These bars found their way into our kitchens after a trip to Bali, where coconut appears in endless forms. A cashew-coconut shortbread base topped with a melt-in-your-mouth filling flavored with vanilla: just the thing to satisfy a craving for something sweet while loading up on good fatty acids. Allow a good half day between assembling and setting in the fridge, but the active preparation takes only a few minutes.
Raw Coconut-Cashew Bars, Vanilla Filling
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Ingredients
For the base
- 2 cups cashews
- 3 cups shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons powdered xylitol (or coconut sugar)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring (or a few drops of coconut extract)
For the filling
- 120 ml coconut milk or coconut cream
- 3 cups shredded coconut (+ 1 cup reserved for the end)
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut butter
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- A dash of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
- 1 tablespoon powdered xylitol
For the chocolate sauce (optional)
- 3 tablespoons coconut syrup (or another liquid sweetener)
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons cacao powder
- 1 pinch salt
- A few drops of vanilla extract
Method
- Blend all the base ingredients on low speed until you get a fine, sticky, crumb-like texture.
- Line a bar tin with parchment paper, press the base down by hand to a thickness of 1 to 2 cm, then refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
- Blend the coconut cream, shredded coconut, cashews, lemon juice, vanilla, coconut flavoring and xylitol on low speed until you get a smooth mixture.
- Add the melted coconut butter and coconut oil, blend just enough to incorporate, then stir in the reserved shredded coconut by hand.
- Pour the filling over the well-chilled base, smooth the surface, then refrigerate (or freeze) for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- When ready to serve, unmold, sprinkle with shredded or toasted coconut if you like, and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Let rest for 10 minutes in the fridge before cutting into pieces.
Tip
For the chocolate sauce, mix equal parts coconut syrup, melted coconut oil and cacao powder, with a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla. Pour into a squeeze bottle for a clean drizzle over each piece.
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FAQ: your questions about shredded coconut
What are the benefits of shredded coconut?
Shredded coconut is dried pulp: it concentrates the fruit's fiber, providing a notable amount per serving, and supplies manganese, copper and iron. It's also very rich in fat, mostly medium-chain saturated fatty acids. It's a nourishing rather than a light ingredient, used for its texture and flavor as much as for what it provides.
What is the nutritional value of shredded coconut?
Count on roughly 600 to 650 kcal per 100 g, with roughly 60 to 65 g of fat, 15 to 20 g of fiber, 6 to 7 g of protein, and few digestible carbohydrates if the coconut is unsweetened. Always check the label: many store-bought shredded coconuts are sweetened or sulfite-treated. In this recipe, the 3 cups of coconut in the base are spread over a whole tray, so the actual portion per bar stays reasonable.
How much coconut per day?
There's no official recommendation. In practice, one to two tablespoons of shredded coconut a day fit easily into a varied diet without unbalancing fat intake. If you eat a lot of it, adjust the other fat sources in the meal. And as with anything, listen to your digestion: coconut is rich in insoluble fiber, which doesn't suit every gut in large amounts.
Is coconut good for diabetics?
Unsweetened shredded coconut has the advantage of being low in digestible carbohydrates and rich in fiber, which limits its impact on blood sugar on its own. However, be careful with what accompanies it: this recipe contains xylitol, optional coconut syrup and cashews, all of which need to be factored into the overall calculation. People with diabetes are best served by discussing this with the professional managing their care rather than relying on a single ingredient.
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