Pistachio Chocolate Trail Bars
A no-bake take on an Italian torte, built from shelf-stable ingredients and eaten from the bag.
- calories
- 280
- weight
- 2.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 112
- protein
- 4 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 10 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dessert
- No cook
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Car camping
- Vegetarian
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Graham cracker crumbs | 1.5 cups | crushed at home |
|---|---|---|
| Roasted salted pistachios | 2/3 cup | chopped or pulsed fine |
| Powdered sugar | 1/3 cup | |
| Powdered milk | 3 tbsp | |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 2 tbsp | |
| Butter | 4 tbsp | softened and worked in at home |
| Salt | a pinch |
Method
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl: graham crackers, pistachios, powdered sugar, powdered milk, cocoa, and salt.
- Work in the softened butter with a fork until the mixture is clumpy and holds together when pressed.
- Pack the mixture firmly into a foil packet or small resealable bag, pressing it into a compact bar about half an inch thick.
- At camp, break into pieces and eat. No cooking needed.
This is the trail version of an Italian pistachio torte, stripped down to the flavors that matter: pistachio, cocoa, and a creamy filling. We replace the ricotta with powdered milk and skip the oven entirely. The whole thing is assembled at home and arrives as a finished bar that needs no cooking in camp.
The trick is emulsifying butter into the dry mix at home so it all holds together without water or heat. The fat is doing the binding and the seasoning; cocoa gives you the chocolate element without melting anything. Eat it straight from the packet or break into pieces.
Packing
Mix and pack at home as a single foil packet. It is shelf-stable and requires no camp assembly or cooking.
Variations
- Add one tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the dry mix for a mocha version.
- Substitute one-third of the powdered milk with powdered coconut milk for a different flavor.
https://www.cookingbites.com/threads/italian-pistachio-torte-recipe.656