Tag Archives: low carb candy

Desserts, Recipes, Tips

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candies are OK!

First batch of candies. You can easily see where the butter pooled on the bottom. My second try didn’t have that issue.

This recipe comes from Atkins and it is pretty much as they printed it with a few changes from me. They call it a “fat bomb” but it is a little lower in fat per serving than many of the other fat bombs. This type of snack is intended to give you a quick burst of energy without adding much to your daily carbs. The body will burn the fat for energy, leaving little to go to becoming excess weight.

They are very tasty and a great quick treat when you need a pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon. The only problem I have with it is that the unsweetened coconut flakes don’t get crispy the way regular ones do when they are toasted and they are very chewy. They also don’t bring a lot of coconut flavor. I plan to try it again with shredded unsweetened coconut to see if that works better. I’ll add a note later about that result. I also cut the butter from 2 tablespoons, whcih left a puddle of butter at the bottom when the candies set up, to 1 tablespoon. I added 1/2 tablespoon of Coconut Oil. The oil sets up quickly, so it doesn’t leave a puddle.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Haystacks

1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
4 tablespoons Xylitol or other granulated sugar substitute
1/4 cup Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (check carbs for lowest)
2 cups Unsweetened Flaked Coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.) and place coconut flakes on a baking tin. Toast for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Prepare a cookie sheet with a sheet of waxed paper or place a silicon mat on it.

In a medium-sized, heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter, coconut oil, sugar substitute, and cocoa. Cook over medium high heat stirring often. When it comes to a boil, remove from the heat.

Add in the peanut butter and stir until it is mixed into the chocolate well. Fold in the coconut flakes until they are completely coated.

Drop tablespoons of the mixture onto the wax paper to form mounds. The recipe should make about 18 mounds. Place into the refrigerator to harden to a candy consistency. Once they are firm, you can store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks, if they last that long. They may also be frozen.

Makes 18 haystacks.

Nutrition information per haystack:
Calories: 110.6 Fat: 10.5 g Net Carbs: 1.8 g Protein: 1.7 g

This recipe is good for all phases of Atkins and other low carb diets except for the first two of Induction when nuts are not allowed.

Notes: When using other sugar substitutes, use the granulated versions and keep in mind that they do have a small amount of carbs per teaspoon due to the medium for storing the sweetener.

If you don’t like coconut, you can omit it and make a peanut butter chocolate candy that is also delicious.

Got any questions or comments? Please send them.

Recipes

Tasty Low Carb Hazelnut Chocolate Energy Bite

Inspired by a recipe from Stevia, this quick-to-make energy bite is a tasty fat bomb.  I made a few adjustments to make it  a little sweeter and not as grainy-tasting.    Most of the ingredients are easy to find at your grocery store.  If you can’t find hazelnut flour, then use hazelnuts and grind them in your food processor until they are the consistency of flour.

Chocolate Hazelnut Quick Bites

Filling:
1 cup Hazelnut Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Golden Flax Meal
1/2 teaspoon Cardamom
1/2 cup Butter
1 teaspoons Sugar Free Hazelnut Syrup
1 tablespoon Sugar Substitute

Chocolate Coating:
8 tablespoons Coconut Oil
1/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 to 1/3 cup Sugar Substitute

Mix the flour, flax meal, 1 tablespoon sugar substitute and salt together in a food processor, then add the butter and hazelnut syrup, pulsing until they are well blended.   Scoop up about one tablespoon of the dough and roll into a ball about 1 inch in diameter.  Set on a wax paper covered plate.  Repeat until all the dough has been made into balls.  You should have one dozen.  Put the balls into the refrigerator to chill until they are hard.    Allow 45 minutes to an hour.

To coat, mix the cocoa powder and 1/4 cup sugar substitute in a bowl and add the coconut oil. Stir until completely mixed and syrupy. If it is too thick, add a little more coconut oil.  Taste it!  If it is too bitter for you, then add additional sugar.

Prepare a plate with parchment paper or waxed paper. Remove a few balls at a time from the refrigerator and drop one at a time into the chocolate coating mix. Roll the ball around with a fork, then slide the fork under it to lift it from the chocolate and place onto the plate. Repeat with each of the balls until they are all done. Return to the refrigerator to harden the coating. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Makes 12 Balls

Nutrition Info per candy:
Calories: 170 Fat: 17.5 g Net Carbs: 1.3 g Protein: 2.5 g

Desserts, Recipes

Valentine Candies Without Any Guilt

What would Valentine’s Day be without chocolate candies in the mix? But you don’t want the calories and carbs of candy from the store. You can make some easy and very good candies at home to satisfy that sweet tooth or to give to your special person and then swipe a piece.

I have three recipes here that are all low carb. Two of them have a cream cheese base. All of these candies will keep in the refrigerator and may be frozen. They will not set up to hard in the ‘fridge so expect them to be a little gooey or freeze them to keep them hard.

