Barley Malt Candy

Just wanted to share a very quick recipe I made up many years ago.

Like many people, I avoid regular sugar because it turns me into a mad woman who gets bad tempered and then falls asleep.

So for the last 25 years, I have avoided all cakes, candies and chocolate bars - basically, if it tastes really good, it is likely to make me crazy! Such a shame as I LOVED all that stuff.

I experimented with lots of different things in order to satisfy my sweet tooth without losing friends. :-)

Over the years, I have reached for the barley malt and various nut butters to make this simple concoction whenever I have wanted something sweet.

It's rare that I ever crave sugar any more as it seems to be something that goes away if you get plenty of complex carbs. However, over the Christmas holiday, to resist temptation, I made some of these 'candies' to stay strong and avoid all the worse stuff that was around.

Barley malt extract is not sugar free and it can still cause low blood sugar if you eat too much. However, for me, it is a better choice than regular candy if I want something sweet. Mixing it with a nut protein does help to slow down the action of the sugar.

You will need:

• A jar of barley malt extract
• A jar of nut butter. I used cashew nut but I sometimes use tahini paste or almond butter.
• Some dessicated coconut
• A bowl for mixing
• A tablespoon

Not in picture:

• A sheet of waxed parchment paper

Take two tablespoons of the nut butter and three table spoons of the barley malt extract and mix thoroughly in a bowl. It will become quite stiff and thick like toffee.

Next, remove the mixture from the bowl and wrap in the waxed paper. Place in the fridge for several hours.

When the mixture is really chilled and even more like toffee, remove from the fridge. Cut the slab into small pieces (size is your choice but I tend to make smaller balls for the children).

Roll the pieces in small balls and roll in the dessicated coconut.

And then - eat them!