Description
Salted Dark Chocolate Pistachio Crunch Bars deliver a perfect balance of sweet and salty that will make your taste buds dance with delight. Cracking through the crisp chocolate layer reveals a nutty surprise that keeps your snacking game strong.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), melted
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted
Seasoning:
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt (plus more for topping)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by lining it completely with parchment paper, ensuring edges are fully covered for easy removal.
- Thoroughly rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water until water runs clear and transparent.
- Transfer quinoa to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring liquid to a rolling boil over medium heat, then reduce temperature to low, cover, and simmer precisely 15 minutes until grains become fluffy and tender.
- Select a large mixing bowl and combine your cooked quinoa, ½ cup coarsely chopped roasted pistachios, 1 cup melted dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, ¼ cup maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Gently fold all ingredients together until completely incorporated, creating a rich and uniform mixture.
- Transfer mixture into prepared parchment-lined baking dish, using a spatula to spread contents evenly across surface.
- Press mixture firmly with the back of your spatula, compacting ingredients to create dense, solid bars.
- Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt across the top, adding an extra pinch for enhanced flavor profile.
- Refrigerate bars precisely 1 hour until completely set and firm to the touch.
- Remove bars from refrigerator, lift parchment paper, and slice into rectangular portions using a sharp knife.
Notes
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly to remove its natural bitter coating, which can affect the bar’s taste and texture.
- Toast pistachios briefly in a dry skillet before chopping to enhance their nutty flavor and add extra crunch.
- For gluten-free and vegan diets, ensure your dark chocolate is dairy-free and made without animal products.
- Experiment with different chocolate percentages to adjust sweetness and intensity, keeping the total volume consistent.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 285 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 115 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg