Butterfinger Candy Bar

Meet the newly reinvented Butterfinger candy bar. These are so incredibly chewy, crunchy and sweet……but most of all, addicting. You will find yourself making these quiet often. They are not low calorie, but they are a treat made with wholesome, real ingredients that your body will much prefer over the processed candy bar. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 heaping cups (180 g) dried, not fresh! I ordered these white mulberries (tip on mulberries-store them in the fridge & they become crunchy)
• 3/4 cup raw peanuts (120 g)
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt (don’t omit, it balances out the sweetness and brings out the flavors)
• 2 tablespoons raw agave nectar (42 g) (or you could use coconut nectar)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating

• You can choose any 1 of the 3 options below for this: 1. Melt 5 oz of your favorite raw chocolate bar (5 oz is about 1 1/2 regular size bars (3.5 oz size) 2. Melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips 3. Make your own chocolate using the following ingredients: 1/2 cup melted cocoa butter 1/2 cup raw cacao powder 3-4 tablespoons agave or preferred liquid sweetener Note Following the exact weight measurements will ensure the right texture result. Agave or coconut nectar works best for the dough, but I wouldn’t use maple syrup, since it’s not quite as thick or sticky. Make sure to store these in the freezer, as they will have more of a crunch and hold together best.

Instructions

1. Line a 9X5 loaf pan (make sure it isn’t a 10X5 as that will make the bars skinny and fragile) with parchment paper hanging over the sides, for easy removal later.
2. Add the mulberries, peanuts and salt to a food processor and pulse until a crumbly flour forms. You don’t want it into a paste, just a crumbly texture (see pic). Add the agave and vanilla. Pulse a few times until sticky large clumps form, being careful not to create «butter». If the dough is not holding as clumps when pressed with your fingers, add a touch more agave. It needs to be forming clumps, as this is what will make the bars hold together.
3. Pour out the dough onto the prepared pan and spread out, flat and even, working your way around to the corners. Overlap the parchment paper and press down really hard and evenly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
4. Gently melt the chocolate to your preferred method and spread over the top of the dough evenly and quickly since the cold bars will start to harden the chocolate. Place back in the fridge to harden the chocolate for about 15 minutes. Remove and very carefully, with a fine sharp knife, cut into 7 bars while they are still in the pan, as they will retain their shape better this way. If they are too hard to cut, let them thaw 5 minutes. Don’t leave them at room temperature long though, as they will soften too much. Place in the freezer this time to harden for an hour, then you can remove them from the pan and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, if you desire. Keep them stored in the freezer, and they will retain their crunch that way. They become more firm overnight. You could also keep them in the fridge, but they will be less crunchy.

Notes

• Raw, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free
• Nutrition info is based on the homemade chocolate coating using the cocoa butter. If you use chocolate chips or a chocolate bar, adjust accordingly. For the homemade chocolate, you can totally get away with halving the recipe (1/4 cup) if you want to save on fat/calories. A 1/4 cup will give a thin chocolate layer, but if you want a thick layer, do the 1/2 cup. I preferred the 1/2 cup layer, but provided nutrition for both.
• For 1/2 cup of the chocolate coating, nutrition per bar: 306 calories, 24.38 g fat, 20.6 carbs, 5.66 g protein
• For 1/4 cup of the chocolate coating, nutrition per bar: 198.6 calories, 16 g fat, 11.72 carbs, 4.98 g protein