Leez

Everyone has their own take on how to make cocoa crack. I've been working on it for a long time, and this is the recipe that I've come up with that I find is best tasting. I've arranged it in a quantity that is good for a one-day serving for me. Making it in small batches helps keep things under control. However, I seldom find that I even want more than this in a day. Of course---adjust amounts and additions to your taste.

2 T. coconut oil, melted
2 T. regular cocoa powder like Hersheys (I think the dutched cocoa is too dark and strong for this candy)
1 T. xylitol (powdered) I use my Xylitol/Stevia blend
pinch of pink salt
5-6 drops Capella Vanilla Custard flavoring

Mix together and pour into a 6-inch styrofoam plate. Chill till hardened, then "crack" up into pieces.

The powdered xylitol helps give some body to the candy, but you can certainly substitute a flavored stevia if you would rather. I imagine the Vanilla Cream flavor would give a similar result, although I haven't tried it. Sometimes stevia alone is bitter with chocolate though.

Everybody does normal versions like chocolate mint or coconut, but I thought I'd share some of my fave variations/additions. I always like something crunchy in it:

Turtle Crack: Add Cappella caramel flavor to the above and some chopped pecans.

Trail mix Crack: Add toasted redskin peanuts and raisins

Steak-Day Crack: Add macadamia nuts and/or coconut flakes. Or try my new favorite: Add about a tablespoon of coarse ground coffee beans instead. I love the crunch, and what is better than coffee and chocolate together? Cocoa nibs will add crunch too. The extra fat from the coconut oil candy seems to help my steak days work better.*


Salted Pumpkin-seed Crack: Add some roasted, salted pumpkin seeds and before the candy sets, coarse grind some pink salt on the top. If you are in P4, take it up a notch with a splash of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur.

Cherry Nut Crack: Add chopped unsweetened dried cherries and either walnuts, almonds or pecans.

Rich Gurl Crack: Add pine nuts and goji berries. (Sensitivity caution: goji berries are in the nightshade family)

(* Caution: Eating cocoa crack on a steak day may be considered off protocol if you don't consider that cocoa powder is a spice, but I don't see a lot of difference between using this or a gob of coconut oil to cook your steak in. Cocoa powder is mostly fiber.)