A childhood party classic with a healthier twist. The original chocolate crackle recipe contains Copha, which is a hydrogenated fat that should be avoided due to being inflammatory to the body & raising cholesterol levels. This adaptation of the classic recipe will still taste like the childhood classic, but without the nasty ingredients.

Switching to puffed brown rice verses the original cereal ‘Rice Bubbles’ is much more nutritious and contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals. This is due to puffed brown rice comes being a whole grain, which contains all parts of the grain – the fibrous bran, the nutritious germ, and the carb-rich endosperm. Whereas, rice bubbles (made from white rice) has had the bran and germ removed (the most nutritious parts of the grain).

Brown rice syrup takes longer to digest as it is a complex carbohydrate and therefore sustains energy or blood sugar levels for longer, thereby, preventing the energy-crashing effect that icing sugar has on the body.

 

Makes: 10 chocolate crackles
Prep time: 20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cup (40g) puffed brown rice (see note).
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (50g) desiccated coconut
  • ⅓ cup (75g) coconut oil
  • 5 tablespoons (120g) brown rice syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with 10 liners. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Spread the puffed rice out on the baking tray and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until crispy. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, place the coconut oil, brown rice syrup, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan and warm gently over low heat until the mixture becomes runny. Add the cocoa powder and stir well to combine. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes before adding to rice.
  4. Tip the wet mixture over the rice and coconut, using a rubber spatula to scrape everything into the bowl. Stir well until all the rice is coated.
  5. Spoon the mixture evenly between the 10 muffin cases and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (no need to cover). Once set, store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best eaten straight from the fridge, or pack with an icepack in the lunch box.

 

Notes:

Puffed Rice Alternatives – you can also use buckwheat groats, or a combination of rice and buckwheat groats.
If you are using rice bubbles or a toasted rice cereal instead of puffed brown rice (that is not toasted, you can skip the toasting step.

Make It Sweeter – add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, or in a food processor blend 2 pitted medjool dates with the warmed coconut oil, brown rice syrup mixture.

 

 

 

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