If you’ve got the perfect meal lined up for your loved one but are stuck for dessert ideas, then we at healthy have just the recipe for you from CHOC Chick (find it in Holland & Barrett stores).
Simple and delicious, this fondue may sound (and taste) naughty, but by dipping in chopped up fresh fruit, you can still give yourself a dose of goodness alongside the indulgence. Strawberries are a fantastic source of vitamins C and K; bananas can help lower blood pressure; melon is full of potassium – key for heart health; and grapes are packed with antioxidants. Plus, cocoa is an anti-depressant and choc-full (sorry) of antioxidants [find out more about its great benefits and another delicious recipe here]. And, for those of you who are already planning on cracking open the champers to celebrate this day of love, you can add some into the recipe – safe in the knowledge that research shows this tipple can help boost memory (though probably not come the next morning if you enjoy a bit too much).
Sold? So are we. Here’s how you can serve up this gooey delight:
Ingredients
50g CHOC Chick organic cacao butter
3 tbsp CHOC Chick organic cacao powder
2 tbsp agave syrup or honey
4 tbsp champagne
1/4 pint double cream
Chopped fresh seasonal fruit (read why such strawberries, bananas, melon and grapes are our picks, above)
Method
1. Prepare the raw chocolate by melting the cacao butter in a bowl over a pan of water (or in a Bain Marie) on a low heat. Once melted, add the cacao powder and the agave syrup or honey to taste, and mix well with a metal whisk.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the champagne, which will thicken the mix.
3. Add the double cream and mix well.
4. Transfer to a fondue set (a candle burning food heater – ensure a low heat so the CHOC Mix does not boil), or simply keep the warm pan under the bowl and use fondue forks or skewers and dip the fruit/marshmallows/cake in the warm chocolate mix. Make sure the fruit is dry before dipping by dabbing it on a paper towel – the water from the fruit can cause the warm chocolate to separate.
5. If there’s any left over, coat the fruit in the CHOC Mix and leave to set in the fridge for around half an hour to set, then to enjoy later on.
If you give this delicious fondue a go, send us a pic! Tweet us @healthymag.