Spirulina almond chocolate bark

Ingredients

• 200 g dark chocolate (70% or above), chopped
• 8 g spirulina powder
• 60 g whole almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
• Sea salt flakes
• Optional: 2 tablespoons dried goji berries or cranberries

Method

1. Melt chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water — no direct heat. Remove from heat when three-quarters melted; stir until the rest melts in the residual warmth.
2. Stir spirulina into the chocolate until fully incorporated and no streaks remain. The chocolate will turn a deep, almost black-green.
3. Pour onto a baking-paper-lined tray. Spread to 4–5 mm thickness.
4. Scatter almonds, any dried fruit, and sea salt over the top. Press lightly.
5. Refrigerate until set solid, at least 1 hour. Break into irregular shards.

Why this pairing works

Dark chocolate's flavanols and spirulina's phycocyanin are both antioxidant compounds. The fat in chocolate maximises absorption of spirulina's fat-soluble carotenoids. This is technically a raw preparation since the chocolate is melted, not baked — phycocyanin is largely preserved.