I can count with one hand the number of times I’ve made a baked dessert this year. I don’t particularly enjoy tasks that involve precise measurements and temps (I find it counterintuitive to go down this path when I use cooking as a de-stress mechanism). Bunging things into a pan is my jam.

This recipe involves no baking and no meticulous steps. I randomly came across it on Instagram and tried it the very same day. (It was one of those viral tik tok videos – I think it was called ‘raspberry jam bites’.) I always have frozen blueberries and chocolate in the freezer so that meant no shopping either.

I’ve never made homemade chocolates of any kind before. So I’m not sure what the process really entails, and I’m not sure if these are even homemade chocolates? But semantics aside, these little morsels involve no tempering or other fiddly steps.

The process really intrigued me: you cook down berries (I used blueberries) with a little sweetener until they burst open. Once the blueberries are just cooked through, you’ll see a lot of their runny juices in the pan. At this point we stir in chia seeds. The chia seeds soak in the berry juices and plump up, essentially working as a thickener. You’re looking for a chia pudding consistency. At this point, dollop small mounds onto a tray and freeze into solid pucks.

In the meantime melt the chocolate (microwave is easiest for the job). To assemble, you need the chocolate at room temp and the berry filling as frozen pucks.

Then it’s just a process of dipping each puck in melted chocolate. Do this quickly lest you end up with a wet puddle in your hands. (No big deal – freeze them again and repeat.) Refrigerate for 10 mins or so until the chocolate sets at which point you can dive right in.

These are easy to make and easier to eat, the only caveat being you’ll single-handedly go through the whole lot in three sittings. Just a guesstimate, not like I’m speaking from experience or anything.

BLUEBERRY & CHIA FILLED CHOCOLATES

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 250 grams chocolate (I used Van Houten dark)
  • 200 grams blueberries
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or other sweetener of your choice)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
  • First make the filling: place the blueberries, chia, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover and cook just until the blueberries start to pop – about 7 mins. Squish them down slightly with a spoon.
  • At this point, the chia will have absorbed all the liquid. You're looking for a chia-pudding-like consistency. If it appears too dry, add more water and cook. If it's too loose add 1 tbsp more chia and cook for 2 mins.
  • Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more honey if necessary.
  • Dollop small spoonfuls of the filling on the baking tray. Leave a gap between each. Freeze for at least an hour. This can be done up to a week in advance.
  • Break the chocolate bar into small pieces. Microwave on low in 1 minute bursts until melted. Stir between each run. Set aside to cool completely.
  • To assemble, we need the berry-chia filling frozen solid and the chocolate at room temp. Dip each berry puck liberally in chocolate.
  • Return each disc back to its spot on the baking tray. Do this quickly before the fillings start to melt. (If it melts, put back in the freezer and repeat.)
  • Place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate sets – about 10 mins. Once set they’re ready to eat. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

Notes

This recipe makes 8-10 2 inch chocolates.
Adapted from the tik tok video ‘raspberry jam bites’.
I used Van Houten's dark chocolate bar.
I’ve tried these with other berries and found that blueberries and cherries or a combo of the two tastes best. I also got the best consistency with these two.

 

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