For me chocolate is something I eat a small amount of most days, I only eat the 90% chocolate and I have learnt to love it’s bitter sweet flavour. Dark 90% chocolate has lots of health benefits it is a fabulous antioxidant and is rich in polyphenols. It can be hard to get 90% chocolate in New Zealand, so I was thrilled when Nelson chocolate company Divine Chocolate was able to supply 90% chocolate in 500gm bars, plus it tastes fantastic. Their small single person sized beautifully packaged chocolate deliciousness is available all over Nelson and in some other South Island towns plus many places in Wellington, but I do expect that it will soon be all over New Zealand, check out their range at Divine Chocolate.

The first recipes I wanted to make with this beautiful chocolate are three different chocolate pots or truffles that really let the chocolate shine through. These are all dairy free and very easy to make. I like these unsweetened as I have developed a likening for the bitter clean taste of dark chocolate, plus there is added sweetness from the addition of avocado or nuts or berries, but if you need extra sweetness then add a very small amount of stevia to each recipe.

1. Activated cashew and salt,  nutty and salty these can be made into chocolate pots or truffles.

2. Avocado and chilli, creamy and spicy, these can also be made into truffles or chocolate pots.

3. Berry and coconut, fruity and smooth, just chocolate pots for these.Ingredients for the salted cashew chocolate pots or truffles.

1/2 cup of cashews, soaked for minimum of 3 hours or up to 12 hours.

for truffles use 75gms of 90% chocolate, for a softer chocolate pot version use 50gms of 90% chocolate.

a scant 1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan salt.

1 tablespoon of cacao powder for the truffle version.

Break or cut the chocolate into small pieces and add to a small bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Just leave this to gently melt and remove from the heat just before it has completely melted, it’s important not to over heat it.

Add the soaked and drained cashews to a small blender and blitz for about 1 minute until it looks like crumbs, then add 2 tablespoons of water and blitz again until it is thick and creamyAllow the chocolate to cool and then add the cashew cream and salt. You don’t want to add the cool cashew to hot chocolate because it will seize up too much and may split.  Mix together, if you are making chocolate pots quickly spoon the mixture into 4 small containers, I like to use retro sherry glasses, purchased from hospice shops or available from nana, this is very rich so each portion needs to be quite small. The truffle version will work out a bit stiffer as it has more chocolate in it, use teaspoon amounts and roll almost immediately into about 8 balls, have a plate ready with the cacao powder on it to roll the balls in. Leave everything to set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, if you can wait that long. Pots are about 10gms of carbs each, truffles 6gms each.Ingredients for the avocado chilli chocolate pots or truffles.

1/2 a large avocado or 1 small, total about 100gms.

75gms of 90% chocolate for the truffle version and 50gms of 90% chocolate for the softer chocolate pot version.

a scant 1/4 teaspoon of chilli flakes

1 tablespoon of cacao powder for the truffles.

you may wish to use a tiny amount of stevia in this recipe, equivalent to 1/2 teaspoon.

Break or chop the chocolate up into small pieces and add to a small bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, allow to gently melt without stirring, remove from the heat just before it has fully melted, it’s important not to heat it too quickly or too much.Add the avocado to a small blender and blitz along with the chilli until smooth.Allow the melted chocolate to cool and then add the avocado and gently stir to combine. It’s important not to add the avocado until the chocolate has cooled quite a bit or it may seize up or split.Spoon the mixture into four small containers, I like to use retro nanas sherry glasses but any small dishes or bowls will be fine, this is very rich so portions need to be small. For the truffle versions roll teaspoon size bits on a plate that has the cacao powder on, you may need to let it set a little bit more if the mix is still too soft to roll. Makes about 8. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to fully set. The chocolate pot version is about 7gms of carbs per pot and the truffles about 4gms each.Ingredients for the berry coconut version

1/2 cup of full fat coconut cream, additive free.

1/2 cup of frozen berries, I am using boysenberries.

75gms of 90% chocolate.

Break or chop the chocolate into small pieces and add to a small bowl along with the coconut cream over a saucepan of barely simmering water, gently heat until the chocolate has melted, then stir to combine, remove from the heat to cool.

Add the berries to a small blender and blitz until smooth then add the cooled chocolate mixture, it’s important not to add the chocolate mix until it has cooled down or it may seize up or split. Blitz to combine.Spoon the mixture quickly into four little bowls, I like to use either sherry glasses or wide necked retro champagne glasses, available from hospice shops or nanas all over New Zealand. This is very rich so only small portions are needed. About 12gms of carbs per serve.Decorate the chocolate pots with whipped coconut cream, berries, nuts and chocolate shards.