HOMEMADE BOUNTY BARS

I was never mad about coconut, not to mind  bounty bars, those things disgusted me. Over the past few months though, coconut has taken over. I've gone from hating the taste and texture to craving it in all forms. So when I spotted this recipe over here, I knew I had to give it a go, and they did not disappoint. These beauties have shot up to my number one favourite healthy, guilt-free treat. Next up on the list? Coconut coffee. Oh yeah.

INGREDIENTS

makes 8-12 bars

175g unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/4 cup / 60ml melted coconut oil

4 tbsp honey or maple syrup

1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1 tbsp water

300g good quality dark chocolate (at least 75%)

METHOD

1. Melt the coconut oil in a bain marie. Remove from heat and combine with the honey, sea salt, and vanilla seeds.

2. Place the desiccated coconut in a separate bowl and sprinkle the tablespoon of water over the top and stir well. Pour the coconut oil mixture in and fold to combine. Taste for sweetness and adjust if necessary.

3. Line a cake tin or baking tray (ideally a 18x18cm tin) with cling film, leaving extra to fold over the top. Place the coconut in the tin, pressing firmly and spreading out evenly. Pop into the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up. 

4. While the coconut is in the freezer, melt your chocolate in a bain marie. Remove the coconut from the freezer and cut evenly into bars. (In hindsight, I cut mine too big. Aim for bars approx 3x9cm wide).

5. Place a sheet of parchment paper beneath a cooling rack and begin dipping the bars in the melted chocolate, taking care not to leave them in too long as the coconut oil will melt and the bar will break. Pop the bars in the freezer for about ten minutes once they've all been coated in chocolate. Once the chocolate has hardened, coat in another layer of chocolate and freeze again. If there's any chocolate left over you can drizzle it over bars in a design you like. Store the bars in the freezer for up to two months.