These Autumn Gold Chocolate Bars are raw, vegan and gluten-free! And guess what the secret ingredient is? Not pumpkin – it’s butternut squash! Yes you can eat butternut squash raw, I am asked this quite often as I love to use it in raw dishes.
This chocolate bar is full of flavor and texture with a:
- Graham Cracker Crust (date free)
- Butternut Squash Cream (cashew free)
- Ginger Chocolate Fudge
- Dark Chocolate Enrobing
The graham cracker crust has become one of my favorites! It’s crunchy, flavorful and simple to make. Paired with a creamy rich texture of the butternut squash filling and ginger chocolate fudge, it’s a match made in heaven.
Making these are actually easier than they look. The bars are formed in an 8 x 8 square pan and cut into 2″ x 1″ bars. Once the crust is done you can pour the butternut squash cream layer right on top, wait a few hours for it to set and then add the last layer.
Enrobing them is optional but adds a professional look. I went ahead and drizzled chocolate on top for some added texture.
You can tell I love using raw butternut squash in recipes; here are just some other recipes I love to make:
https://crystaldawnculinary.com/butternut-squash-pie/
https://crystaldawnculinary.com/asian-squash-noodles/
Butternut squash is an excellent winter/fall addition to your diet as it has so many health benefits:
- High in beta carotene and Vitamin A to improve eyesight and skin health
- 1 cup contains 7 grams of fiber to promote regularity
- Contains 7 percent of your RDA of manganese to help with bone structure
- Contains half daily dose of Vitamin C for immune health
I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you make them I would love to see them in the Facebook group – Chefs of Crystal Dawn Culinary
AUTUMN GOLD CHOCOLATE BARS
Equipment
- Food processor, high-speed blender, double boiler, 8 x 8 square pan
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 cup almonds soaked and dehydrated or just dry
- ¾ cup oat flour
- 3 tbsp mesquite powder
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/8 tsp high mineral salt
- ___
- ¼ cup coconut nectar or any liquid sweetener
- 2 tbsp cacao butter melted
- 6 drops vanilla essence or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 drops almond essence optional
Butternut Squash Cream
- 1 ½ cups raw cubed peeled butternut squash
- ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp sunflower lecithin optional
- 1 tbsp coconut nectar or any other liquid sweetener
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp high mineral salt
- ___
- 3 tbsp melted cacao butter
Ginger Chocolate Fudge
- ¾ cup cacao powder
- ½ cup coconut nectar or any other liquid sweetener
- ¼ cup tahini at room temperature
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 50 g cacao butter melted (yields ¼ cup liquid)
- ½ tsp grated ginger or 2 drops ginger essential oil
- 8 drops vanilla essence or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt
- ___
- ¼ cup water at room temperature
Dark Chocolate for Enrobing
- 100 g cacao butter yields ½ cup liquid
- 200 g cacao paste yields 1 cup liquid
- ¼ cup liquid sweetener agave, maple syrup or a runny coconut nectar
- 6 drops vanilla essence or 1 tsp vanilla exctract
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Process first set of ingredients in a food processor until mixture forms a flour.
- Add remaining ingredients and process until batter starts sticking together.
- Press firmly into a lined 8 x 8 square pan using the back of a spoon to smooth out batter.
- Set aside while making butternut squash cream.
Butternut Squash Cream
- Blend all ingredients except cacao butter in a high-speed blender until smooth.
- Add cacao butter and blend again until combined.
- Pour butternut squash cream on top of crust and pat on counter to remove air bubbles.
- Set in freezer for minimum 2 hours or overnight.
Ginger Chocolate Fudge
- Blend all ingredients except water in a high-speed blender until smooth.
- Add water and blend on low until well combined.
- Pour ginger fudge onto butternut squash cream layer and smooth out with an offset spatula creating an even layer.
- Set in freezer for minimum 6 hours or overnight.
Dark Chocolate for Enrobing
- Melt cacao butter and cacao paste double boiler method.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Storage: Sealed container in fridge for one week or freezer for 1 month.
- Assembly: Remove pan from freezer and cut into 2” x 1” bars with a very sharp knife while mixture is still frozen. Enrobe in melted dark chocolate and set in freezer for 15 minutes.
