Tahini Caramel Crunch Bars

Crunchy, sesame-flavored, chocolate-topped snack bars, all grown up

Tahini Caramel Crunch Bars

At the start of the school year, I can't help but love the ubiquitous back-to-school promos nudging my appetite towards the pantry staple that still reigns supreme over childhood breakfasts: cereal. What I want, however, is not the bowl-and-milk version, nor the classic marshmellowy flavors, but something unexpected, perhaps crunchier, a little unusual, and more grown up: tahini caramel crunch bars!

These bars sparkle more subtly but with equal promise of impossible surprise.* From a distance, we see the typical mix of chocolate with peanut butter--classic bake sale fare--only to discover a treasure of tahini with its sophisticated sesame flavor asserting depth into a caramel mixture, accented with peanut butter nostalgia. We have corn flakes for crunch, dark chocolate to temper the sweetness, and a sprinkle of fine sea salt for that irresistible salty-sweet combo.

Tahini Caramel, Melted Chocolate, Corn Flakes

What's in these tahini caramel crunch bars?

• Tahini: binds the bars and provides the dominant sesame flavor

• Peanut butter: adds a background peanutty flavor (feel free to sub another nut butter)

• Honey: sweetens the bars

• Corn flakes cereal: the crunchy base of the bars

• Dark chocolate chips and coconut oil: melted together, form the chocolate topping

• Salt: a sprinkling of fine sea salt provides a salty-sweet finish

The steps are simple and come together quickly:

1. Melt together the tahini, peanut butter, and honey.

2. Combine with the corn flakes and pat into a pan.

3. Melt together the chocolate chips and coconut oil and pour over the cereal mixture.

4. Sprinkle with salt.

5. Refrigerate, slice, and enjoy!

These bars are lightly sweet and a touch savory, crunchy and a bit crumbly, and taste great chilled or at room temperature. They are unexpectedly delicious, and I encourage you to partake of a bar or three while autumn rolls in.

Tahini Caramel Crunch Bars

*"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

~Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871)

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Tahini Caramel Crunch Bars Makes 1 8x8 pan, 12-16 bars

Author: Ambika

These tahini caramel crunch bars are not the typical mainstays of school bake sales and fall potlucks. These bars pack addictive, nuanced flavor into a palm-sized package. They are the perfect back-to-school snack for any age (even if school is a distant memory), and I hope you enjoy them!

Prep. Time: 15 mins Total Time: 2.5 hrs

Ingredients

• 3/4 tahini, stirred smooth

• 1/4 cup peanut butter (or other preferred nut butter)

• 1/4 cup honey

• 4 cups corn flakes cereal

• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (semisweet chips work well, too)

• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

• a pinch or two of fine sea salt

Helpful Equipment: 8x8 square pan, parchment

Directions

1. Place a wide strip of parchment across the pan so that it hangs over the edges; this will allow you to lift the bars out of the pan when they are ready to slice.

2. Prepare the tahini caramel: Combine the tahini, peanut butter, and honey in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through (this doesn't typically take longer than 1 minute total). Remove from the microwave and whisk smooth.

3. In a large bowl, add the corn flakes and warm tahini caramel. Stir gently until the tahini caramel thoroughly coats all the corn flakes. Once combined, pat the mixture into the pan firmly with a spoon until the mixture is even and compact.

4. Prepare the chocolate topping: In a a separate microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring afterwards, until the chocolate and oil have melted together and are smoothly combined.

5. Pour the chocolate over the corn flakes mixture and spread evenly into a thin layer with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with fine sea salt.

6. Refrigerate: Place the pan in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm up. When the bars are fully chilled and the chocolate is set, remove the bars using the parchment overhang and place on a cutting board. Slice (see Note below), and enjoy!

Notes

It helps to slice the bars with a hot, sharp knife. I warm a knife by running it under hot water for 5-10 seconds and patting it dry.

How to Store: Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tahini Caramel Crunch Bars

Did you try this recipe? Feel free to leave any comments or questions below!