I’ve always had a thing for nuts and chocolate. Chocolate hazelnut bars used to be one of my childhood favorites, especially if they contained popped rice for extra crunch! These Crunchy Chocolate Hazelnut Slices get their crispy texture from soaked & dehydrated buckwheat. Did you know that buckwheat is actually a seed related to the rhubarb family? It is high in fiber, neutral in taste & super low in fat!
Crunchy Chocolate Hazelnut Slices
SERVES: 6 medium or 12 small slices
EQUIPMENT: food processor, rubber spatula, baking pan
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of hazelnuts, preferably soaked overnight + dehydrated until crisp
1 cup of dates, pitted & roughly chopped
½ cup of cacao powder, unsweetened
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil
1/8 teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
½ cup of buckwheat, soaked overnight + dehydrated until crisp (only add this last)
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the hazelnuts in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and pulse until coarsely ground.
- Add dates and process again until well combined.
- Add cacao powder, maple syrup, extra virgin coconut oil and salt. Mix again.
- Finally, add your popped buckwheat and pulse to mix. You only want to add this last so it will stay crunchy.
- Take your baking pan and line it with some baking paper or plastic foil. This way, your chocolate hazelnut dough won’t stick to the pan once it gets out of the refrigerator or freezer.
- Place your dough into the lined baking pan and shape it into one big brownie.
- Put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to harden.
- Cut the chilled dough into slices and garnish with cacao nibs, orange zest and some extra popped buckwheat. Bon appétit!
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- These Crunchy Chocolate Hazelnut Slices will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will lose some of their taste and most of their crunch after a few days though, because the popped buckwheat will soak up any excess moisture and become soft again.
- If you like ‘orangette’ flavor, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of orange zest (depending on your taste).
- I really like the combination of dates & maple syrup. If you don’t have any maple syrup at home, just add more dates and a bit of water to make sure the dough sticks together.
- Extra virgin coconut oil will add healthy fats to this recipe and make it extra smooth & flavorful. It will also act as a binder once you put the slices in the refrigerator or the freezer.
Now I would love to hear from you! What is or used to be your favorite chocolate bar? Is it Twix, Mars, Snickers, Bounty, KitKat, Lion Bar… Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
