Bounty Slices

With another addition of a chocolatey treat to the Holy Mackerel recipe archives you must be thinking is that all she eats? I do love a small treat once a day but I don’t like to succumb to high sugar chocolate fixes that mess with your blood sugar levels and irritate your gut.

I believe you can have a small indulgence and it should be good for you and satisfying not filled with regret and promises of future denial.

On the subject of denial, how long can you deny yourself of the things you love? It may be more beneficial and sustainable to our well being if we find a way of limiting our consumption and making better choices on how we indulge. Creating these little morsels of chocolate and coconut is how I encourage people to shift their taste buds from the sweet to the bitter sweet. As a result, you can easily start to cut back on your sugars as you are less receptive to the sugar hit.

This chocolate coconut slice reminds me of my former love for Bounty bars, but if I had one now I am sure that it would not have the same appeal to me. It would taste far too sweet and missing that earthy cocoa richness that I love.

Bounty Slice Recipe

Ingredients:

Base:

• 1 cup organic desiccated or shredded coconut

• 2 tablespoons of raw cocoa

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons of almond butter or sugar free chocolate hazelnut spread

Middle:

• 1 ½ cups of organic desiccated or shredded coconut

• 2/3 cup of coconut cream

• 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste

Chocolate layer:

• 1/2 cup of raw cocoa

• 1/4 cup of coconut oil

• Pinch of sea salt (optional)

• 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

For the base mix coconut, cocoa, oil and nut butter into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Press onto a 20cm square tin lined with baking paper and refrigerate.

For the middle layer: combine coconut, coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla into a bowl and mix until well combined. Press onto the base and refrigerate.

To make the chocolate layer: mix cocoa, coconut oil and maple syrup into a bowl. Either heat over a simmering saucepan of water or heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Careful not to burn it if you are using the microwave. Spread over the coconut layer and refrigerate until firm. Slice into small squares, about 12 to 16 squares is roughly what I end up with.

Enjoy one square when you need that afternoon pick me up or you are tempted to revisit the nasty “glass and half chocolate” that is just not what it should be.

For a laugh I had to look up the original Bounty ads from the 80's. They are hilarious and make coconut covered with chocolate look so seductive. Worth a watch if you have a minute.