What on earth made you try a Grape Nuts recipe?

Like most of you, I've got friends and family in my sphere with different dietary needs. I created these for a few folks that stick to a vegetarian diet.

Does getting the sweetener to a certain temperature really matter?

Yes! Getting the sweetener to a specific temperature (about 245° F) ensures the Pasteli reach the soft ball stage which keeps the bars chewy and not hard like brittle.

Do I need a candy thermometer?

A thermometer is definitely helpful. My favorite is the Thermapen . If you don't have a thermometer, you can drop a tiny amount of the hot sweetener into a cold glass of water. If it forms a small, soft ball (thus the name, soft ball stage) it's ready to go. If you get the sweetener too hot, not to worry. You'll still have a great dessert but it will be more like a hard brittle than a chewy Pasteli.

Can I use raw, unfiltered honey?

Indeed! In my opinion, these candies are better with local, small batch honeys, as opposed to mass produced honey that have additives. Same goes true for maple syrup.

I don't like Grape Nuts, can I substitute Rice Krispies?

No, the world will implode into a massive black hole disrupting the space/time continuum forever. Okay, that's not gonna happen. Grape Nuts is kinda the point to this dessert and there isn't another cereal out there, that I'm aware of, with that signature texture and crunch. If you try these with Rice Krispies, let me know how it turns out...assuming you haven't reversed the effects of gravity and sent the earth off its axis.

Grape Nuts Pasteli Bars - Kitchen Intentions

Description

Grape Nuts Pasteli, a sweet, sophisticated confection, has only 4 ingredients and is a breeze to make. This might be a vegetarian dessert but even omnivores will enjoy.

Ingredients

Units Scale

195 grams (1 1/2 cups) Grape Nuts cereal (crunchy nuggets, not flakes)
200 grams (1/2 cup) honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

Place large rectangle of parchment paper or silicon mat on cutting board (pro tip: weigh down a corner so it doesn't blow away)
Pour Grape Nuts into large bowl. Set aside
In small, heavy bottomed pot, heat honey or maple syrup slowly over medium low heat until it reaches 245° F
Once temperature has been reached remove from heat and stir in orange zest and cinnamon
Pour mixture over Grape Nuts and stir until well combined
Spread mixture onto prepared parchment; top with another layer of parchment paper and flatten with a rolling pin or your oven-mitted hand (careful of the heat!) to about ¼ inch; remove top layer of parchment paper
Let cool for 15 minutes; gently turn Grape Nuts over onto cutting board; remove remaining parchment paper (pro tip: do not wait longer than 15 minutes for this step or you will have a frustratingly difficult time removing the paper)
Cut into 1"x2" rectangles
Wrap individually (see note above) or store between layers of parchment.

Notes

Seriously, if you used parchment paper, don't wait longer than 15 minutes to remove the bottom layer. You will be a sad camper.
The temperature of the sweeter is key to achieving the chewy texture of these confections. If they temp gets hotter than 245°, you will have a hard brittle-like candy. Still good, but not what we were intending.
Nutrition information below is provided as a courtesy only and is estimated with honey by Nutrifox.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes + cooling
Category: Dessert
Method: Candy Making
Cuisine: Greek

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 candies
Calories: 110
Sugar: 15.1 g
Sodium: 76.2 mg
Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 26.9 g
Protein: 1.9 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg