this is my entry to qurators hive top chef challenge: dark chocolate.
i haven't come up with a proper name but i guess you could call this
tahini chocolate bars.
they are minimally sweet and maximally chocolate, best savoured in small portions, there are three layers. i am starting at the top,
the dark chocolate layer. or squares or whatever.
ingredients
90 g 100% unsweetened baking chocolate
50ml/ 1/4 cup maple syrup
200g coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
30 ml/ 2Tbsp sugar optional
chop the chocolate. warm the coconut cream just a little, remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. if you are worried about od'ing on chocolate perhaps 75 g would do but if so you should reduce the coconut cream as well
stir in the maple syrup and vanilla.
taste for sweetness, if you want it sweeter put the sugar in a grinder and grind it to powder and stir it in.
set aside to let it firm up.
the bottom layer
ingredients:
150 g almonds
25 g unsweetened baking chocolate
50 g quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp salt
200 g coconut cream
150 g pitted dates
chop the chocolate and put in a mixer with the almonds, oats and salt.
grind to a coarse meal. chop the dates add them in the mixer along with the coconut cream. blend everything together. press this heavy mix into a suitable baking form.
i am trying out a new silicon cake pan for the first time. it seems good because the sides are removable but it was a little small for my recipe so the bottom layer became too thick. level this out as flat as you can and bake for at least 20 minutes at 160C/325F. if you use a larger metal pan and get a thinner layer then 15 minutes should do fine. while this is baking it is time for...
the middle layer:
125 ml/ 1/2 cup tahini
62 ml 1/4 cup barley malt
30 ml/ 2 Tbsp coconut oil
30 ml/ 2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
mix everything together. if your tahini is thick the coconut oil is not strictly necessary. it is mostly included to firm up the middle layer when chilled.
when baked remove the pan from the oven and set to cool. when almost room temperature pour/ spread the tahini mix over. it should be thick but liquid enough to shake completely flat. if too thick warm it just a little if too thin cool it in the fridge for a few minutes.
then put the pan in the fridge until the tahini layer is firm. pour the chocolate on top and smooth it out. the chocolate must be pourable but not warm enough to melt the tahini.
i was not careful enough so a little of the tahini melted and ran down along the side of the bottom and some coconut oil rose to the top on the sides of the chocolate so i had to scrape it off. that ruined the wonderful glossy surface and made it look totally uneven.
it is good to know i have a lot of room for improvement. anyway, no complaints about the taste. when i put them on the table everyone was so busy eating the room went silent
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and it wasn't because the squares looked so funny!š