Growing up, I’d help my mam do the “big shop” each week and our little treat was to get a Bounty bar and take half each – the perfect sharing bar! Those deliciously coconut bars can sit on a shelf for months on end and still be edible. Think about what goes in to those bars to keep them “fresh”. The homemade versions last for about a week before they start to turn. I don’t know about you, but that’s a good sign in my book.
There are deliciously simple recipes out there (
my blog included!!) for homemade Bounty bars that taste identical to the real deal but with less additives. They do however contain quite a lot of sugar and nasty saturated fats. These Grown Up Bounty Balls on the other hand are scrumtious, nutritious and will quell that craving for something sweet!
These treats are filled with healthy, nourishing fats from the coconut milk and oil, antioxidents and zinc from the maple syrup and dark chocolate, and are bursting with flavour! Enjoy!
200g good quality Dark Chocolate (whichever you prefer – I use 70% Green and Blacks which is dairy free)
1. Gently heat the coconut milk, oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a pot until they are melted and combined. Allow to cool slightly.
2. Add the desiccated coconut to the cooled milk mixture and thoroughly combine.
Squish the mixture into golf ball sized balls. (This is easier if your hands are wet – I keep a bowl of water handy and dip my hands in as I go.)
3. Place the balls on the lined tray and freeze for approximately 1 hour. (This doesn’t actually freeze them but makes the final step of covering them in chocolate far easier as they won’t fall apart.)
4. After an hour, gently melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. And now for the messy part ..
5. Dip the chilled coconut balls into the chocolate and leave to set on a sheet of parchment paper. Add a sprinkling of coconut to the balls before they set fully. Enjoy!
