Chocolate Cashew Crispy Cups
It is often the simplest of things that bring the most joy and these nutty little chocolate cups are just that! The crunch of the popped quinoa pairs beautifully with the creamy cashews. This no bake snack takes less than ten minutes to bring together and makes a dozen crispy cups to munch on.
I recommend this recipe for students when revising for exams or have a long essay to write. This is because dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols which are known to increase cerebral blood flow which in turn can help with focus and cognitive performance. Cashew nuts are a wonderful source of tryptophan which helps to create our neurotransmitters including serotonin that help us through intense and stressful times of our lives.
Keep a stash in the fridge or the freezer. They defrost really quickly so you can pop one in your mouth whenever you need a pick-me-up. They are naturally gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free, and easy to make nut-free (see notes below).
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Chocolate Cashew Crispy Cups
Ingredients
- 150 g Dark Chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids cooking chocolate)
- 100 ml Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 80 g Cashew Butter
- 50 g Cashew Nuts
- 15 g Popped Quinoa
- 0.5 tsp Sea Salt (flaky)
Instructions
- Place a silicone 12 muffin mould onto a flat tray. Set aside ready to fill later.
- Melt the dark chocolate, maple syrup, coconut oil and cashew butter in a bain-marie (a mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water).
- Meanwhile toast the cashews in a dry pan for a few minutes until just turning golden. Tip onto a chopping board and chop into small pieces.
- Into the chocolate mixture, add the chopped cashews, popped quinoa and flaky sea salt, and stir until fully combined.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the 12 muffin moulds and press down slightly. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
- Remove the Crispy Cashew Chocolate Cups from the silicone moulds and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- You can buy popped quinoa from health food shops and online in large packets that can make several batches. If you don’t have any popped quinoa, then replace this with puffed rice or puffed spelt cereal or some drained chickpeas.Â
- You could replace the whole cashews with another 50g of cashew butter to make a smoother version – it’s quicker to make but you’ll lose some of that lovely crunch.
- Nut-free – switch the cashew butter to 80g tahini (sesame paste) or 2 heaped tablespoons miso (soya paste) and the cashew nuts to pumpkin and sunflower seeds.Â
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you’re not going to eat them all within a few days, then you can store them in the freezer in an airtight container for three months. They take about 15 minutes to defrost but are also delicious eaten straight out of the freezer!
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