San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Joyful Almond-Coconut Bars
MAKES 24 BARS
From “Edibles: Small Bites for the Cannabis Kitchen,” by Coreen Carroll and Stephanie Hua (Chronicle Books; $19.95). If you want to take it up a notch, replace ¼ cup of the chocolate chips in the coating with one Espresso Dark Chocolate Kiva Bar (60 mg CBD, 60 mg THC) from Kiva Confections, roughly chopped.
ESPRESSO ALMONDS
48 roasted salted almonds 1 teaspoon espresso powder
COCONUT BARS
5 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 3 tablespoons + 1½ teaspoons coconut oil, melted 1 tablespoon + 1½ teaspoon Canna Coconut Oil, melted (see recipe, Page 27)
ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE ICING
2 cups high-qualty semisweet chocolate chips (60 to 65 percent cacao) 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted 2 teaspoons espresso powder, plus more for garnishing
For the espresso almonds:
Place the almonds in a small bowl and coat them lightly with butter or coconut oil baking spray. Give them a toss so the almonds have a light sheen. Add the espresso powder and toss lightly to coat. Spread the almonds in a single layer onto a plate and let dry while you prepare the coconut bars.
For the coconut bars:
Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the coconut and salt. Measure the sweetened condensed milk in a liquid measuring cup. Add the coconut oil and canna coconut oil to the cup and, using a fork or small whisk, stir until well incorporated. Pour the mixture over the shredded coconut, scraping out the sides of the cup with a rubber spatula to make sure you get it all. Process for 1 to 2 minutes until well combined, evenly coated, and the mixture resembles sticky rice.
Transfer the coconut mixture to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer using a pastry scraper or offset spatula to spread it evenly. Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap on top of the mixture and use it to help press the mixture into the pan. Freeze for about 30 minutes until firm.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the coconut layer from the freezer and pull up on the parchment to remove it from the pan. Cut into two dozen 1½-by-3¼-inch bars. Place the bars on the prepared baking sheet and return them to the freezer while you prepare the chocolate coating.
For the espresso chocolate coating:
In a medium heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt together the chocolate, coconut oil and espresso powder, stirring with a rubber spatula to combine.
Line another sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove the coconut bars from the freezer. Dip the bottom of each bar into the chocolate, shake off any excess and place it onto the prepared sheet pan. Repeat until all bars have been dipped. Dip the tines of a fork into the chocolate and drizzle some over the top of the bars. Let your inner Jackson Pollock go. Complete your masterpiece by topping each bar with 2 espresso-coated almonds and a final dusting of espresso powder over the entire bar. Refrigerate the bars for about 20 minutes until the chocolate hardens. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to six months.