These bars deserve a PSA.
Caramel. Coconut. Chocolate. BARS.
Maybe the dreamiest “candy bar” I have ever dreamt up in the kitchen. They are so easy, gooey goodness, have a batch in your freezer always type of good. And this homemade caramel, forget it— just two ingredients.
Honestly, I can’t really put their worthiness into words, so you just have to make them.
Coconut Bars
2 cups desiccated coconut
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp cashew butter
1.5 tbsp flax meal
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
Caramel Sauce
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 full-fat coconut milk can, refrigerated overnight (scooping out just the hardened cream!)
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Chocolate Coating
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
Mix together the shredded coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, cashew butter, flax meal, vanilla extract, and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir until well combined.
Press the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan or a slightly larger pan ( for thinner bars) with your fingertips, ensuring the mix is packed in firm. Freeze your bars for an hour.
While your bars freeze, make the caramel sauce and melt your chocolate ( see below for instructions).
When the caramel has cooled, remove the bars from the freezer and spread a layer of caramel on top.
Place back in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Get your melted chocolate ready ( if it has hardened just place it back in microwave for 20 seconds) .
Place a clean sheet of parchment paper on a small baking sheet or even
Remove from the freezer , slice, and dip into your bowl of chocolate. You can also just spread a layer right on top if you prefer not to dunk the whole bar!
Repeat until all bars have been dipped. Sprinkle on some extra shredded coconut.
Place back into the freezer for only 10 minutes, and then enjoy!
Store in your refrigerator or freezer.
Caramel
Heat a pot over medium-high heat.
Add the coconut sugar and stir in your pot for 1-minute
Add only the hardened cream from your refrigerated coconut milk can— you can save or discard of the liquid.
Stir cream into coconut sugar until all is cohesive. Bring the mix to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer at low medium heat and let simmer for about 12-13 minutes, stirring frequently.
Your caramel will reduce in volume and thicken as it simmers, it is done when it is sticking to the back of your spoon. Stir in 1/4 tsp sea salt.
Remove pan from heat. The sauce WILL thicken up much more upon cooling and also upon placing in the fridge, even if it doesn’t look very thick after removing it from the stove.
Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a sealed container in the refrigerator or leave out if using for this recipe immediately.
Chocolate Coating
Add your chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring your chocolate in between each time to ensure the chips do not burn. Once fully melted set to the side.
