Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars. Raw. Dairy-Free. Gluten-Free. Vegan.

Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bar

If you’re a long-time reader of my blog, you may remember my sad attempt to grow veggies a few years back. Everything I planted quickly got devoured by the gazillion veggie-loving critters that live in our garden. Some plants literally disappeared overnight :/

I’ve long since abandoned the veggie patch dream and my latest strategy is to leave the patch in a semi wild state and observe what will happily grow there with no intervention on my part. So far, amongst the multitude of wild flowers and “weeds”, I have three edible crops that are flourishing – Golden Raspberries, Lemon Balm and Chocolate Mint!

Chocolate Peppermint Plant

A couple of years ago I bought a tiny chocolate peppermint plant for £1. After happily growing in a pot for the first year, I wondered how it would fare in the ‘veggie patch’. I planted it out with little hope that it would actually survive. But low and behold, it began to grow and spread like wildfire. This Spring I was longing for it to burst into life as I knew a recipe that would be just perfect for it – Koko’s Raw Peppermint Chocolate Squares.

I’ve made Koko’s recipe (with little adaptations) three times so far, and it’s been a huge hit with everyone that’s tried it.

Raw Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars

I adore the fresh mint flavour that comes through in the creamy centre, sandwiched between two layers of dark chocolatey goodness.

The bottom layer is a blend of nuts and dates which makes a nice firm base. Koko uses almonds in her recipe but I’ve also tried it with walnuts which work great too. They also add a handy dose of omega 3 to the (already amazing) nutrient profile of these bars.

The creamy middle layer is made from blended cashews and buckwheat. Koko also adds a secret ingredient to this layer… spinach leaves. They don’t affect the flavour at all but give it a wonderful green hue.

Chocolate Peppermint Cream Blender Shot

The dessert is topped off with a decadent dark chocolate layer. I love Koko’s raw chocolate topping but, to put my own twist on her recipe, I also love to top the bars with an indulgent chocolatey fudge layer.

Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bar

Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bar

I make this fudge using creamed coconut, which is dehydrated coconut meat and comes in a solid block. Here in the UK, it’s widely available in supermarkets (on the world food aisle), health food stores and Asian supermarkets (usually packaged in a cardboard container).

Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bar

Big thank you to Koko for her amazing recipe This one is definitely a keeper!

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The recipe for these delicious, decadent Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars has been lightly adapted from this recipe from Koko’s Kitchen.

To make the peppermint cream filling, it’s best to use a powerful high speed blender (I use my Froothie). If you don’t have a Froothie, Vitamix or equivalent, you can use a good quality food processor but you will need to soak the nuts and buckwheat first to soften them. Either soak for an hour in freshly boiled water or, to keep the dessert raw, soak in cold water for 4-6 hours. The soaking water will be gloopy, so be sure to rinse thoroughly.

Makes: 12-16 bars
Hands-on time: 20 minutes   Ready in: 3.5 hours

Ingredients
Crust
1 cup walnuts (100g) or raw almonds (150g)
1 cup soft pitted dates (150g)
3 TBSP cacao powder (20g)
1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml)
Pinch of salt

Mint Cream Filling
5 TBSP virgin coconut oil, melted (75g)
4 TBSP raw agave syrup (or maple syrup for a non-raw option) (80ml)
4 TBSP non dairy milk (60ml)
1 cup cashews (130g)
½ cup buckwheat (100g)
¼ cup loosely packed mint leaves (5g) (I use chocolate peppermint)
Scant ½ cup spinach leaves (10g)
4 TBSP water, or as needed
peppermint oil or extract, as needed

Chocolate Fudge Topping
1/2 a block creamed coconut (100g)
4 TBSP non dairy milk (60ml)
4 TBSP raw agave syrup (or maple syrup for a non-raw option) (80ml)
3 TBSP cacao powder (20g)

Cacao nibs, for garnish

Method
Line a pan with non stick baking paper or cling film (plastic wrap). You can either use an 8 inch square pan or a large loaf tin, depending on how wide and deep you want the bars.

Crust: Pulse the nuts in a food processor to break them up. Add the remaining ingredients and process into fine crumbs. Pinch a little of the mixture and if it sticks together, it’s ready. Sprinkle the crumbs into the prepared pan and press down firmly to form a crust.

Mint cream filling: Melt the coconut oil in a double boiler (a bowl set over a saucepan containing an inch or so of water) on low heat.

Blender version – Pour the oil, syrup and milk into your blender followed by the cashews, buckwheat, mint leaves and spinach leaves. Blend until creamy smooth, stopping now and then to scrape down the sides. You may need to add a little water to keep things moving (I add 4 TBSP water).

Food processor version – Pulse the soaked cashews and buckwheat to break them up. Add the remaining ingredients and process for a few minutes until creamy smooth, stopping now and then to scrape down the sides.

Taste test and add a drop of peppermint oil or extract if needed (I find my chocolate mint leaves are minty enough).

Scoop the mint cream onto the crust and level. Place in the freezer until firm to the touch (about an hour).

Chocolate fudge topping: Place the creamed coconut, non dairy milk and liquid sweetener in the double boiler. Gently heat, stirring regularly until the ingredients have fully melted and combined. Whisk in the cacao powder. Scoop the fudge on top of the mint layer and level.

Sprinkle on some cacao nibs and lightly press them into the fudge.

Return the pan to the freezer until fully set (about 2 hours). Slice into 12-16 bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or in the freezer for a few weeks. (I freeze my bars in a single layer in freezer bags). Leave at room temperature to thaw before serving (10-15 minutes). [/print_this]

Products used in this recipe
Froothie Optimum 9400 Blender (check out my review here)
Magimix Food Processor
Tesco Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews, Soft Pitted Dates, Buckwheat
Sevenhills Organic Cacao Powder & Cacao Nibs
Steenburgs Organic Vanilla Extract
Cocofina Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Clarks Organic Agave Syrup (suitable for raw foodists as heated to no more than 40C) / Original Maple Syrup (non raw option)
Creamed Coconut – I use all kinds of brands including Essential Organic (bought from my local health food store, also available from RealFoods), Bart (from Waitrose), Dunn’s River (from Tesco) and Biona Organic (from Ocado). In the USA, Let’s Do Organic Creamed Coconut seems a popular brand.

14 thoughts on “Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars. Raw. Dairy-Free. Gluten-Free. Vegan.

    1. TY ♥ It got rave reviews from your hubbie (he’s had two so far). That’s what happens when you go away… he’s eating all the treats I normally give to you lol! Don’t worry though, there’s one in the freezer with your name on it 😉

  1. thank you so much for sharing my recipe Sharon– I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! I love the changes you have made….you’re fudgy chocolate layer looks incredible!! I will have to keep my eyes out for this creamed coconut product…I want to try this version!! Xoxo

    1. Such an amazing recipe Koko! I love both your original raw choc topping and this fudgey one. Both really complement the peppermint cream.
      Creamed coconut is great for adding creaminess and a touch of coconut flavour to Indian and Thai curries. Makes delicious vegan fudge too 🙂

  2. I too have given up on growing veggies. I do have some herbs though I don’t have chocolate mint growing yet. This looks delicious and creamy and yummy! I wouldn’t have thought the buckwheat would break down, how fascinating!

    1. Hi Helen. It’s available from Amazon. Just add Naked Chocolate into the search box and it should come up. There are some great deals on second hand copies right now x

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