Dairy Free Hot Chocolate ~ Creamy Cashew Cocoa

Rich, creamy, & chocolatey - this cocoa is made to be sipped and savored, rather than chased down the gullet, but my kids are still working on the concept of savoring, as they would drink this by the gallon if I let them (and they've been requesting the recipe here, so that they are no longer reliant upon me when their need for smooth and creamy chocolate hits.) 

This is what I find 2 minutes after I've made this for them: 

Keep in mind that this recipe is a guideline, and amounts should be adjusted to taste - add more cashews for a creamier consistency, more or less cocoa powder for depth/darkness of chocolate, and more or less dates or maple syrup for desired sweetness.  

1 cup raw cashews

2 T. cocoa powder

12-14 deglet noor dates 

4 - 6 cups hot water

1/8-1/4 t. salt

 Dash (or two) cayenne pepper (optional)

Dash (or two) cinnamon (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla

100% maple syrup for additional sweetening (if needed...I don't need it, but my kids think they do)

Place all ingredients into a high powered blender -

 (or soak cashews for 4 hours beforehand in hot water.)

Blend for 3-5 minutes, until the beverage is heated, and all ingredients are thoroughly blended (er..blasted into microbits and emulsified into a delicious nectar, rather than still in chunks). 

Taste, and adjust for preference. 

Note, the salt brings out the sweetness, and the cayenne, cinnamon and vanilla add depth and a very subtle, difficult to figure out what the slight essence of flavor is, but oh so much yumminess! 

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