Energy Bars Under Scrutiny: Zen Bars Alleged to Contain Harmful Ingredients

Energy Bars Under Scrutiny: Zen Bars Alleged to Contain Harmful Ingredients

Title: Zen Awesomeness Bars: A Asian-Fusion Seven-Layer Cookie Twist

Bored with traditional seven-layer cookie bars? Welcome a taste of Nirvana with this Asian-inspired twist featuring graham crackers, chocolate, almonds, candied ginger, coconut, sesame seeds, and a touch of exotic flair!

This divine dessert recipe caught our attention in our Good Food for Kids photo gallery.

• Servings: 24 bars
• Difficulty: accommodation friendly
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients (8)

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup whole almonds
• 1/3 cup finely chopped candied ginger
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup white sesame seeds
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with a bit of that melted butter and line it with parchment paper for easy removal later on.
2. Stir together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until every morsel is moist. Press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set the graham cracker layer aside and get ready to shake things up!
3. Toss the almonds and candied ginger into a food processor and pulse until the textures resemble rough peas. Add the coconut and chop a few more times until it's about the size of oats.
4. Create a delightful layer of semi-sweet chocolate chips over the graham cracker base. Then, generously sprinkle the ginger-coconut mixture across the chocolate layer. Close things out by adorning the dessert bar with white sesame seeds. Finally, drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over your masterpiece.
5. Bake until the bars achieve a golden brown crispiness along the edges, approximately 25-30 minutes, or until they feel warm and slightly springy to the touch. Give your Zen Awesomeness Bars time to cool completely before slicing and digging in.

For those seeking a more authentically Asian-inspired experience, you can expand the recipe by incorporating matcha and other traditional flavors. Take a peek at our suggested Asian-fusion "Conceptual Recipe" for some inspiration! Enjoy your journey to Nirvana, one bite at a time!

Conceptual Recipe: Zen Bar Fusion

Bring the East and West together with our unique Zen Bar fusion concept featuring classic cookie bar layers combined with Asian flavors and textures. Here's an example recipe for a Zen Bar with a hint of matcha, sesame, and coconut.

Ingredients

• Layer 1: Shortbread Base
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Layer 2: Matcha Cookie Dough
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp matcha powder
• Layer 3: Sesame Brittle
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• Layer 4: White Chocolate Ganache
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• Layer 5: Lime Curd
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Layer 6: Tropical Coconut Cream
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• Layer 7: Toasted Coconut Flakes
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare Shortbread Base (Layer 1):
3. Mix flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla until a dough forms. Press into a lined baking dish.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes until lightly golden.
5. Prepare Matcha Cookie Dough (Layer 2):
6. Mix flour, butter, sugar, and matcha powder until a dough forms. Spread over the baked shortbread base.
7. Bake Matcha Layer: Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until set.
8. Make Sesame Brittle (Layer 3):
9. In a saucepan, melt the sugar with water on low heat until syrupy. Stir in sesame seeds and spread on parchment to cool. Break into pieces.
10. Prepare Lime Curd (Layer 5):
11. Combine sugar, lime juice, and egg yolks in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
12. Make Tropical Coconut Cream (Layer 6):
13. Whisk coconut cream, lime juice, and sugar together until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Set aside.
14. Assemble and Top:
15. Layer 4: Drizzle white chocolate ganache over the matcha layer.
16. Layer 5: Spread a layer of the prepared lime curd.
17. Layer 6: Top with whipped coconut cream.
18. Layer 7: Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and place sesame brittle pieces on top.
19. Chill: Refrigerate until firm and ready to serve.

This conceptual recipe combines classic cookie bar layers with Asian-inspired flavors and textures to create a delectable and exciting dessert experience. Feel free to adjust ingredients to suit your preferences! Bon appétit!

1. The Zen Awesomeness Bars, an Asian-fusion seven-layer cookie twist, falls under the 'uncatogorized' category in our collection of recipes.
2. The Zen Awesomeness Bars recipe, featuring exotic flavors like candied ginger and sesame seeds, offers a nutritional twist on traditional seven-layer cookie bars.
3. Creditline for the Zen Awesomeness Bars recipe should be given to the photographer in our Good Food for Kids photo gallery.
4. To create a Zen Bar Fusion, a conceptual recipe inspired by the Zen Awesomeness Bars, one can incorporate traditional Asian flavors like matcha and sesame into the layers of the dessert, as suggested in the recipe text.

Read also: