Celebrate Easter with these delicious refined sugar-free chocolates! These orange and lemon flavored chocolates are so easy to make and a healthier way to enjoy chocolates!
Chocolates for Easter
Chocolates have been a classic and fun way to celebrate Easter – but wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy chocolates in a healthier way?
If you’ve been wondering what sweet treats to have over Easter (with no refined sugar or food coloring) … look no further than these chocolates!
There is something truly satisfying about making healthier treats for yourself and your loved ones…. These chocolates help you avoid unhealthy ingredients including refined sugar whilst also bringing some fun and variety over the holidays.
These are also great if you are looking for an enjoyable Easter activity to do with the kids! Or to make as a kind chocolate gift! They will love the homemade touch and the fact that this is so much healthier than store-bought.
This recipe is based on our homemade healthy chocolates (and Valentine’s Orange Hearts) – with a twist.
Every bite of these are filled with warm dark chocolate notes balanced with refreshing and zesty orange and lemon flavors!
What is great about these chocolates is:
- No refined sugar is used – instead these are sweetened with refined sugar-free Grade A maple syrup.
- Fun activity for the whole family - you can turn your kitchen into a chocolate candy making workshop and enjoy this fun activity with the kids!
- Handful of ingredients – you just need a handful of ingredients to make this chocolate. Plus, you can adjust according to preferences.
- Healthier option to enjoy chocolates – in addition to being refined sugar-free, these chocolates contain no palm oil (unlike many chocolates you buy from a shop).
Notes on Recipe Ingredients
- Coconut oil: coconut oil helps to bind the ingredients together in the chocolate and as a substitute for cacao butter or cocoa butter. Use unrefined, organic, virgin coconut oil which is cold-pressed.
- Raw cacao powder: Raw cacao powder is pure and less processed than cocoa powder and gives the chocolates a richer taste (with more nutrients). You can substitute for natural unsweetened cocoa powder (avoid Dutch-process cocoa powder).
- Milk powder:this chocolate contains milk powder. You can use whole milk powder or skimmed milk powder. To make these chocolates vegan and dairy-free you can use coconut milk powder instead (these may bring out a subtle coconut taste)
- Maple syrup: this is used to sweeten the chocolate and gives it a nice depth of flavour, use 100% pure Grade A maple syrup (with no added sugar)
- Orange and lemon extract: to bring a zesty flavor to these chocolates. I recommend using natural orange extract and natural lemon extract (oil based vs water based) for the best texture in chocolates.
Optional – top with orange and lemon zest for decoration.
I prefer these chocolates with the quantities shared in this recipe and love the chocolate lemon and orange flavor. If you prefer milk chocolate you may wish to slightly decrease quantity of cacao powder and add a bit more milk powder.
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Equipment
- You will need a large bowl to combine the ingredients.
- You will also need silicone mold trays to shape the chocolates into Easter eggs, Easter bunny or other shapes. You can also use silicone molds for other shapes including love hearts, stars and seashells.
How to Make these refined sugar free chocolate candies
- Melt the coconut oil. Using either the double boiler method or by melting in the microwave. To use the double boiler method: add ¾ cup water to a saucepan and heat, then place a steel bowl (with the coconut oil inside) on top of the pan, the steam from the pan will melt the coconut oil. Alternatively add coconut oil into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 50-60 seconds, or until melted. Transfer the coconut oil into a large mixing bowl.
- Sift in the cacao powder and milk powder and stir to combine. Remove the bowl of melted coconut oil from heat (if using double boiler method). Using a sieve, sift the cacao powder and milk powder into the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add maple syrup and orange + lemon extract. Add the warm maple syrup and use a silicone spatula to gently mix to combine. (Note: use room temperature maple syrup or warm maple syrup in the microwave for 15 seconds before adding). Add the orange extract and lemon extract and mix to combine once more.
- Shape the chocolates using molds and freeze. Fill a spoon or two of the chocolate mixture into each mold space and gently press the chocolate into the mold using your thumb/finger. Transfer to the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove chocolates from mold/tray. Once set, remove the solid chocolates from the silicone/ice cube tray. Push the bottom of the silicone tray to allow each chocolate piece to gently be removed from the tray, place onto a plate.
- Serve and enjoy. Allow chocolates to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving for the best texture. Alternatively, transfer into a container store in the fridge (or freezer) for later.
Tips for making the BEST Easter chocolate
- Silicone mold/tray – I recommend using Silcione molds, these come in different shapes and are flexible (so you can easily remove chocolates from the tray). Ensure the tray is dry before adding the chocolate mixture. You can also make this mixture into a chocolate bar (using silicone molds for chocolate bars).
- Use dry equipment – make sure equipment (including bowls, spatulas and tray) is dry to prevent moisture from entering the chocolate, this will cause the chocolate to seize. This means the ingredients separate forming clumps and can occur when the melted chocolate comes into contact with moisture.
Storage Tips
- These chocolates should be stored in the fridge – as they are not tempered they will melt at room temperature. You can store these in the fridge for up to a week, or freezer for up to 3 months.
- Wrap chocolates in foil, ensuring they are kept flat and not clumped together, transfer wrapped chocolate in an airtight container or zip lock bag to keep fresh.
How to serve
These chocolates can also be enjoyed with other sweet treats for Easter including marzipan, crunchy chocolate granola clusters, chocolate peanut butter mini pies and no-bake cookies!
Related
Check out our other refined sugar-free recipes:
Easter Chocolates (Orange and Lemon Chocolates)
Ingredients
- 40 g Coconut oil
- 20 g Cacao powder
- 28 g Milk powder
- 34 g Maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Orange extract
- ¼ teaspoon Lemon extract
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil in a large bowl (using either the double boiler method or in the microwave).
- Using a sieve, sift the cacao powder and milk powder into the bowl and stir to combine with the coconut oil.
- Add the warm maple syrup and use a silicone spatula to gently mix to combine. Add the orange extract and mix to combine once more.
- Fill the chocolate mixture into each mold space and gently press the chocolate into the mold using your thumb/finger. Transfer to the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- Once set, remove the solid chocolates from the silicone tray. Push the bottom of the silicone tray to allow each chocolate piece to gently be removed from the tray, place onto a plate.
- Allow chocolates to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving for the best texture. Alternatively, transfer into a container store in the fridge (or freezer) for later.
Notes
- Silicone mold/tray – I recommend using Silcione molds, these come in different shapes and are flexible (so you can easily remove chocolates from the tray). Ensure the tray is dry before adding the chocolate mixture.
- Use dry equipment – make sure equipment (including bowls, spatulas and tray) is dry to prevent moisture from entering the chocolate, this will cause the chocolate to seize. This means the ingredients separate forming clumps and can occur when the melted chocolate comes into contact with moisture.
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