Minty Cocoa

Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk or non-dairy milk*
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
• pinch salt

Directions:

Heat and whisk milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

Homemade Fresh Coconut Milk:

*For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Serve with natural marshmallows.

Kelly from Monterey, California, won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your recipes here!

Coconut Cream After Dinner Mints

Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Chocolate Coating:

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Mint Filling:

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3/4 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate
• mint extract, (to taste)
• 4-6 tablespoons raw honey, (to taste)

Directions:

Coating:

Gently melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler. In order to temper the chocolate (avoid discoloration and textural annoyances in the finished product), you have to follow these steps. First, melt the chocolate, stirring often until the chocolate is 113 degrees F. Next, cool the chocolate, stirring often until it is 81 degrees F. Finally, reheat just until the chocolate is 88 degrees F, then it’s ready to pour into molds.

Filling:

While the chocolate is cooling, in another double boiler, melt together the coconut oil, Coconut Cream Concentrate, and mint extract. Stir as you heat it till everything is smooth and thick (just a few minutes; use the thermometer to make sure the temperature is under 100 degrees F). Add the honey.

Divide half the chocolate mixture between the cubes in a heart-shaped silicone ice cube mold (or use paper muffin cups), pouring a bit into the bottom of each section.

Pinch off bits of the coconut/mint mixture and divide between the sections, filling them nearly to the top (this works better if the mixture has cooled enough to be thick, and you can put a little ball of it into each mold).

Divide the remaining half of the chocolate mixture by pouring over the top of each section of the mold and chill thoroughly in the fridge before popping the mints out to enjoy. 🙂

This makes a bunch of hearts or maybe a dozen mint patties if you’re using the muffin cup molding technique.

Recipe and photo submitted by Sarabeth, Ithaca, NY.

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