Chocolate Crackles

We can all no doubt remember eating chocolate crackles as a kid – they were the staple at so many of my friends’ birthday parties (alongside fairy bread and Cheezels of course!). And well, I have to admit – I still like them … a lot! As do my kids. The bad news? Well, icing sugar (bad!) cocoa (bad!) and well … copha … what exactly is copha?

Yes, copha is coconut oil … but it is hydrogenated, RBD coconut oil (refined, bleached and deodorised). Hydrogenated means that the oil has been through a process where the oil has been heated and had hydrogen added (to make it stay solid at room temperature) but this is where the oil goes rancid. Copha also has soy bean lecithin in it which is a very bad ingredient.

To get all the benefits of any oil or fat you want it to be as natural as possible. For this reason you should avoid things like margarine which contains “trans fats” aka partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated fats.

By substituting buckwheat for rice, you are adding a powerhouse seed while eliminating grain, by replacing sugar with rice malt syrup or stevia you are eliminating the fructose content (and carb content if you use stevia). By using extra virgin coconut oil you are avoiding toxic oils, and by choosing raw organic cacao powder you are eliminating the added sugars found in traditional cocoa.

What is buckwheat? This is what Lee Holmes, author of Supercharged Food has to say about Buckwheat:

“[Buckwheat], is a show-stopper on my radar, and the perfect replacement for these deceitful carbs that are the main ingredient in so many popular meals. Buckwheat is native to Northern Europe and Asia, and is known as a working man’s crop due to its ability to withstand poor soil conditions, freezing temperatures, droughts, and excess rains. Did you know that buckwheat isn’t even a grain at all, but technically a fruit seed that’s related to rhubarb? It’s also a brilliant gluten free grain replacement that’s tolerated well by people with wheat sensitivities and Celiac disease.

Buckwheat boasts a heck-of-a-lot of health benefits; containing the eight essential amino acids, several minerals including; zinc, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, copper and magnesium, and is high in B vitamins that are essential to energy production and the optimum functioning of your digestive system. 

Buckwheat actually controls blood sugar levels rather than sending them sky-rocketing like white varieties of rice. It does this by significantly lowering blood glucose and insulin responses. Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reveals that buckwheat may be an important dietary inclusion to help manage diabetes. The placebo-controlled study revealed that a single dose of buckwheat seed extract lowered blood sugar levels by up to 19% within 90 minutes. The component responsible is believed to be chiro-inositol; a property known to play significant roles in glucose metabolism and cell signaling. Buckwheat is therefore a spectacular option to keep your mind and body stable, and full of sustainable energy throughout your day. Energizing and bursting with nutrition, buckwheat is available throughout all the seasons.”

So as you can see, we have now created a chocolate crackle that has ingredients that are good for you! Yes .. not only are they not bad for you, but they work to improve your health.

Don’t overindulge though –  even though they are healthy, they are still considered a treat.

There are about 83g of carbs per 100g of buckwheat (2 cups equals about 100 grams).

Chocolate Crackles

Ingredients: