Carolina Crunch Bars

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Carolina Crunch Bars

Author: Marco Costiglio

A Non Dairy, All Natural, Gluten Free Nestle Crunch Bar style recipe with Tidewater Grain Carolina Gold Rice. 

Ingredients

Puffed Rice

• Tidewater Grain Rice: 1 cup (Carolina Gold, Santee or Middlins)
• Oil: Neutral high-heat oil (vegetable or canola) for frying

Chocolate

• 1 cup Cacao powder (unsweetened)
• 1 cup Extra virgin coconut oil
• 3/4 cup Powdered sugar, ( maple syrup, or honey make great substitutes for powdered sugar)
• Optional: A splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of salt * You can extra of the ingredients if you want heavier chocolate bars

Instructions

Making Puffed Rice:

1. Cook your rice as normal 2 cups water / 1 cup rice, ***but slightly undercook it so the grains remain firm.
2. Spread the cooked rice out in a single, even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake in a low oven (about 250 °F / 120 °C) for 2 to 2.5 hours until it is entirely dehydrated and feels like hard little pebbles.
4. Let it cool completely.
5. Puff the Rice: Pour 1.5 to 2 inches of oil into a deep saucepan and heat it to a target temperature between 400 °F and 425 °F (200 °C – 220 °C).
6. Drop a few grains of rice into the oil. If they puff up instantly, the oil is ready.
7. Working in small batches (about 1/2 cup at a time), carefully lower the dried rice into the oil. It will puff in just 3 to 6 seconds.
8. Immediately remove the puffed rice with a fine wire sieve or a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
9. Repeat with the remaining rice.
10. Set aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare your chocolate

Make your Chocolate:

1. 1 cup Cacao powder (unsweetened)
2. 1 cup Extra virgin coconut oil
3. 3/4 cup Powdered sugar, ( maple syrup, or honey make great substitutes for powdered sugar)
4. Optional: A splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of salt
5. 1: Melt the fat: Gently warm Coconut oil it until its completely liquid. Be mindful not to burn the oil.
6. 2: Sift and mix: Sift your cacao powder and powdered sugar to remove any lumps. Whisk the dry ingredients into your melted fat along with any vanilla or salt. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is glossy and smooth.

Combine:

1. Put your chocolate mixture into a large bowl and stir in your puffed rice (mix evenly and completely)
2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. (This helps the bars come out of the pan.)
3. Spread chocolate mixture into the pan.
4. Refrigerate until firm.
5. Remove from fridge and let stand at room temperature for a few minutes, this will make them easier to cut. Remove from pan and cut into squares. ( A pizza cutter works great for this step)
6. Serve and enjoy!