Sour Cherry, Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Bubble Bars
These festive bars are everything you want in a snack or treat. They’re sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, sticky and utterly delicious and nourishing! I honestly cannot stop at one and have eaten almost the entire batch to myself! Serve these at Christmas as a sure way to impress. Not to mention, they suit everyone! They’re free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar and they’re vegan when you use rice malt syrup. This recipe uses tahini to bind everything together. Tahini is one of the highest sources of calcium, its full of Vitamin B and E, phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium and iron, not to mention protein and healthy fats. These bars are super simple to make and are one of my favourite recipes! Give them a go this Christmas and share the enjoyment of delicious, healthy food with those you love the most.
Makes approximately 8-10 bars
2 ½ cups puffed brown rice
1/3 cup (heaped) roasted pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
60g dark chocolate (6 squares of Lindt 70% chocolate – this is vegan), roughly chopped
½ cup (heaped) dried sour cherries
½ cup tahini
1/3 cup raw honey or heaped 1/3 cup rice malt syrup
3 tbsps. coconut oil
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Extra dried cherries and pistachios for on top.
Place the puffed brown rice, pistachios, cherries and chopped chocolate into a medium-large bowl and stir to combine.
Place the tahini, honey/rice malt, coconut oil and salt into a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until the mixture melts and thins. Whisk the mixture to ensure it is well combined. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, stir and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Pour the tahini mixture over the puffed rice mixture and stir well to combine.
Place the mixture into a square or rectangular dish/tin lined with non-stick baking paper (I used a 20x14cm Pyrex dish). Spread the mixture out evenly, scatter over some extra cherries and pistachios and smooth with the back of an oiled spoon.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting into bars with an oiled knife. Mine made 9 bubble bars. Wrap a thin piece of baking paper around each one and secure with some kitchen string. This stops them sticking to each other when stored and stops them sticking to your hands when you eat them. Keep refrigerated and enjoy!