This Chocolate, Liquorice and Coconut Bark Recipe is such a little gem! The liquorice here has a twist… Did you know that black fennel seeds taste like liquorice?

Well, they do, and we use them whole in this recipe, as we like the little crunchiness they add to this treat. If you prefer a smoother feel, then you can simply grind the fennel seeds down to a powder and this will maintain an even texture. As usual, I recommend using the CoccoMio Coconut Oil at a softened state. This is because we don’t want to completely melt it but just warm it so that all of the added ingredients won’t sink to the bottom of your mould.

We want your Coconut Chocolate Liquorice Bark to be as pretty as they are delicious! ?

My aunty recently experienced some digestive problems… how can I put this… let’s say that she was feeling a lot of discomfort and embarrassment… I hope you catch my drift here… ? I was feeling sorry for her and wanted to do something. I always preach how our food should be our medicine but I’m a healthy person, now I finally had the opportunity to see if some simple foods could relieve her from her problem.

I knew that both Cinnamon and Fennel Seeds are renowned gastro-intestinal remedies.

Cinnamon is a popular spice. It’s high in cinnamaldehyde, which is thought to be responsible for most of cinnamon’s health benefits.

Amongst the many properties attributed to this spice, it is worth mentioning the following:

• Cinnamon contains large amounts of highly potent polyphenol antioxidants.

• These antioxidants have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower your risk of disease.

• Cinnamon may improve some key risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.

• Cinnamon has been shown to significantly increase sensitivity to the hormone insulin, making it a good ally to diabetes sufferers.

• Cinnamon has been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar levels, having a potent anti-diabetic effect at 1–6 grams or 0.5–2 teaspoons per day.

• Cinnamon has been shown to lead to various improvements for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in animal studies. 

• Cinnamaldehyde has antifungal and antibacterial properties, which may reduce infections and help fight tooth decay and bad breath.

There are two main types of cinnamon:

• Ceylon cinnamon: Also known as “true” cinnamon.
• Cassia cinnamon: The more common variety today and what people generally refer to as “cinnamon.”

The Cassia variety contains significant amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is believed to be harmful in large doses. All cinnamon should have health benefits, but Cassia may cause problems in large doses due to the coumarin content.
Ceylon (“true” cinnamon) is much better in this regard, and studies show that it’s much lower in coumarin than the Cassia variety.
Unfortunately, most cinnamon found in supermarkets is the cheaper Cassia.

You may be able to find Ceylon in some health food stores, and there is a good selection on Amazon.

The other protagonist of this recipe, Fennel Seeds, also bring many benefits to our bodies:

• Fennel seeds provide important nutrients, such as vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
• All parts of the fennel plant are rich in powerful antioxidants like chlorogenic acid, limonene, and quercetin — all of which may benefit health in different ways.