Matcha Mint No Bake Cups (vegan andes mints, eight o'clock thins)
Whether you are fan of Andes Mints or Creme de Menthe drinks, you'll love these healthy copy-cat treats that are full of nutritious whole foods including fresh mint leaves and matcha and are no-bake so quite easy to mix up!
1teaspoonfresh mint leaf pulp(chop 2 leaves up finely, and use a mortar and pestle to ground to a pulp, adding ½ teaspoon or more of water to create a pulpy texture.)
Mint Matcha Layer
1cupraw cashews(soaked overnight and rinsed to improve creamy texture and digestibility)
2teaspoonmatcha powder(ceremonial grade, not culinary which has less flavor)
4tablespooncacao butter(or melted coconut butter - see notes!)
Mortar and pestle(not necessary, you can use a spoon to ground the mint leaves, but I do love this old fashioned tool - useful to grind lemon zest, garlic, all sorts!)
Instructions
Prep
Soak the cashews and dates overnight in separate containers of water. Rinse the next day, and pit the dates.
Make the chocolate base:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor or a blender until crumbly to sticky. Press into mold. I don't grease this mold, but you might want to with a bit of coconut oil. Or use paper cupcake cups in a tin; not sure how many, maybe 4-6?
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make the Match Mint Layer
Blend up ingredients, including rinsed and soaked cashews in a food processor or blender.
Spoon onto of the chocolate base circles, and freeze at least an hour. Remove from molds when they seem solid. Store each circle in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
Just before serving, stir up ingredients for chocolate glaze in a bowl with a spoon and dot a bit on top. Or make the glaze ahead of time and have it stored in the refrigerator ready to go. You might have to stir it up and add a drop or two of maple syrup if it seems too stiff.
Notes
Warning: Be careful to store essential oils away from children as they can be poisonous if accidentally taken in large quantities. You can use peppermint extract instead for this recipe, however beware that extracts have alcohol-content which can cause beading in recipes with healthy fats.