Chocolate Raspberry Candies

This was a recipe that I found that evolved as I worked with it. Rather than putting it in molds, I made the candies drops. Very simple.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar-free raspberry syrup
1/2 cup confectioner sugar substitute
1/2 tablespoon cream
20-24 pecan halves, walnut halves or almonds (optional)

Prepare a baking pan with waxed paper.

Combine butter, oil, cocoa powder and syrup in sauce pan over extremely low heat until it reaches chocolate sauce consistency. Stir in powdered sugar and cream and mix until it thickens enough to drop. As it cools it will get thicker.

Using two teaspoons spoons, get about 1 half a spoon of chocolate and use the other spoon to push it onto the paper into a mound. Repeat with the rest of the chocolate. You can place these within an inch of each other. When all the candies are down, go back through and press a nut half on each candy, making it a little flatter.

Put in either the refrigerator or the freezer to set up. Will keep for at least a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

The recipe should make 20 to 24 candies.

Nutrition Info per candy (24):
Calories: 13.2 Fat: 1.5 Net Carbs: o.1 g Protein: .1 g

Pomegranate Cream Cheese Chocolates

This is a lovely, fruity chocolate that uses pomegranate syrup or unsweetened pomegranate juice for the flavor.

2 oz. Cream Cheese
2/3 tablespoon Butter, unsalted
2 cups powdered Sugar substitute
2 tablespoons sugar free pomegranate syrup or juice

Chocolate topping
1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips
1 teaspoon cream
3 drops of liquid sucralose

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the pomegranate juice or sugar free syrup. Gradually mix in powdered sugar to make a stiff batter.

Put a sheet of waxed paper on a baking sheet. Spoon candy mixture onto the wax paper, about 1/2 a heaping teaspoon at a time. Use a second teaspoon to slide the candy off the spoon and onto the waxed paper. Use the spoon to shape the candy if necessary.

When all candies have been done, set in a safe place to dry for about 24 hours. You can cover them with another sheet of waxed paper, but the more air they get the quicker they will dry.

The tops should be mostly dry after they’ve dried overnight. Use a small, thin spatula to carefully turn each candy over so the bottoms can dry. If they are dry enough, the candy will lift easily from the waxed paper and shouldn’t leave more than a slight smear of cream on the paper. If they are too moist, let them dry longer.

Let the candies dry two more hours, then put them in the freezer to get very cold. They should be in for at least two to three hours. When they are very firm, prepare the chocolate topping.

In a small microwave bowl, such as custard dish, put the sugar free chocolate chips, the cream and the liquid sucralose. Put the dish in a small soup bowl and add enough water to come part way up the side of the custard dish. You don’t want to get water in the chocolate. Put the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 20 second. Stir the chocolate to mix and make sure it is melted. If it isn’t smooth or completely melted, microwave another 10 seconds.

If you prefer, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler. If you do put 3/4 of the chocolate in the double boiler with the cream and melt it. Remove the top pot and stir in the sucralose and the rest of the chips. This will melt the newly added chips and also cool down the chocolate.

Working quickly, dip each candy in the chocolate so it is half-covered or use a spoon to ice half of each candy with chocolate. If the chocolate sets too much before you are done, then microwave it for 10 seconds and continue.

Return the candies to the refrigerator to set up completely, about an hour. You can then transfer them to an air tight container or plastic storage bag until you are ready to eat. You can set them out for about 15 minutes before you serve them to soften or just eat them chilled.

These will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Makes about 28 candies.

Nutrition Info per candy (28):
Calories: 30 Fat: 2.3 Net Carbs: o.5 g Protein: .2 g

Cream Cheese Mocha Candies

This is a less sweet candy with a taste of coffee and a bit of bourbon or rum to add a subtle underlying flavor. Like the first candy, it features a nut on top, which is optional.

This easy to make candy combines cream cheese, chocolate and coffee for a delicious mocha flavor. It’s quick to make up but need a few hours to set in the refrigerator or freezer.

4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar free confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon espresso coffee powder
2 tablespoons powdered cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon bourbon or rum or hazlenut sugar free syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons butter
24 pecan or walnut halves or whole almonds

Soften cream cheese, then add powdered sugar and mix to a creamy consistency. Use closer to the 3/4 for a sweeter, firmer candy. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well with the beaters.

Prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper. Using two teaspoons, drop about 1/2 teaspoon of mixture on the paper. It should be about the size of a candy kiss. Repeat with all the mix. You should have about two dozen candies.

Press a nut half or whole nut into each candy. Set into the refrigerator or freezer to get firm. If the candy doesn’t firm up in the refrigerator, put it into the freezer.

Nutrition Info per candy (24):
Calories: 37.8 Fat: 3.9 Net Carbs: o.3 g Protein: .6 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 2/12/2014