WAGON WHEEL SLICE
SERVES 16
You’ll need a 5cm-deep, 12cm x 22cm baking pan.
180g almond meal
80g shredded coconut
100ml rice malt syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (250ml) coconut oil, melted, cooled
2 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
2 cups (500ml) coconut cream
2 cups (200g) raw cacao powder, plus 1 tsp extra, to dust
STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM
250g strawberries, hulled, chopped
½ cup (125ml) rice malt syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ cup (40g) white chia seeds
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease base and sides of a 5cm-deep, 12cm x 22cm baking pan and line with baking paper.
To make the base, combine the almond meal, coconut, malt syrup, egg and ⅓ cup (80ml) coconut oil in a bowl. Press mixture evenly over base of prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, for the strawberry chia jam, place strawberry, malt syrup and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes or until slightly broken down. Remove from heat and fold through the chia seeds. Set aside to cool completely, then spread over the base layer. Chill for 30 minutes to softly set.
Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Heat the coconut cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine and add to pan, stirring until melted and combined. Strain into a bowl and cool to room temperature.
Give the coconut mixture a stir, then pour over chia jam layer and chill for 3 hours or until firm and set.
Combine cacao and remaining 170g coconut oil in a bowl and stir until smooth. Using baking paper, gently remove slice from the pan and place on a wire rack set over a tray.
Pour cacao mixture evenly over top of slice. Working quickly before it sets, slightly tilt rack from side to side to allow cacao mixture to evenly coat edges. Set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes to set.
Dust slice with extra cacao, to serve.
DARK CHOCOLATE, CARAMEL & MACADAMIA GRANOLA BAR
MAKES 20
You’ll need a 30cm x 20cm slice pan.
2 cups (230g) fruit-free toasted muesli (we used Carman’s Original Fruit Free Muesli)
1¼ cups (20g) puffed millet
¾ cup (120g) macadamias, roughly chopped
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
⅓ cup (80ml) milk, warmed
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
200g packet dark chocolate chips
Grease a 30cm x 20cm slice pan and line base and 2 long sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edge (this will make it easier to pull slice out of pan).
Combine muesli, millet and macadamia in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
Pour ½ cup (125ml) water into a saucepan. Carefully pour sugar into centre of the pan, without touching the side, then swirl the pan to make sure all sugar is covered by water. Cook sugar, untouched, over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes until a light amber colour. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until caramel reaches a medium-dark brown colour. Remove from the heat.
Carefully stir the warm milk into the caramel (the caramel will bubble, but if the milk is warm, it shouldn’t boil over). Once bubbling has slowed down, stir in ¾ tsp salt flakes and the vanilla.
Pour caramel over the muesli mixture and stir until evenly coated. Quickly stir in the chocolate chips (they will start to melt), then immediately spoon the mixture into the prepared slice pan. Using the back of an oiled spoon, press mixture down firmly to flatten.
Cover slice pan with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes or until set.
Remove bar by loosening edges with a knife, then flipping out onto a cutting board. Cut into squares to serve.
NOTE: Store this slice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or wrap squares individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
