Sticky Sesame Bars With Raw Chocolate Drizzle Food

STICKY SESAME BARS WITH RAW CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Steps:

• 1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper and grease the pan with coconut oil or vegetable oil.
• 2. Place the nuts, sesame seeds, and chia seeds in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the agave nectar, nut or seed butter, oil, vanilla, and salt. Process, using on/off pulses, until the mixture is blended and begins to stick together and clump on the sides of the bowl.
• 3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Place a large piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic wrap (lightly greased with coconut or vegetable oil) atop the bar mixture and use it to spread and flatten the mixture evenly in the pan; leave the paper or plastic wrap to cover. Place the mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• 4. To prepare the chocolate drizzle: Mix the oil, agave nectar, and cocoa powder in a small bowl until blended. Remove the bar mixture from the freezer, uncover, and decoratively drizzle or spread with the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or place in the freezer for 1 hour until the mixture is firm.
• 5. Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 20 bars. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

BAKER'S CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in microwaveable bowl.
• Microwave on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Use teaspoon or fork to drizzle chocolate over dessert as desired.

CHOCOLATE-SESAME CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Line a rimmed 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
• In a food processor, pulse cereal until just broken into bits; do not process into a powder. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In the top of a double boiler, combine chocolate and tahini. Stir over simmering water until melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave, using short bursts of low heat.
• Pour chocolate mixture over cereal and stir together quickly.
• For bars, spread mixture in the prepared pan. It should be about 1/2-inch thick; you may need to push the mixture toward one end and level it if it does not quite fill the pan. For rounds, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto prepared pan and use the back of the spoon to form into circles. Refrigerate until hardened, about 2 hours.
• To serve, cut into bars or squares, or serve rounds as cookies. Any extras can be crumbled and used as an ice cream topping. Store in the refrigerator.

SWEET 'N STICKY SESAME CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set it aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in a bowl with egg substitute. Toss to coat and set aside. Put flour in another bowl. One at a time, use a fork or tongs to transfer chicken "nuggets" to the flour bowl, allowing excess egg substitute to drain back into the egg bowl. Thoroughly coat the chicken with flour and then transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining flour and chicken. Bake the chicken in the oven until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine broth with cornstarch in a nonstick skillet and whisk to dissolve. Set stove to medium-low heat. Add syrup, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. Mix well. Stirring often, cook until it's thick enough to coat a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add chicken and toss to coat. Plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions. If you like, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Eat up!

SESAME CASHEW BARS FROM SOFRA BAKERY

Steps:

• Combine the flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the butter forms pieces the size of small pebbles, 20-30 seconds. Pour the crust crumbs into the prepared pan and press down to form an even layer. Cover and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the crust until golden, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• While the crust is cooling, make the filling. Combine the cashews, sesame seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and honey, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn to caramel, forming large bubbles and thickening, or reaches 240ºF on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream and vanilla. Add cashew mixture to the pot. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cashew mixture into the caramel until well combined.
• Pour the filling on top of the baked crust in an even layer. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the caramel bubbles along the sides of the pan only and the center is still liquid, 26 to 28 minutes. The filling will appear unbaked. It is very important not to over-bake. The filling will set up as it cools.
• Set aside to cool completely and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Lift the foil out of the pan to remove the bars in one large block. Cut into thirty-six 1 1/2-inch squares.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.