DARK INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

This is the base recipe. You can try it without the sea salt if you want, but I think it helps bring out the flavor of the chocolate. The bigger and coarser the salt the better!

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ALMOND INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup crushed almonds DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in almonds. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you take out the almond butter from the second recipe, this is what you get. A less fudgy texture and a more chocolaty taste. When I am in the mood for a true chocolate bar but still want the almond crunch, this is my go-to.

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BRAZIL NUT INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup crushed

Brazil Nuts

DIRECTIONS: 1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in brazil nuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Brazil nuts have a unique nutritional profile and a unique taste. You can roast ‘em if you want, but I prefer to stir them in raw.

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CASHEW INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup crushed

cashews DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium sauce pan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in cashews. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Cashews taste like a combination of pine nuts and almonds to me. There is a subtle sweetness in there, but it is a soft flavor. Make sure enough salt is added and this flavor might become a favorite.

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HAZELNUT

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup crushed

hazelnuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in hazelnuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Big in Europe though underrated in the United States, Hazelnuts pair extremely well with chocolate. If you like

peanuts, give hazelnuts a try and see if you become a convert!

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MACADADAMIA

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup crushed macadamia nuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in macadamia nuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Macadamia nuts are a favorite among health nuts and it’s easy to see why. Try them for their health promoting properties and stay for their tropical taste. Salted macadamia nuts taste phenomenal with chocolate.

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PINE NUT INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup pine nuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in pine nuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Pine nuts are mellow creatures without too strong of a flavor. The salt is crucial in this recipe, as it makes for a nice, balanced chocolate bar. I use a touch more honey in this one as well.

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PUMPKIN SEED INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in pumpkin seeds. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Pumpkin seeds don’t burst with flavor, so I don’t eat them alone often. But on chocolate? Scrumptious!

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SUNFLOWER SEED INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup sunflower

seeds DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in sunflower seeds. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Sunflower seeds provide a bit of crunch and a distinct flavor. If your seeds are unsalted be sure to add a healthy sprinkle of salt to complete this recipe.

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WALNUT

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup crushed walnuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in walnuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Walnuts are a tasty, easygoing addition to the standard chocolate bar. I also love subbing pecans for walnuts when I have them in the pantry!

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APRICOT

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup dried apricot DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in dried apricot. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

I find apricot to be the fruit version of pine nuts: they have a nice and mellow flavor. The dried apricot gives this recipe a nice, chewy texture.

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BANANA INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 small banana,

thinly sliced DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Mix in banana slices 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Bananas don’t have as much moisture as other fruits, but they still work wonderfully with chocolate, as anyone who has dipped bananas in chocolate will tell you. Banana chips also work really well if you want more of a crunch with the flavor of banana.

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BLUEBERRY RIBBON

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup blueberries

(fresh or dried) DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in blueberries. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Though dried blueberries work quite well in chocolate, I prefer fresh blueberries. They add moisture just like raspberries but with the unique taste of blueberries.

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GOJI BERRY

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 3/4 cup goji berries DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in goji berries. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Goji berries! Their health benefits may be a little overhyped, but their taste doesn’t get enough attention. They make for a deliciously chewy chocolate bar.

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MANGO

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup dried mango DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in dried mango. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

I prefer dried mango over real mango, though trying both is a good idea. This flavor works well when you are jonesing for something sweet. I use a bit less honey in this recipe.

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PAPAYA

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup dried papaya DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in dried papaya. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Yum! This flavor combines island appeal with chocolate flavor! Using real papaya will produce an odd, unique taste that you may like. I stick with the dried stuff.

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PINEAPPLE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup dried pineapple DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in dried pineapple. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Pineapple is a mix of papaya and mango for me. When I want something that tastes summery and exotic but also sweet, this is the flavor I opt for, though I omit a drip of honey in this one too.

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RASPBERRY RIBBON INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup raspberries DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in raspberries. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

The raspberries taste silky smooth in this recipe! Fresh raspberries give the chocolate a bit more moisture, and the flavor goes really well with the cocoa. Blackberries can be substituted really well too, and is worth trying if you are fond of blackberries.

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RAISIN INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup raisins DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in raisins. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you like chocolate-covered raisins then you’ll love this recipe! Less sweet than some of the other dried fruit flavors, yet still very satisfying. This flavor tastes especially good to me after a nice hike.

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ALMOND BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup almond butter DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

almond butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Admit it. Sometimes you want to eat a whole jar of almond butter. Put the spoon down, save some almond butter, and mix it in some chocolate!

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ALMOND BUTTER CRUNCH INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup almond butter 2/3 cup crushed almonds DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

almond butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in almonds. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

The almond butter almost makes this flavor taste like fudge more than chocolate. That’s why the crunchiness the nuts give make this recipe heavenly! If you can roast your almonds then all the better.

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CASHEW BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup cashew butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

cashew butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you like peanut butter but aren’t a fan of almond butter, give cashew butter a try. It is very easy on the taste buds. And, of course, it also goes great with chocolate.

