Chef John's Chocolate Energy
Bars
If you compare these chocolate energy bars to
similar fruit/nut bars sold at the store, I think
they taste better, are nutritionally superior, and
probably cheaper to make at home. The only
problem is they look so good it takes your brain a
millisecond to process that they're not going to
taste like the fudge brownies they resemble.
Prep: 15 mins
Additional: 2 hrs 45 mins
Total: 2 hrs 60 mins
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 bars
By Chef John
Ingredients
Directions
2 cups pitted Medjool dates,
roughly chopped
Step 1
Place cashews, almonds, coconut, dates, cocoa, coconut oil, vanilla,
cold coffee, cayenne and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse
on and off to start. Process about 1 minute; check to ensure mixture
is sticky and moist enough to stick together. Add more coffee if
needed. Continue to process until mixture becomes a chunky mass.
2 cups raw cashews
1 cup raw or roasted unsalted
almonds
¾ cup high-quality unsweetened
cocoa powder (such as Guittard®
Cocoa Rouge)
2 tablespoons coconut oil,
melted
½ cup unsweetened shredded
coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cold espresso, or
more as needed (or water)
Step 2
Line a baking pan with plastic wrap. Scoop mixture into pan. Press
down with a spatula until mixture is even. Place a layer of plastic
wrap on the surface and smooth again with your hands.
Step 3
Refrigerate until cold and firm, 2 or 3 hours.
Step 4
Remove from the pan and unwrap. Cut into bars of your preferred
size. Store in a zip top back in the refrigerator.
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cook's Note:
½ pinch cayenne pepper
Try your hardest to find Medjool dates, but if you can't, any
dried date should work, as long as it's soft and sticky enough.
If the ones you're using seem too hard and dry, simply soak
them in water until they soften up a bit.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving: 343 calories; protein 8.1g; carbohydrates 36g; fat 22.2g;
sodium 229.6mg.
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