Paleo Raw Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

By ROBandSEAN

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups (230g) shredded coconut, processed into coconut butter
• 3/4 cup (210g) agave nectar
• 2 tbsp (40ml) cacao powder
• 2 tsp (10g) vanilla vodka (extract)
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
• 2 cups (170g) finely shredded coconut

Preparation

Step 1

Process 2¾ cups of shredded coconut in your food processor until it is completely smooth and creamy. Stop often to scrape down the sides.
Mix coconut butter, agave, cacao powder, vanilla vodka and salt in a large bowl.
Add 2 cups of finely shredded coconut and mix well.
Scoop small tablespoons of mix onto a dehydrator tray/sheet.
Dehydrate at 42ºC for 24-36 hours, until the macaroons are dry on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Tips
If you want to save time and effort, you can make extra coconut butter by processing extra shredded coconut, and then use it for other recipes (or more macaroons). This amount makes enough for one batch of macaroons, around 1 cup or 220g.
Even though the original recipe used maple syrup, I prefer to use agave nectar, but you can just use your favourite liquid sweetener (coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc).
I use vanilla vodka instead of vanilla extract in my recipes, but you can use either. Vanilla vodka is made by soaking vanilla beans in vodka for a couple of months, but if you’re not so keen on the alcohol, see if you can find a vanilla extract with a low alcohol content.
I like to use pink Himalayan crystal salt in my recipes. It’s got lots of extra essential minerals in it, and apparently tastes better too. I figure if I’m going to use salt, I might as well use the best! But if you don’t have any, regular salt will work just fine, I promise.
I’ve discovered that using finely shredded coconut for the second lot of coconut tends to makes better macaroons than coarsely shredded coconut. If all you have is coarsely shredded coconut, just pulse it in your food processor briefly and it will magically turn into finely shredded coconut.
Although I’ve never tried this, apparently you can bake these in the oven at 150°C for 20-25 minutes, until they’re dry on the outside, if you don’t have a dehydrator. Restrain yourself for long enough so they can cool completely before you eat them, please!
These macaroons can be stored for 5 days on the bench, 2 weeks in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
If you want to reduce the fat content of these macaroons, you can substitute half the shredded coconut with coarsely ground rolled oats.