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CASHEW BUTTER CRUNCH

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup cashew butter 2/3 cup crushed

cashews

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

cashew butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in cashews. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Like cashews? Like fudge? Then you definitely need to try this recipe!

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HAZELNUT BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup hazelnut butter DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

hazelnut butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you like the flavor of hazelnuts but find the texture to be less than satisfactory, try using hazelnut butter. Though my hazelnut butter was quite chunky, the soft hazelnut texture that turns some off wasn’t present.

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HAZELNUT BUTTER CRUNCH

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup hazelnut butter 2/3 cup crushed

hazelnuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

hazelnut butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in hazelnuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you’ve tried hazelnuts and gotten hooked, then this recipe is the next step. Next stop: buying hazelnuts in bulk from Amazon.

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MACADAMIA BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup macadamia

nut butter DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

macadamia nut butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

The macadamia nut butter I use is chunky, which makes for an interesting fudgy taste. Whereas almond butter guarantees a smooth finish, a chunkier texture means a more interesting mouth-feel.

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MACADAMIA BUTTER CRUNCH

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup macadamia

nut butter 2/3 cup crushed

macadamia nuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

macadamia nuts butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in macadamia nuts. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

What’s better than macadamia nuts and chocolate? Obviously macadamia nuts, chocolate, and macadamia nut butter! Less salt is needed in this recipe than just macadamia nuts and chocolate.

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SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup sunflower

seed butter DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

sunflower seed butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Sunflower seed butter is seen as a gift sent from heaven by those with peanut allergies. The taste is certainly different than peanut butter, but it has a similar texture and nutty/salty taste. The honey in this recipe makes sunflower seed butter taste better than ever.

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SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER CRUNCH INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup sunflower

seed butter 1/2 cup sunflower seeds DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

sunflower seed butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Mix in sunflower seeds. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you love the taste of sunflower seed butter but want some crunch, try this chocolate bar. With an extra sprinkle of salt on top this flavor is a winner.

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COCONUT FLAKE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup shredded

coconut DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Mix in shredded coconut. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

If you like macaroons and chocolate you should like putting shredded coconut into chocolate! A chewy texture is accomplished, though it is different than the mouth-feel from the other dried fruit flavors.

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COFFEE CRUNCH

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup finely ground

coffee beans DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Mix in coffee grounds. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Even if you don’t like coffee chances are high you will like ground coffee beans in a chocolate bar. The crunch is unsurpassed by even the nut flavors and the taste is delectable. Coffee is a definite favorite.

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COOL PEPPERMINT

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp mint extract DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

mint extract, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Mint is a great flavor and a fantastic addition to chocolate. You can try adding mint leaves to the mixture, but I don’t enjoy plants in my chocolate bars!

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TRAIL MIX INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/8 cup sunflower seeds 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup goji berries 1/4 cup dried cherries 1/4 cup crushed

macadamia nuts DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, cherries, and macadamia nuts.

5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

The works! Like fruit and nuts together? This might be the flavor for you. Trail mix works super well for snacking because it is less rich than a traditional chocolate bar and much more varied in flavor.

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BACON INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/3 cup bacon pieces DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. Mix in bacon pieces. 5. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet

of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Mmm bacon! This flavor probably won’t be for everyone, but bacon lovers should enjoy it. I like to cook my bacon extra crispy for this recipe and cut them into very small pieces.

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GOAT CHEESE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 cup goat cheese DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

goat cheese, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

On its face, goat cheese chocolate sounds weird. It tastes amazing though, giving the chocolate a nice creamy texture. Definitely worth a try!

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SPICY CAYENNE CINNAMON INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cayenne powder DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

cinnamon, cayenne powder, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

For those that like Mexican hot chocolate, spicy cayenne cinnamon has potential to be a favorite. This chocolate bar has a kick though, so be warned! If you don’t do well with spice, go easy on the cayenne powder.

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WASABI INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 tbs wasabi DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. 2. Once butter is completely melted, mix in cocoa powder,

wasabi, vanilla extract, sea salt, and honey. Stir constantly until a thick, homogeneous texture is achieved.

3. Stir the chocolate mixture rapidly for another thirty seconds. Be careful not to overcook or the chocolate will burn. Remove from heat.

4. While mixture is still warm spread smoothly over a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until firm. For harder chocolate keep in refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy!

COMMENTS:

Wasabi is probably the strangest flavor included in this cookbook, but it tastes right for certain moods. It does have a bit of a kick, so if you have the courage to try it don’t go overboard on the wasabi!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ben Hirshberg is a twenty-year-old Seattle native

currently attending the University of Puget Sound, where he studies nutrition. He has his Personal Fitness Trainer certification through WITS, his Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification through NASM, and Youth Exercise Specialist certification also through NASM. He writes for his personal website, BenHirshberg.com, as well as for Natural News, Paleo Lifestyle Magazine, Paleo Living Magazine, and Paleo Magazine, for which he is a regular contributor. Ben’s hobbies include hiking, reading, cooking, writing, playing sports, not wearing shoes, and traveling. His motto is to live well and help others live well.

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