Better Made At Home- Bounty Bar Bites

I am all finished with my second week at uni. Apart from a couple of research proposals and some readings things haven't gotten too busy just yet. This have given me some time to think up ideas for the blog and do some experimenting in the kitchen.

I was thinking the other day, that while I try to have a relaxed attitude to food and not completely restrict myself to completely unprocessed foods, there are quite a few foods that I really like that are heavily processed and have a lot of sugar in them (yes I have a major sweet tooth). What really sparked my interest was a bounty bar. Wikipedia describes these delights as a coconut filling enrobed with milk or dark chocolate. What they are is freaking delicious! However, they are really quite a simple concept.

As they are one of my favourite chocolate bars, I was inspired to get into the kitchen and make my own! I challenged myself to make a version that was completely refined sugar free so that I could enjoy them without guilt. I have given you two versions in this post. One is completely refined sugar free and uses a chocolate coconut oil coating. The other uses normal semi-dark chocolate to coat it. To be honest the normal chocolate ones look better and do taste slightly better, but if you are trying to reduce refined sugars, the sugar free ones are more than satisfying.

This recipe is also linked to my last post about how much I love coconut oil. Coconut oil was the perfect ingredient to bind them together. You could potentially use butter as an alternative to bind the coconut but I haven't tried it so therefore cannot vouch for its taste or success.

So welcome to the first post in the 'Better Made At Home' series.

Ingredients
1 cup dessicated coconut
5 Tbsp melted coconut oil
2 Tbsp honey

In a medium bowl stir all of the ingredients together thoroughly until the coconut is binding. You may need to let the mixture sit for a few minuted for the coconut oil to firm up for this to happen.

Using a rounded spoon (I used my Tablespoon measure) scoop out the mixture and firmly press into a half circular shape. Alternatively you could try to mould it with your hands. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Either melt 4 rows of semi-dark chocolate or melt together 4 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 Tbsp honey and 4 tsp cocoa powder. If using the coconut oil option, let it sit to firm up until it is melted chocolate consistency.

Take the frozen coconut mounds and gently coat them in chocolate using two forks. Place back on the plate and then place in the freezer until completely set (about another 30 minutes)