Salted Pure Cacao Popcorn

With a new year upon us, I know many people (myself included) have jumped back into healthy eating after being a bit excessively indulgent over the holidays. Now, I am all for if you want a cookie eat a cookie- but I may have slipped into wanting a cookie and then eating twelve. And then subsequently being on an insane sugar high that very much so pleased my sweet tooth, but not so much my mind. So, I’ve decided to be (quite) a bit more mindful when it comes to my sugar intake this coming year- but if you know me at all you know that my sweet craving is strong so there will be plenty of them ingested, just minus sheer gluttony.

Enter Cholaca. I was invited by Sprouts Farmer’s Market to a fun chocolate-based event up near Boulder this past December to be introduced to a brand Sprouts carries- Cholaca. And because I wouldn’t be able to say it any better, in their own words: ‘Cholaca is pure liquid cacao made from one of the planet’s most nutrient-rich superfoods. This delicious product, available as a liquid or in baking wafer form, is also a natural stimulant and mood enhancer that can be enjoyed on its own and easily used in multiple recipes and is vegan, gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly!’ Essentially, it is the purest form of chocolate available and because of that, it blank slate for creating what you want to taste. In this case? Salted Pure Cacao Popcorn.

Before we begin, I do have to say this is pure cacao, so because of its lack of sugar- it is intrinsically bitter and packs quite the- think extremely dark chocolate. The unsweetened liquid cacao and baking wafers have two ingredients cacao and water- so you’ll be adding your own sweetness based on your palate. So, feel free to add or subtract sugar to the popcorn mix below!

Salted Pure Cacao Popcorn Ingredients

1/2 Cup Unpopped Popcorn Kernels (Makes About 10 Cups Popped)
1/2 Cup Cholaca Baking Wafers
2-5 Tablespoons Sugar of your Choice (I used 3 Tbs)
1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
Himalayan Sea Salt (to taste)

Salted Pure Cacao Popcorn Instructions

1 In a double boiler melt the baking wafers.
2 While wafters are melting pop your popcorn. I use an air popper– if you don’t have one I would strongly recommend one. I use mine constantly!
3 When the pure cacao is melted, stir in coconut oil (to help with viscosity), and sugar to taste. I would start with 1-2 tablespoons and add in sugar until you like the sweetness. Remember that this will be paired with sea salt to you don’t have to be over generous!

4 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the now-popped popcorn into an even layer.
5 Using a spoon or a label, drip the melted chocolate mixture over the popcorn using as much or as little as you’d like. Pure cacao does give quite the energy kick, so I mix chocolate covered popcorn with plain popcorn so I don’t get hyper!

6 While liquid is still wet sprinkle with sea salt.
7 Pop the entire tray into the freezer for about 5 minutes or until liquid has hardened, break apart with your fingers, and enjoy!

Now I came up with this idea because I was dipping popcorn into the liquid form of Cholaca that had already been sweetened much like chocolate fondue. But this way you can choose the sweetness level, and make a chocolate snack that is beautiful to display!