Step 1

Place pitted cherries, sugar and vanilla (if using) in a medium size pot.

Step 2

Set the pot on a low heat and stir frequently until cherries release their juices so there is no danger of the cherries getting scorched.

Step 3

Allow the cherries to simmer gently, until the fruit softens and the liquid changes into thick syrup (i.e. excess moisture evaporates) - it takes about 30-40 minutes depending on the juiciness of your cherries. Stir from time to time. Allow to cool.

Step 4

Transfer cherries and their juices to a food processor, add desiccated coconut, 2 tbsp (25 g) of coconut oil and salt and pulse a few times until you obtain a homogenous, sticky mixture.

Step 5

Line a tray or trays - I used two 20 cm / 8" x 10 cm / 4" banana bread tins with baking paper.

Step 6

Press the mixture into the bottom of your tin/tins - you can make the bars as thin or thick as you like - typically they are quite thin so I filled my tins to only about 1.25 cm / 0.5" height.

Step 7

Freeze for 2-3 hours to be able to slice the slab into bars neatly.

Step 8

Gently melt broken up chocolate and the remaining 1 tbsp (12 g) of coconut oil in a bowl suspended over a water bath.

Step 9

Once your chocolate has melted, take cherry ripe slab out of the freezer and cut into bars of desired size. Mine are 10 cm / 4" long and 4 cm / 1.5" wide.

Step 10

Dip each bar in the melted chocolate, drain it on your fork and set aside for the chocolate to set. Once it no longer looks wet, pop the bars into the freezer. Store in the freezer for up to a month.