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Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Nut Bars Recipe

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4.3 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Emma
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 bars
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These homemade Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Nut Bars are a crunchy, perfectly salty treat made with a mix of toasted nuts, puffed rice, and a touch of brown rice syrup. Coated with rich dark chocolate and sprinkled with flaky sea salt, these bars are a delightful snack that’s easy to make, gluten-free, and reminiscent of popular KIND bars.

Ingredients

Nut Mixture

  • 2 ½ cups unsalted nuts of choice (¾ cup cashews, ¾ cup peanuts, 1 cup almonds)
  • ½ cup puffed rice

Binding and Flavoring

  • ¼ cup brown rice syrup
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Chocolate Coating

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • Optional: flaky salt for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325˚F (160˚C) to prepare for toasting the nuts and baking the bars.
  2. Toast Nuts: Spread the mixed unsalted nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes until they become fragrant and light golden brown, then remove and let cool slightly.
  3. Prepare Pan: Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring some overhang for easy removal of bars later.
  4. Combine Nuts and Puffed Rice: In a large mixing bowl, add the toasted nuts and puffed rice, mixing well to combine evenly.
  5. Warm Syrup Mixture: Heat the brown rice syrup in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds to loosen it. Stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt until well combined.
  6. Mix Binding Sauce with Nuts: Pour the warmed syrup mixture over the nut and puffed rice mixture. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with the syrup.
  7. Form Nut Bars: Transfer this mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing it down firmly and evenly with a spatula or your hands to create a uniform layer.
  8. Bake Bars: Bake the nut mixture for 18-20 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and allow it to cool for approximately 30 minutes so it firms up.
  9. Cut Bars: Lift the nut slab from the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Place it on a cutting board and cut first lengthwise into two halves, then each half into 5-6 thin bars, totaling about 10-12 bars. Let the bars cool completely.
  10. Melt Chocolate: Combine the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well between each, until fully melted and smooth.
  11. Coat Bars with Chocolate: Dip the bottom of each cooled nut bar into the melted chocolate, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the tops.
  12. Add Topping and Set: Sprinkle flaky salt over the chocolate-coated bars. Refrigerate the bars until the chocolate is fully set and hardened, then serve and enjoy your delicious homemade nut bars.

Notes

  • You can customize the nut mix based on your preference; just maintain the total nut quantity.
  • Brown rice syrup provides a nice sticky texture and mild sweetness; you can substitute with honey or maple syrup but may alter texture slightly.
  • Pressing the mixture firmly into the pan helps the bars hold together after baking.
  • Use dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content for a rich flavor and to complement the salty nuts.
  • Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
  • If you don’t have flaky salt, use a light sprinkle of regular sea salt as an alternative.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://myeasyplate.com/dark-chocolate-and-sea-salt-nut-bars-recipe/