Tuesday 25 March 2014

Vegan bacon and seed chocolate bark and smoky nuts


Busy times call for simple recipes.  Today have two that are related.  I have had my eye on a Vegan salted dark chocolate bacon bark.  It uses a commercial coconut bacon.  I sometimes make my own coconut bacon.  But this morning I wanted to experiment with roasting smoky nuts and coconut bacon.  Suddenly I had the light bulb moment and realised I didn't have to make coconut bacon.  It was already made.

I saw the recipe for Smoky and spicy nut, sesame, and coconut ‘bacon’ bar nuts at Oh She Glows recently.  Angela make amazing recipes and yet I was still swooning at the brilliance of combining smoky nuts and coconut bacon.  I first made the smoky nuts on the weekend for a party.  I used a variety of nuts - almonds, pecans, hazelnuts and walnuts - because I didn't have the cashews and coconut flakes.  It was overcooked and I had to discard the darkest nuts.  Yet they seemed quite popular.  Only Sylvia wasn't keen because they were too spicy for her.

So I made them again without the spicy element.  The smoky nuts and coconut bacon was so easy to make I had it made before I had hung out the washing.  I scooped some of the coconut bacon and smoky sesame seeds out of the pan.  I then did a terrible job of melting the chocolate.  Seems there was a reason that you melt the chocolate before adding the maple syrup and coconut oil (mine got a little stiff which made it harder to get the coconut bacon to stick but it still tasted amazing).

Both these recipes taste amazing and make fantastic food to share or unusual gifts.  They would go down especially well with vegetarians or vegans who love smoky flavours and dream of veganising all those meaty bacon recipes.  (Oh yes, that is me.)  And best of all, they take barely no time at all. 

I am sending these chocolates to Laura at I'd Much Rather Bake Than ...  for We Should Cocoa.  The theme this month is coconut.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Walnut and tomato pesto with gnocchi, broccoli and feta
Two years ago: Cheese and wine crunchy salad
Three years ago: WHB Peach crumble
Four years ago: Sydney - a gaytime and some lessons
Six years ago: Autumnal Bread and Salad

Smoky seedy coconut bacon nuts
Adapted from Oh She Glows

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (not shredded coconut)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 170 C or 325 F.  Mix everything well in a large roasting dish.  Roast for 10 minutes.  Stir well.  Roast another 10 minutes, stirring again at the 5 minute mark and checking it isn't too well done.  Cool and store in an airtight container.

Vegan bacon and seed chocolate bark
Adapted from Keepin' it Kind

85g dark chocolate (I used 70%)
1 and 1/2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut bacon and sesames seeds*
sea salt, optional

*NOTE I used scooped out coconut bacon and sesame seeds from the Smoky seedy coconut bacon nuts above.  It was pretty easy to take a scoop because the nuts rose to the top and could be taken off.  You could just use regular coconut bacon by making your own or buying some, and should do this if you are making it for anyone with nut allergies.

Melt chocolate and then stir in maple syrup and coconut oil.  Spread on baking paper on a baking tray.  Sprinkle with coconut bacon and seeds.  Sprinkle with pinch of sea salt if desired.  Set in fridge or freezer - I think mine took about 15 minutes in the fridge.  Break up and store in air tight container.

On the Stereo:
Man about Moon: Ma Petite

27 comments:

  1. These two recipes are right up my alley, they're going straight to my bookmark list!

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    1. Thanks Cindy - enjoy them - they are delicious

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  2. Wow, all these flavours sound amazing and I can easily see how this would wuickly become addictive. Thanks for entering WSC!

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    1. Thanks Laura - yes the chocolate disappeared rather quickly and I found myself eating the nuts for my lunch because they were so good

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  3. These both sound wonderful Johanna - just my kind of thing too, and simple recipes are always in favour with me. I had seen Angela's original recipe but may actually prefer the look of yours!

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    1. Thanks Kari - I love a complex recipe but am appreciating simple at the moment. I didn't stray too far from Ange's recipe, esp as when I used pecans they seemed to burn faster, but I would be wary of timing as my oven is not usually the burning type and it managed to burn the nuts quickly

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  4. Ooo this sounds so good! I see a new trail mix in my future!

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  5. For some reason, I'd always assumed that coconut bacon needed fresh not dried nut, so I never bothered making it - am so pleased to find out that that's not the case so I can make some at home! I'll be off questing for some dried flakes later this afternoon - I can see a cBLT in my future soon!

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    1. Thanks Joey - I have made a few "CLT"s and it is the best use of coconut bacon I had found until I came across this chocolate - I find tofu bacon more flexible but coconut bacon is brilliant in CLTs and this chocolate. And it is so quick and easy on the stovetop that you will love it

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  6. Oh yum! Smoky and spicy, salty and sweet! And of course chocolate! Pinning this.

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    1. Thanks Emma - it is all those things - just the sort of chocolate I wish I would buy

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  7. Wowzers! I made coconut bacon for the first time the other week...I think the flavouring needed a little tinkering with for my taste buds but it was a great addition to salads and stuff. But I didn't even THINK of chocolate! Looks great!

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    1. Thanks Caeli - if you have made coconut bacon you are halfway to this chocolate. I have seen a few meat bacon chocolate recipes and wished for a veg version so I was really excited when I saw the recipe on keepin it kind

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  8. we can gorge on these addictive snacks endlessly...they taste absolutely yum,thanks for sharing :-)

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    1. Thanks Kumars Kitchen - I am thinking of making more nuts but I know they are dangerously addictive

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  9. Oh stop it!! This looks soooo awesome. I always see vegan bacon in vegan restaurants in our area but am never game enough. I will definately try it now!

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    1. Thanks Cass - you must try vegan bacon (which I love to call facon) - it changed my life - I make it with tofu mostly but coconut occasionally too

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  10. ooh will definitely give these a try, i don't use my liquid smoke enough

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    1. Thanks Cate - I sometimes worry I use my liquid smoke too much - just love that smoky flavour

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  11. Wow, what a crazy combination! Before I was vego, I used to love those devils on horseback things with the sweet prune and bacon combination. I could never understand why it tasted so good, but it did - but this sounds far more delicious.

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    1. Thanks Linda - you make me think of a kidney bean and prune stew I have made before (and I think it is on blog) - maybe I should revist with some smoked paprika - I don't know why smoky flavours are so good but it is so good to find it is not the meat taste of bacon I loved but the smoky flavours

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  12. That's so interesting making coconut bacon! I've never heard of it before but it sounds delicious.

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    1. Thanks Lorraine - I am sure you would love coconut bacon

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  13. Both combinations sound delish!

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  14. This month's WSC was full of raw recipes and weird combinations and I must say this sounds like it fits both categories. but I'm not sure why I'm finding it so strange - sweet and salty is nothing new. I think you'll just need to send me a piece to try ;-) Thanks for entering these into WSC and apologies for taking so long to get around to commenting.

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    1. Thanks Choclette - I was very excited by this theme as I love chocolate and coconut and when I saw this recipe on another blog I knew this would be fun and different to any choco-ccoc combo I have made before - and I have seen a chocolate and bacon combination about and wanted to play with it - maybe I now need to try brownies with coconut bacon on top. Or maybe just a little sprinkle of smoked salt would be enough to give this flavour combo if you want to try it.

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