Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.
Recipe inspired by Full of Plants.
Is there such a thing as healthy candy bars?
Store bought candy bars are full of chemical ingredients such as artificial flavorings, flavor enhancers, colorings, emulsifiers and so on. The list is long and if you read the ingredients, you probably won’t recognize the majority of them. Definitely not ingredients you would find in your pantry. We made a few healthier versions of some of the common candy bars we typically crave. Yet, some of them are high in sugar as any candy is, so it should definitely be consumed as a treat. But we used natural vegan ingredients (for example coconut oil instead of hydrogenated vegetable oil, maple syrup, monk fruit sweetener instead of high fructose corn syrup and so on) to make a much healthier version.
Plus we’ve used ingredients made with the NutraMilk such as nut butters and nut milks that actually contribute some healthy nutrients to your diet such as fiber, heart-healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
These bars are definitely a delicious treat you can indulge once in a while!
INGREDIENTS
For roasted hazelnut butter
- 2 cups roasted hazelnuts* (270g)
- 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)
For almond butter
- 2 cups (300g) almonds
- 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)
For shortbread
- 1/2 and 1/3 cup oat flour (you can make it with the NutraMilk from rolled oats)
- 1 tbsp. (15g) almond butter made with the NutraMilk
- 2 tbsp. (30ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. (30ml) melted coconut oil (or cocoa butter)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
For creamy hazelnut layer
- 1/2 cup (130g) hazelnut butter made with the NutraMilk
- 1/3 cup (78ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. (30g) almond butter made with the NutraMilk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) melted cocoa butter (an alternative is coconut oil)
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
For chocolate coating:
- 1 cup dark chocolate bar, chopped or chocolate chips with
- 2 tsp of coconut oil
- *(you can also make a chocolate coating with ½ cup virgin coconut oil mixed with ½ cup cocoa powder and vanilla stevia drops or liquid sweetener to taste)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Making roasted hazelnut butter*
- *Roast at 265° F (130° C) for 22-25 minutes
- Place hazelnuts and salt in the NutraMilk container.
- Press Butter cycle, set for 4-5 minutes.
- Press Start.
- Open the container lid. If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.
- Making almond butter
- Place almond and salt in the NutraMilk container.
- Press Butter cycle, set for 12-13 minutes.
- Press Start.
- Open the container lid.
- If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.
- Set aside 3 tbsp. for candy bars and store the rest for later use.
Making shortbread
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line the bottom of a 4×7-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until you get a slightly crumbly dough. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press it down firmly using the bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely and keep the shortbread in the baking dish.
Making creamy hazelnut layer
- In a small bowl, whisk together the hazelnut butter, maple syrup, and almond butter. Slowly pour in the melted cocoa butter and whisk gently until fully incorporated. Stir in the salt.
- Pour over the shortbread base and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the hazelnut layer is firmer. You can speed up the process by placing the baking dish in the freezer.
- Run a knife around the edges of the baking dish. Remove the preparation from the baking dish and slice into 8 thin bars.
- Melt the dark chocolate with the cocoa butter over a double boiler. Using a dipping tool or 2 forks, dip each bar into the melted chocolate. Place the dipped bars on a silpat or parchment paper and refrigerate 10 minutes, or let cool at room temperature to set the chocolate.
- You can then wrap each bar individually with plastic film and keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For a firmer hazelnut layer, keep the bars in the refrigerator.
