These healthy baklava chocolate bars taste like the real baklava, but without all the sugar, fat and calories! They make a delicious healthy dessert or snack. They’re also perfect if you’re looking for something to satisfy a craving for something crunchy!
Baklava is a delicious pastry made of layers of thin phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts (often pistachios, walnuts, or almonds) and sweetened with honey or a simple syrup made with sugar and water. It’s a popular dessert in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa, but also in countries like Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Iran. With variations in ingredients and preparation methods depending on the region. The fact it was able to spread so far and wide gives you an indication of just how good Baklava is!
Baklava is really sweet as it’s drenched in a sweet sugary syrup. It’s also high in fat, usually butter, used in the phyllo pastry, but also brushed in between the layers of pastry. It’s a fairly heavy dessert, which can be enjoyed in moderation. However, if you’re anything like me and want to enjoy baklava on a more regular basis, minus all the fat and sugar, you may want to try these healthy baklava chocolate bars!
I’m using all the flavours typically used in baklava, which are:
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Orange zest (although traditionally orange blossom water is used instead)
- Lemon zest
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Rose water
Instead of using a lot of syrup, I’m only using 2 and a half tablespoons of maple syrup in 9 bars, which means they’re a lot lower in sugar. The main reason I’m using maple syrup, apart from to add a hint of sweetness, it to help the bars hold together as they bake in the oven.
Like many traditional Middle Eastern foods, Baklava holds a significant cultural importance. It’s associated with celebrations and special occasions and is commonly served during religious holidays like Eid. I grew up eating baklava, but it was a rare treat that we only got to enjoy on those special occasions or when we visited family friends/relatives.
Why I love making these healthy baklava chocolate bars:
As well as tasting like baklava, which is a reason in itself to make them, these bars are actually good for you! The main ingredients being nuts, dark chocolate, spices and orange & lemon zest. They’re much lower in sugar compared to your average dessert since I’m only using 2.5 tbsp of maple syrup in the whole recipe.
Nuts are packed with essential nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins (such as vitamin E, B vitamins), minerals (such as magnesium, potassium, zinc), and antioxidants. These nutrients are important for overall health, energy production, immune function, and various physiological processes in the body. Despite being calorie-dense, nuts can be beneficial for weight management when consumed in moderation. The combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats in nuts can help increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction.
Dark chocolate (70% cocoa and above) is packed with antioxidants, such as flavonoids and polyphenols, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation in the body. These antioxidants may contribute to lower risk factors for heart disease and other chronic conditions. It also contains compounds such as phenylethylamine (PEA) and serotonin precursors that may promote feelings of happiness and relaxation.
Both nuts and dark chocolate have a low glycemic index, meaning they cause a slower and more gradual rise in blood sugar levels compared to high-carbohydrate foods. Including nuts and dark chocolate in your diet can help stabilise blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
Why you should try these healthy baklava chocolate bars:
As well as the health benefits mentioned above, these healthy baklava chocolate bars not only make a tasty snack, but they’re also really convenient. You can make a big batch and store them in an air-tight container at room temperature. Since they’re mainly made up or nuts, chocolate and maple syrup, they will last a long time without going off. They will keep for at least a couple of weeks, no problem, although they may start to lose the crunch after a few days. they’ll still taste amazing and have the same health benefits though.
As well as satisfying your sweet tooth, these bars are also great if you’re the type of person (like me!) who craves crunchy treats. There’s just something so satisfying about hearing and feeling a crunch when you bite into something tasty.
These bars include 3 of my all time favourite things – dark chocolate, nuts (especially pistachios) and spices (especially cardamom). You can use your favourite nuts or even a combination of nuts and seeds. They’re really easy to adjust depending on likes or what you have available. For example, if you don’t have rose water, simply omit. They’ll still taste amazing without! You can even omit the chocolate if you want a lower calorie version.
How to make these healthy baklava chocolate bars:
These healthy baklava chocolate bars are really easy to make, you simply mix everything in a bowl, transfer into moulds or a baking tin and bake! Once cooled, you can either drizzle the chocolate on top (if using moulds) so the chocolate seeps into the crevasse and encapsulate the bars. If you’re baking the mixture in a loaf tin
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Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
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Roughly chop the walnuts, then add them to a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.
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Transfer into silicon moulds or a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
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Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before removing from the moulds or slicing. The mixture will harden as it cools.
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Once cooled, you can either drizzle melted dark chocolate into the moulds while the bars are still in there so the chocolate encapsulates the bars, or you can simply dip them in melted chocolate.
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Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
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Optional – decorate with a sprinkle of ground pistachios and rose petals.
How to store these healthy baklava chocolate bars:
Once cooled, you can store them in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. They do keep longer, but they will lose their crunch if kept for too long.
These healthy baklava chocolate bars are:
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Healthy
- Crunchy
- Great as a snack
- Great as a healthy dessert
- Packed with antioxidants
- A good source of fibre
- A good source of protein
- Easy to make
- Easily adjustable to preferences
- Super delicious!
Healthy Baklava Chocolate Bars
Ingredients
- 125g pistachios
- 100g walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp rose water
- 100g dark chocolate melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
- Roughly chop the walnuts, then add them to a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Transfer into silicon moulds or a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before removing from the moulds or slicing. The mixture will harden as it cools.
- Once cooled, you can either drizzle melted dark chocolate into the moulds while the bars are still in there so the chocolate encapsulates the bars, or you can simply dip them in melted chocolate.
- Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
- Optional - decorate with a sprinkle of ground pistachios and rose petals.
Nutrition
If you like these healthy baklava chocolate bars, you may also like:
- 5-Ingredient Crunchy Pistachio Bars
- Crunchy Nut & Seed Rounds
- Healthy Grain-free Granola Recipe
- Spiced Date Walnut Rolls
Question, you say mix everything together and then bake. Does that mean the chocolate too? Do you mean without the chocolate and. then add the chocolate once they are out of the oven.
What size silicon molds or loaf pans are you using??