Whew, that’s a long title!
Confession: I have a recipe notebook. Am I alone or is anyone with me? My notebook consists of scattered ideas for recipes that have been scribbled down and edited 5x over again. Not to mention that some of the pages are stuck together due to cooking/baking and scribbling at the same time. Anyway, as I was flipping through my notebook to find an empty page to write down a recipe that I am going to make tomorrow, I came across a random scribble that just said, “Vegan substitute for sweetened condensed milk.” Apparently, I had been wanting to create a substitute for who knows what recipe, but there was only one recipe that popped into my chaotic brain after I read this.
Seven Layer Bars. They are also known as something else but I refuse to pay any attention to the brand that created that name as a means to use their product.
The only part that is really a recipe is the sweetened condensed coconut milk. The other half involves putting ingredients in my hand and sprinkling them on top of each other. What is easier than that? Once again, you have no excuse not to make these.
Here’s the kicker. I couldn’t find my 8×8 glass pan to make these in so I resorted to a much larger vessel for these sweet treats. They are still tasty, but for appeal I ideally would’ve used an 8×8. I could have held off making these and waited till my 8×8 appeared, but what is the point in that. The people need seven layer bars and seven layer bars I shall give them!
Just kidding, there is no one requesting these. At least until I post the pictures then I will be getting phone calls and text messages asking me when I am giving them away. Then said people will eat the seven layer bars only to accuse me after the fact that I’m trying to make them fat. Right.
A side note that will make some of you angry and others run to the kitchen to make them: My version contains less sugar than a normal recipe from “those other guys.” I use natural sugar [coconut nectar], unsweetened coconut, and dark chocolate. DEE-LISH!
For Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk:
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 c coconut nectar
Bring coconut milk to boil. WATCH carefully as the coconut milk will boil over the pot. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and add the coconut nectar. Allow to simmer for 45 minutes until reduced and a medium amber color.
For Seven Layer Bars:
- 1.5 c graham cracker crumbs, plain
- 8 tbls melted vegan butter, I use Earth Balance
- 1 c shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 1 c dark chocolate chips
- 1 c walnuts
- 1 batch sweetened condensed coconut milk (coconut milk and coconut nectar)
- Pre-heat oven to 350 and grease 8×8 glass pan
- In small bowl mix together melted butter and graham cracker crumbs
- Press into prepared baking pan
- Par bake for 5 minutes
- Spread graham crust with chocolate chips, walnuts, and shredded coconut
- Top with sweetened condensed coconut milk
- Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool completely before slicing
Make these sweet treats for your sweet cheeks on Valentine’s Day!! 
Tagged: chip, chocolate, coconut, graham crackers, recipe, recipes, seven layer bars, sweetened condensed coconut milk, vegan, walnuts
Lady, you’re killing me with all of these delicious dessert recipes! I LOOVE seven layer bars and I love that yours is vegan. I’m totally going to make your sweetened condensed coconut milk next time a recipe calls for the regular kind!
They are SO good. I had to give them away so that I wouldn’t eat all of them
glass spigot…
How do you keep disciplined and in control though? Isn’t this what it’s all about at the end of the day?…
The recipes I make are for the sake of loving to cook. Cooking and baking is a release for me, a chance to focus on something other than the million other things going on. Control is balancing these sweet treats with daily exercise and clean eating. That is how I stay in control and away from sugar addiction. I do not make these recipes for only me. I taste the recipe once complete to make sure it is where I want it to be then I give the rest away to co-workers, friends, and family. You can treat yourself and still stay in control.
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