Delicious Chocolatey Coconut Squares
This month I have been playing around with what to do with all those bits you might have sitting around in/on your baking cupboard or shelf, that are not really enough for an actual cake, but you still want to make a sweet treat. When I was little my mum would always make “Cirkus kugler” (literally circus balls, I think because the dessicated coconut made them look like they had been rolled in hay), which were a somewhat less sugary snack alternative, and these are fully inspired by that.
I find I always have cocoa powder and coconut oil available, the rest is highly improvised. The quantities are not set in stone either, I am merely providing a guide, what do you like more of? Add more!
This particular recipe is grain, dairy and sugar free.
Ingredients:
160g almonds (Or any nuts you like, toasted pistachios are really spectacular, hazelnuts would be great too. A mix of them all is also recommended.)
85g coconut oil
2 tablespoon honey (Or a sweet syrup of your choice)
60g cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
10-15 sticky sweet dates (Dates are great because they are so sweet, but dried figs, apricots, plump raisins would also work great)
Coconut flakes (can also use oats)
Dessicated coconut
Cocoa nibs (can be left out)
How to:
1. Toast the nuts of your choice in the oven at 190 degrees for 15-20 mins, depending on how powerful your oven is. A good tip for toasting nuts in the oven is to put them in while the oven preheats as this toasts them more evenly. Cool them afterwards.
2. Line a small loaf tin with baking paper, making sure two ends come up out of the tin so you can easily lift the contents out once it has been in the fridge. Dust the bottom of it with a good layer of dessicated coconut.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan and transfer to a big bowl where you can stir in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Add the agave syrup, the vanilla extract and the cocoa powder to the coconut oil, stir it all in. At this point you should have a beautiful glistening chocolate sauce.
5. Now chop half the nuts finely and the rest roughly. Stir them into the chocolate sauce.
6. Chop the dates finely and stir them in too, then add coconut flakes and a handful of cocoa nibs, the mixture should have lost most of its liquidy-feel by now. However, if it still seems very runny, add some dessicated coconut, careful not to make it too dry tho!
7. Press the mixture into the lined loaf tin and top with more dessicated coconut and then refrigerate for 40-50 mins.
8. After it has cooled, lift it out of the tin and cut into small bites - it's an intense snack so a little goes a long way. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container, they will keep for a long time but you'll eat them before that.
Enjoy! (They are really good with a coffee)
Sofie is a member at Studio 70 and writes a monthly food blog here. She loves making and sharing food with the people she loves - for her, it is the ultimate expression of kindness and care.