Almond Butter and Puffed Quinoa Chocolate Mousse Bars

• ⅔ cups of Almond Butter
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (liquid)
• 13 ounces of chocolate (60% dark chocolate disks)
• 1 cup of store-bought puffed/popped quinoa
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites
• 4 ounces of sugar
• 2 ounces of water
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• 1 pinch of salt

1. Pan spray your silicone candy bar molds or line a 8 inch by 8 inch pan with parchment paper and spray it with pan spray, and set aside.

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Bottom Layer: (8 minutes cooking) (30 minutes rest)

1. Prepare a double boiler by placing a bowl that fits nice and securely on the top of a pot and fill that pot with 4 inches of water. Bring the water to a low simmer and melt  7 ounces of your chocolate, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
2. While the chocolate is melting, add the almond butter to the bowl fitted for your stand mixer and mix on a low speed with the whisk attachment for about 20 seconds to soften.
3. Stream in the liquid coconut oil and continue to whisk until all of the oil is evenly combined into the almond butter and the almond butter is thinner than before.
4. Once the almond butter has been thinned and the chocolate is melted, stream the melted chocolate into the almond butter and continue to mix on a low speed until all the chocolate is combined. (Keep your double-boiler and bowl for melting more chocolate)
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, fold the puffed quinoa into the chocolate and almond butter mixture.
6. Once combined, immediately transfer the mixture into either your candy bar molds or the prepared 8-inch pan from earlier. Press the mixture down flat so that it forms a nice even layer. If you are using the molds, you should fill them about 1/3rd of the way up.
7. Refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes or until it becomes firm.

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Top Layer: (25 minutes cooking) (4 hours rest)

1. Once the bottom layer has hardened, you will make the top layer by first creating an Italian Meringue using the sugar/water/egg whites.
2. Separate the 2 eggs so that the whites have no yolk in them whatsoever.
3. Add them to the mixing bowl in your stand mixer, fitted with the whip attachment (make sure they are completely clean).
4. Begin whipping on the lowest speed setting.
5. While whipping, add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar.
6. Heat the sugar/water mixture over medium-high heat and bring to a steady simmer. Once simmering, adjust the heat to achieve a consistent, steady simmer.
7. Continue to cook the syrup until you reach 235 F on a candy thermometer (about 6 minutes).
8. Adjust the speed of your mixer, with the egg whites in it, to medium speed, and continue to whip the egg whites until they reach soft peaks.
9. Once the syrup has reached 235 F, remove it from the stove, and, with the mixer running at a medium speed, slowly add the cooked syrup in a thin stream to the egg whites until all the syrup is incorporated.
10. Continue to mix the egg whites on a low speed until they become stiff and glossy and the bottom of the mixing bowl is room temperature. (When you add the syrup to the mixing bowl, the bowl will become hot. Keep whipping the egg whites on a low speed until the bowl has cooled back down to room temperature, about 10 minutes.)
11. While the mixture is whipping, start melting the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate using a double-boiler. Add the salt to the chocolate.
12. Once the meringue has cooled, remove the meringue from the bowl using a rubber spatula and set it aside.
13. Wash the mixing bowl and whisk attachment, and add the heavy cream, along with the vanilla extract, to the bowl. Whip on a medium speed until the cream reaches soft peaks.
14. Once the chocolate has melted, gently fold the Italian meringue into the melted chocolate, being careful not to deflate the meringue too much.
15. Once all the meringue is mixed into the chocolate, repeat the same process, this time adding the whipped cream.
16. Once all cream is incorporated and the mixture has become a uniform color with no remaining streaks, transfer the chocolate mousse onto the bottom layer of your candy bars and gently tap the pan to remove air pockets. If you are using the candy bar molds, transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe the mousse into the molds. Use an off-set spatula to ensure the mousse is flush along the molds.
17. Transfer the pan/molds into the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours or until the bars are solid.
18. To serve, remove the pan from the freezer and remove the entire block of bars by loosening the parchment paper and flipping the whole block onto a cutting board. Cut the bars to your desired size.
19. Enjoy them frozen.