DIY Butterfingers

Puffed Quinoa: like popcorn

• 1 cup quinoa

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (optional)

  • Rinse quinoa, and let dry (could put in oven at 200 to speed up)

  • Heat skillet, add 1/2 teaspoon of the coconut oil, add about 1/4 cup of grain, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan with a single layer. Stir grains with a wooden spoon as they pop. Careful not to burn it!

  • Once mostly popped, transfer to a plate to cool.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup date paste (or sub pure maple syrup)

• 1/4 cup unrefined coconut sugar

• 1 cup peanut butter (or sub any nut or seed butter)

• 2 cups puffed quinoa (see above)

• 1/8 tsp Himalayan sea salt

• 2/3 cup chopped Hu Kitchen Salty Dark Chocolate

Instructions

1. Line a bread pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Combine the date paste and unrefined coconut sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low bowl, and simmer for a 60 seconds, stirring constantly.

3. Remove from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and salt and stir until you have a thick paste.

4. Add in the corn flakes and stir well to completely coat, crushing the cereal flakes while stirring.

5. Press the cereal into the parchment lined bread pan. Place pan in the freeze for 1-2 hours or until completely hard.

6. Once the mixture is firm, lift the parchment paper out of the bread pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the nougat into 9-12 large rectangles and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate.

7.  Add chopped chocolate to a small saucepan over medium low until fully melted. Spread melted chocolate over the rectangles with a spatula or dunk the entire bar in the melted chocolate for more traditional candy bar encasing. Drain any excess chocolate off and place back on the parchment paper. Place bars back in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to re-harden.

8. OPTIONAL: Dunk the frozen candy bars in an another layer or chocolate if the coating is thin. I did this to mine to achieve a more even chocolate layer. Alternatively, you can skip this step.

9. Enjoy immediately from the freezer. Store in the freezer for the classic Butterfinger crunch.

Make your own chocolate:

• ½ cup cocoa butter or virgin coconut oil (see note, above)

• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa or raw cacao powder (see note, above)

• 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• Muffin-tin liners

• Optional: a pinch of ground cinnamon, cardamom, or other spices

STEPS:

1. Step 1

   In a small saucepan, melt the cocoa butter (or coconut oil) over low heat.

   SOUS TIP: 

   Cocoa butter (or cacao butter—the two words mean the same thing) is made from the fattiest part of the cacao bean. It’s yellowish-white, and tastes a lot like white chocolate, a type of candy made from cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. Despite its name, cocoa butter doesn’t contain any dairy at all—it’s a vegetable fat, like olive or coconut oil. Cocoa butter is also good for you; it contains healthy fats and antioxidants.

2. Step 2

   Add the cocoa powder and honey and stir until well mixed, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and any spices you’re using.

3. Step 3

   Carefully spoon or pour the chocolate into muffin-tin liners (filling each with about ½ inch of chocolate) and refrigerate until solid.

   SOUS TIP: 

   Before pouring the chocolate into the muffin-tin liners, you can flavor your chocolate with various ingredients, such as raisins or other dried fruit, chopped nuts, cocoa nibs, and crushed peppermint candy.

   In addition to muffin-tin liners, you can also pour the chocolate onto a plate or drizzle it onto a piece of wax or parchment paper into any design you like.

Magic Cookie Bars