Coconut & Dark Chocolate Paradise Bars
sugar free 'bounty bars', a trip down memory lane & tahini, cardamon + rose stuffed dates
What was your favourite chocolate bar as a child?
Mine was the red wrappered Bounty bar. Sort of like a coconut macaroon in bar form. A finger of sugary, sticky desiccated coconut dipped in dark chocolate.
They were always harder to find than the classic milk ones in the blue wrapper. Growing up, I made a mental note of the corner shops around Brighton that sold the red ones, so I knew where to return to when the dark chocolate covered coconut craving set in.
It wasn’t just the chocolate bar itself I loved; it was the dreamy beach setting on the wrapper that got me, with the half cracked open coconut and the palm trees on each end framing the bold white letters that spelled BOUNTY across the label. It made me think of far away countries and all the places I dreamt of travelling to when I grew up.
I even had a special technique for eating a Bounty: I would nibble at the chocolate along the edges of the bar, followed by the bottom and then the top until I was left with a finger of sticky coconut dough to play with and eventually devour.
There’s something so nostalgic about chocolate bars, everyone seems to have their favourite (and likes to fight for theirs from the box of Celebrations at Christmas).
After pondering over why this week, as I made yet another batch of these paradise bars, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s perhaps a combination of the paper thin wrapper, the often vintage font and colours and the nostalgic act of taking your sweet time to browse the selection in the newsagents below the cash register, thinking of going for something different, but always ending up choosing the same favourite one.
Being a lover of sticky coconut dipped in dark chocolate apparently runs in my family.
Recently. I was on a road trip from Somerset to London with my cousin who I don’t get to see very often. We stopped at a garage to re-fuel and move some things around in the car. When we belted up ready to set off again, she reached into the back and asked if I’d like a Bounty bar, “I’m ok thank you, only like the red ones” I replied assuming she’d have the classic milk chocolate blue ones.
My cousin sat down in the drivers seat and looked at me with such a sober look on her face, “the red ones are the only ones I buy” she stated so seriously. We giggled and peeled open our matching red bounty’s as we set off on the next leg of our journey, debating the other more obscure sweets we both enjoyed.
I made a batch of these Paradise bars last month and my mum joined me in eating them one afternoon. We sat on the stoop on a hot day with cold bars in hand, straight from the fridge. She told me stories of her older bother, my late uncle, who’s favourite chocolate bar was also apparently a red Bounty.
I had grown up knowing my uncle as a fruitarian (I have young memories of him tearing into avocados and passion fruit as he also didn’t use any cutlery) and so couldn’t imagine him reaching for any sort of chocolate apart from his beloved cacao nibs. It made me feel more connected to the man who my mum was so close to, but I never got the chance to know very well.
I don’t consume that many red Bounty bars anymore (these paradise bars seem to satisfy that craving), but if I find one in a rare corner shop I will make sure to save it for a future road trip with my cousin and think of my uncle as I eat it.
The recipe for these paradise bars originally comes from Hemsley & Hemsley, The Art of Eating Well, except I love to make half the batch pink using a little beetroot juice. It makes for an element of surprise when you bite into them, never knowing which colour you have picked up.
The pink and white colours together remind me of marshmallows, sticks of rock from the seaside or that deliciously chewy nougat you can sometimes find in vintage sweet shops. It helps add to that nostalgic feeling of being young but also caring for my inner child by making them a fun but sugar free version of her favourite candy.
Knowing how much my family and I love these bars, I now make double the amount and keep half in the fridge for the first week and half in the freezer for the second. Although, on a really hot day, a paradise bar straight out the freezer can’t be beaten.
I’ve also added a recipe for tahini stuffed dates below, as they just seem to go really well with chocolate covered coconut. Stuffed dates and paradise bars lined up alternately next to each other on a tray for dessert always brings smiles.
Let me know if you make these bars and if they remind you of being young too.
I hope you enjoy,
Fleur x
PARADISE BARS
I love these bars fresh out the fridge on a sunny day and dipped in a creamy coconutty matcha latte, letting it melt slightly before biting into it.
INGREDIENTS:
200g bar of creamed coconut
6 coconut oil
3 tbsp raw honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
150g desiccated coconut
200g (85% cocoa solids) dark chocolate
4 tbsp beetroot juice
RECIPE:
Line 2 x small square tins with baking parchment.
Place the unopened packet of creamed coconut in a bowl of warm water to melt it through (massaging the packet helps it along).
When the coconut is soft all the way through, pour into a bowl and mix in the coconut oil (it will melt if it’s hard), raw honey, vanilla & salt.
Stir in the desiccated coconut evenly to create a doughy consistency.
Pour half the the dough into one of the prepared tins, keeping the other half in the bowl.
Press the mixture in the tin down with the back of a spoon to make it level and set in the fridge.
Add 2 tsp of beetroot juice to the remaining mixture in the bowl and stir in to coat all the coconut. If the colour is not pink enough for you add 2 more tsp and repeat until you have the desired colour. Note: The more juice added, the softer these bars will be.
Pour the pink mixture into the second tin and press it down with the back of a spoon to make it level and set in the fridge.
Wait for 15 minutes until both mixtures are set.
Turn both tins of coconut mixtures out onto a chopping board and slice into chunks - roughly the size of a bounty bar.
Place the slices onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and keep in the freezer while you prep the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate in a glass or metal bowl over a pan of warm water - make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl and do not allow the water to boil or summer - you may have to keep removing from the heat. This should take about 30 minutes.
When the chocolate has almost melted, take the bowl off the heat and place on a tea towel to avoid slipping.
Leave the chocolate to cool as much as possible without it hardening to give a thicker coating to the paradise bars - stir it occasionally.
Dip the frozen coconut bars into the chocolate using two forks, letting the excess drop off and carefully place back onto the cold baking tray, leaving space between each bar.
If the chocolate mixture becomes too cold, you may need to put it back over the simmering water again.
When you’ve finished dipping all the bars, place the tray back in the fridge until set.
Once set, seal in a glass or ceramic container in the fridge or freezer until required.
If they are kept sealed in the fridge, they will keep for a month - or longer in the freezer.
Enjoy :~)
DATES, TAHINI, CARDAMON & ROSE
A little extra something to pair with the paradise bars ~ easy to make as a quick snack, I love to put these together when I’m craving a fancy afternoon treat.
To add to the indulgence, dip them in melted dark chocolate and once cool, keep them in the fridge for later.
I like to serve them on a vintage silver platter at the end of a dinner party. Just as everyone starts winding down, I’ll bring these out to sweeten off the evening.
INGREDIENTS:
As many medjool dates as you plan to eat
Jar of Tahini
1 Cardamon pod per date
Dried edible rose petals
RECIPE:
Remove the seeds from the cardamon pods and crush in a pestle and mortar.
Cut a line horizontally along each date and remove the stone (be careful not the cut the date completely in half).
Open the date slightly and spoon a teaspoon of tahini into each pit where the stone once was.
Sprinkle a pinch of cardamon powder along the tahini.
Squeeze the date shut slightly, using the tahini to hold it together.
Place on pretty plate and sprinkle with dried rose petals.
Enjoy in one sitting or keep in the fridge for later :~)
What do you like to make that reminds you of childhood? Do you have any nostalgic sweets or chocolates you re-create at home?
Would love to hear if you have any special recipes that remind you of being young.
Wishing you a lovely nostalgic week,
Fleur x