Barebells Cookies & Cream Protein Bar

Headnote

This bar is built on a clean, milky protein base, then sharpened with cocoa and a restrained cookie note. Its character depends on contrast: a supple interior, a gentle snap, and a finish that is sweet without bluntness. The result should read as a precise confection, not a heavy snack.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Protein bar confection

Cuisine or origin: Contemporary Scandinavian-inspired

Course type: Snack

Yield: 1 bar

Serving size: 55 g

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Equipment

Digital scale

Small heatproof bowl

Fine sieve

Rubber spatula

Small loaf mold or bar mold, 55 g capacity

Parchment paper

Refrigerator

Ingredients

16 g milk protein

8 g collagen hydrolysate

7 g sweetener

3 g humectant

6 g cocoa butter

4 g whole milk powder

3 g soy protein isolate

3 g palm kernel oil

1 g wheat flour

1 g cocoa mass

1 g sunflower oil

1 g fat-reduced cocoa powder

0.5 g salt

0.5 g natural flavoring

Method

1. Line the mold with parchment, leaving enough overhang to lift the bar cleanly. This ensures a smooth release and a defined shape.

2. In a small heatproof bowl, combine the cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, and cocoa mass. Warm gently over barely simmering water for 2 to 3 minutes, just until melted and fluid; the mixture should be glossy and fully homogeneous, with no visible solids.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the milk protein, collagen hydrolysate, sweetener, humectant, whole milk powder, soy protein isolate, wheat flour, fat-reduced cocoa powder, and salt. Stir briefly to distribute the dry ingredients evenly and break up any clumps.

4. Add the melted fat mixture and the natural flavoring to the dry ingredients. Fold and press with the spatula for 2 to 3 minutes until a thick, cohesive paste forms. The mass should be smooth, pliable, and slightly tacky, with no dry pockets.

5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared mold. Press firmly and evenly into all corners, then level the surface with the spatula. The top should be flat, compact, and free of air gaps.

6. Chill the bar for 2 hours, or until fully set and firm to the touch. The finished bar should hold its shape cleanly and yield a dense, tender bite with a light snap at the surface.

7. Unmold carefully and trim the edges only if necessary for a precise finish.

Plating and serving

Serve the bar whole on a chilled plate or cut it into clean, even segments with a warm knife. Present it simply, with the cocoa side facing upward and the edges sharp.

Professional notes

Keep the fat mixture warm only long enough to melt; overheating will dull the flavor and weaken the texture. The mass must be pressed with conviction, not merely shaped, or it will crumble on cutting. A full chill is essential for a clean bite and a polished finish.