Refined sugar, saturated fat, and cholesterol are "all in the mix." Though the combination of the three may overly tempting, making this homemade Twix® bar is not only simple and nutritious.
Among healthy chocolate candy recipes, including bistroMD's homemade Almond Joy®, this is one of our favorite candy bars! Our healthy recipe is naturally gluten-free and features all-natural ingredients.
So what are you waiting for? Bite into this healthified Twix chocolate bar and make a "date" with one of the star ingredients!
Homemade Twix® Candy Bar Recipe
Yields: About 20 bars
Nutrition per bar: 164 calories, 3 grams (g) protein, 6 g fat, 20 g net carb
Ingredients:
Shortbread Crust
• 2 cups dry oats
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
Caramel Filling
• 10 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 Tbsp natural almond butter
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Layer
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Add oats into a food processor and grind until a flour is formed. Pour oat flour into a large mixing bowl with coconut flour, coconut oil, and applesauce. Gently mix until well combined.
3. Transfer the shortbread crust into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, greased with a nonstick spray. Lightly press the mixture until flattened into an even layer. With a fork, poke roughly 10 holes into the crust to allow ventilation.
4. Bake the shortbread crust for 12 to 15 minutes, just until it is beginning to become golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool.
5. For the caramel filling, mix all ingredients in a blender until the dates are broken down into a paste consistency. Add a teaspoon of water as needed to help with the breakdown.
6. Smear caramel filling onto the cooled shortbread layer and set aside while making the chocolate layer.
7. On low heat on the stove, melt the chocolate layer ingredients. Mix until it has reached a smooth texture. You can also melt the chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl, heating for 20-second intervals and stirring in between.
8. Pour or drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the caramel layer. Allow to cool completely and harden in the fridge.
9. Gently cut the bar into 20 smaller bars. Keep "Twix®" in the fridge until ready to serve!
Benefits of Dates
It may seem quite unusual to create a "caramel" filling with Medjool dates. However, using the fruit is quite beneficial in a number of ways. The natural and caramel-like sweetness of dates acts as a useful alternative, like in this Twix® bar recipe.
Besides, dates are packed with dietary fiber. They are also rich sources of potassium, copper, manganese, manganese, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. Dates nutrition benefits health in a number of ways, including:
• Bowel regularity: The high fiber content, almost 2 grams per one date, classify them into a "laxative food." Dates are commonly used to manage and alleviate constipation.
• Weight management: Those who consume high-fiber diets show to have lower body mass indexes. This is compared to those who consume a low-fiber diet.
• Heart health: Dietary fiber can help reduce both cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The potassium in dates may reduce hypertension, or high blood pressure, as well. Maintaining healthy parameters of these metrics helps protect against heart disease.
• Diabatic-friendly: Despite their natural sugar content, dates rank low in the glycemic index (GI). The GI is essentially a carbohydrate meter that measures how a carb-containing food impacts and raises blood glucose. A 60-gram serving of dates has a GI score of 42, which is lower grapes with a GI of 59.
Taken together, dates are ample in valuable nutrients proven to be beneficial to health. They also are a unique ingredient beyond standing as a sole fruit and truly shine in this bistroMD original!
