Chocolate Chunk Coconut Chia Macadamia Crunch Bars
Serves: 12-16 bars
 
Ingredients
  • 3½ cups Puffed Rice Cereal
  • ½ cup Macadamia Nuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
  • ⅓ cup Shredded Coconut (finely shredded, unsweetened)
  • ⅓ cup Honey
  • ⅓ cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ½ cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
  • 1½ cups Dark Chocolate Chips (60% cacao, preferably)
  • 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
Instructions
  1. Press a sheet of parchment paper into a square 8x8 baking dish. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the puffed rice cereal, macadamia nuts, chia seeds, and shredded coconut.
  3. In a saucepan, combine the brown rice syrup and honey and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Pour the syrup over the puffed rice mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until mixture comes together. Sprinkle the ½ cup of chopped dark chocolate over the mixture and stir in with the spatula until well distributed (do not add the chocolate chunks before pouring the syrup over the puffed rice or it will melt into the syrup. Waiting to add it to the mixture until after the syrup has been mixed in gives is time to cool down),
  4. Scrape the puffed cereal mixture into the prepared baking pan. Grease your hands with coconut oil and press the mixture firmly down into one smooth layer. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
  5. Remove the parchment paper with the puffed cereal mixture from the pan and cut in half. Cut into 1½ inch strips the other direction to form bars. Place bars in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
  6. Place the 1½ cups of chocolate chips and the coconut oil in a small saucepan. Stir on medium heat until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let chocolate cool for 10 minutes.
  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip each bar halfway into the chocolate. Tap off excess chocolate and lay the bars on the parchment paper. Top melted chocolate with coconut shavings, if desired.
  8. Place in the fridge until chocolate is set. Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe by The Kitchen McCabe at https://www.thekitchenmccabe.com/2016/03/01/chocolate-chunk-coconut-chia-macadamia-crunch-bars/