Vegan, dairy free, refined sugar free.
Put down the store bought muesli bar and leave all those refined sugars behind, cause when you try our Dark Choc Granola Bar you won't need a packet one again. This dark chocolate granola bar ticks all the boxes for taste, texture, nuttiness and sweetness. It is the perfect snack to hit the sweet spot, while still being full of healthy whole grains and nuts for nutrition, Adapted from Sarah Britton's 'Honey Almond Granola Bars', our version is completely #vegan, topped with our three ingredient vegan dark chocolate. Easily swap the nuts and dried fruit for whatever you have on hand, just make sure you toast the nut before hand for that extra crunch.
THE BASE:
200g oats
135g raw almonds
55g brown rice crisps
85g dates chopped into small pieces
125ml maple
125ml roasted smooth peanut butter
3tbs coconut oil
1tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
1/2 cup cacao butter
1/2 cup cacao powder or cocoa
1/4 cup maple
M A K E T H E B A S E :
1. Pre-heat oven to 180*c and line a baking tray to roast ingredients and grease and line a rectangle slice tin with coconut oil and baking paper. (coconut oil helps paper to stick and not move around when pressing the mixture.)
2. Roast the oats, almonds and brown rice crisps one at a time in the baking tray until lightly golden and crispy, let cool and roughly chop the almonds into small bite size pieces, then pour all into a large bowl, sprinkle with salt.
3. Place maple, peanut butter, coconut oil and vanilla in a small saucepan and melt over a low heat while whisking to combine until mixture is runny and smooth.
4. Pour warm liquids over the oat mixture in circular motion. covering as much as possible, then use a spatula to scrape out the excess from the saucepan. Mix well to combine, folding and pressing the mixture so that everything is wet and sticky. You need to work quickly so the mixture doesn't cool and set.
5. Pour mixture into lined tin and press firmly with spatula or back of a wooden spoon until evenly spread. Mixture will be wet and sticky, if you are having trouble pressing it into the tin grab a piece of baking paper the size of the tin and place over the mixture. Use your spatula, hands or the back of a small square dish to press firmly down making sure to push all the edges. The firmer you can compact the mixture and smooth out the better your slice will set. Place tray in the fridge to set while making the chocolate topping.
C H O C O L A T E T O P :
NOTE: To make the chocolate topping you are going to use direct heat to melt half the butter first, and then take off the direct heat and let the residual heat continue to melt. Move quickly with each step, stirring constantly to distribute heat and keep warm up until pouring onto base. Make sure all utensils are completely dry before using as the smallest amount of moisture can ruin the batch.
6. Place the cacao butter in a small saucepan on the lowest setting possible, and immediately sift the cacao or cocoa on top of the butter and let sit before stirring, to gently warm and melt until half of the butter has melted down. Start to mix everything together nice a quickly as the butter continues to melt, and then take off the direct heat and continue to stir constantly to distribute heat evenly until mixture is completely melted and smooth. If you need to put the pan back on the direct heat to warm and melt some more, just be sure not to over heat/melt the butter as you do not want the chocolate mixture to burn. Chocolate should be warm, smooth and runny.
7. When all the butter has melted and off direct heat, slowly pour the maple syrup into the chocolate and mix quickly to combine. Chocolate will start to thicken and should be slightly warm still, smooth and now thicker but runny.
8. Take slice out of the fridge, quickly pour the chocolate mixture over the slice, and tilt the tray to spread the chocolate or spread evenly with spatula, moving quickly as the slice base is cold and chocolate will start to set.
9. Leave slice on the bench uncovered to set at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge to finish setting. Once set, remove from tray and cut into bars or squares with a hot knife and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
R E C I P E N O T E S - Swap any of the dried fruit or nuts to whatever you have on hand. - Be sure to use a 100% peanut butter to avoid any added sugars. - If you love the flavour be sure to try our #peanutbuttermaplegranola recipe.
Obsessed with this recipe forever.