Treat yourself to my decadent yet wholesome delight with these raspberry and cream crunch bars! Luxuriously creamy, dairy-free, and infused with the vibrant essence of freeze-dried raspberries, these bars are the perfect fusion of texture and flavour. You can make them with any freeze-dried berry you desire. I decided to use freeze-dried raspberries, but I have used mango, pineapple, etc.
I wanted to make this with a twist, so I added crisp quinoa puffs. They're amazing and I usually eat them with yoghurt or homemade chocolate bars.
Ice Cream
You can use pre-made ice cream, then slightly thaw it to scoop it in the moulds, or you can make this simple coconut ice cream (add beetrootpowderorrose, if you fancy, just for colour)!
Pour the contents into an ice cream bar mould, freeze it, and make the delicious crunch coating! Then, off to the races!
Extras & Wellness Additions: Euphoria Powder: The Euphoria Powder is a mood-enhancing herbal elixir crafted to ignite vitality and balance. This powder is crafted with adaptogens and botanical aphrodisiacs, making it a lovely addition to your wellness routine, whether blended into a warm tonic or incorporated into a recipe.
Rose Powder: Thispowder has an earthy and floral note. My absolute favourite is Anima Mundi Herbals' Rose Powder (If you use this link, you can get 15% off with my code: MADISON15). It's the ultimate botanical luxury, filled with antioxidants to nourish the skin and support digestion. Add a touch to your ice cream bars or use the aforementioned alternatives, such as beetroot.
Delicious in each bite
My crispy quinoa-cookie-esque topping adds the ideal crunch, making each bite satisfying yet somewhat a healthy indulgence. If you don't have quinoa, feel free to use chopped almonds. I like the texture of the crisp quinoa puffs blended with the freeze-dried fruit!
Spring or summer, make these whenever! Whether you're looking for a chic spring-summer dessert or an elegant yet rustic dairy-free indulgence with a twist, these ice cream bars bring a refined touch to any sweet craving AND get the kids involved, they are fun to make. Scroll to the full recipe, let’s make magic in the kitchen!
9cup (180 g) brown sugar (or coconut sugar, or sugar-free sweetener)
1.5teaspoon kosher salt
24teaspoons beetroot powder or rose powder (Optional)
Crunch Coating Mixture:
60 to 6 small lemon biscuits (or 4 medium sugar cookies)
6cup (28 g) freeze-dried raspberries (roughly crumbled to about 3 tablespoons)
24tablespoons vegan butter (or coconut oil)
36tablespoons crisp quinoa puffs
Method:
1
Making the Coconut Ice Cream:
Special Equipment:
Mixing bowl
Zip-top bag
Immersion blender (liquidiser, or stick blender)
Spatula
Rolling pin
Baking tray
Greaseproof paper/Baking parchment
If you already have ice cream that you want to use, skip this step and go to Step #3.
In a large mixing bowl, add the coconut milk, coconut cream, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and salt. Blitz with an immersion blender or liquidiser until blended smooth. At this point, add beetroot powder or any food colouring if you prefer. Blitz the mixture again until incorporated.
Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Place the ice cream bar moulds on the baking tray. Pour or scoop the ice cream mixture into the moulds. Then, add a popsicle stick into each cavity. Freeze the bars for 3 to 4 hours until frozen solid, or overnight.
Remove the bars from the freezer and set aside on the counter. Meanwhile, immediately start to make the crunch coating mixture in the next step, as you allow the bars to sit. This will allow the crunch mixture to adhere to the bars easily.
2
Making the Crunch Coating Mixture:
Fill a zip-top bag with the lemon biscuits (or sugar cookies) and the freeze-dried raspberries. Then, use a rolling pin or the bottom of a bowl to crush them in the closed bag until they have a large breadcrumb texture. Now, add the crisp quinoa puffs to the bag (keeping them whole) and mix it around until blended.
Pour out the crunch mixture onto a plate. Drizzle melted butter (or coconut oil) over the mixture, using a spoon to evenly coat the mixture with the butter.
Check that the bars are still frozen. Carefully place one bar on top of the mixture. On one side, generously spoon the mixture on top, then press the bar into the mixture. Repeat this step for the opposite side until the bar is mostly covered on both sides. *Tip: You may need to do this a couple times on each side until it is mostly covered with the crunch coating. You can use gloves, if you prefer, but where’s the fun in that?
Place the bars carefully on the lined baking tray but without the moulds, then freeze for a further 30 minutes to 1 hour before enjoying.
Note
I used these lemon biscuits, which are rather small. Feel free to use sugar cookies or your preferred tea biscuits. If you use a larger size, you will need less.
If you want to use rose powder instead of beetroot powder, you may need to use more, depending on the preferred colour intensity. Alternatively, you can use food colouring.
Madison is an avid cook. She is a recipe developer, commercial photographer, and food writer. She has worked as a food stylist and as a wellness writer. Find food and entertaining inspiration throughout the pages of this blog and in her newsletters.
