You have probably figured this out by now, but here at Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck we are total coconut fans! It is the magic ingredient in our yummiest desserts because it adds the creamy factor in a healthy way!  We also love coconut because it makes us feel and look fantastic – it works wonders for healthy skin.  Everything about it – from the meat to the oil to the water – actually repairs and nourishes the skin (both when used as an exterior moisturizer and by consuming it). 

In order to increase the coconut in your life, we have included a tasty recipe from Sarma’s book, Living Raw Food, for a decadent coconut based treat! The best part is – anyone can make it, all you need is a blender, food processor, and a refrigerator (no dehydrator, juicer, or paco jet needed!)

 

Congo Bars 

Recipe from Living Raw Food by Sarma Melngailis (Harper Collins, 2009); recipe makes 64 bars

These classic chocolate- fudge- and- coconut brownies, known as Congo Bars, are insanely good, and much better than any butter, sugar, and flour version. I think these rich little bars might be my favorite indulgence. Maybe it’s because I love raisins and nuts in chocolate, and the flaky coconut layer on top seems to melt in my mouth.

equipment

High- speed blender, food processor

Fudge Base

4 cups walnuts, preferably soaked and dehydrated

4 cups pecans, preferably soaked and dehydrated

3 cups Chocolate sauce (recipe below), chilled

1 cup black raisins

1 cup dried shredded coconut

1/2 cup maple syrup powder 

1/2 cup coconut butter/oil, warmed to liquefy

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

In a food processor, process 2 cups of the walnuts and 2 cups of the pecans until they just begin to release their oils. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2 cups of walnuts and 2 cups of pecans.

Add the Chocolate Sauce, raisins, coconut, maple powder, coconut butter/oil, and salt, and mix until thoroughly combined.

Transfer the mixture to a parchment- lined sheet pan and spread into an even layer.

Place in the refrigerator to chill and set.

 

Vanilla Coconut topping

2 cups young coconut meat (if you are unable to get fresh Young Thai Coconuts you can substitute Artisana Coconut Cream)

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup coconut butter/oil, melted

4 cups dried shredded coconut

In a high- speed blender, blend the coconut meat, agave nectar, vanilla, and salt until very smooth and shiny. With the blender running, add the coconut butter/oil and continue blending until fully emulsified. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Stir 2 cups shredded coconut into the mixture and spread it in an even layer onto the chilled fudge base. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of shredded coconut over the blended layer.

Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill and set, about 30 minutes or more.

Cut into 64 bars, cutting lengthwise into 4 pieces and crosswise into 16 pieces (or cut into any size you wish). Store the finished bars in the refrigerator.

 

Chocolate Sauce; makes about 3 cups; (use in fudge base recipe above)

1 1/2 cups raw cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups maple syrup or agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

3 tablespoons coconut butter/oil, warmed to liquefy

Combine all the ingredients except the coconut butter/oil in a blender. With the blender running, add the coconut butter/oil and continue blending to emulsify.

Store the syrup in a covered container in the refrigerator. Before serving, place it in the dehydrator to warm the sauce so that it’s liquid enough to pour. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also place the container in a warm water bath to liquefy it. (If the room is warm, simply let the sauce sit at room temperature.)

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 3:46 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.