Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 200-250 g / 7-9 oz dates (I used Medjool dates)
  • 65 g / ½ cup chopped almonds
  • 65 g / ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • 40 g / ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 35 g / ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • 30 g / 1 cup puffed rice
  • 25 g / ¼ cup ground flax seeds
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1½ tsp vanilla essence
  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp runny tahini
  • 37 g / 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup (skip if using 250 g / 9 oz dates)
  • white sesame seeds, to garnish
  • sea salt flakes, to garnish

Instruction

  • Pit the dates and soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes. Use 250 g / 9 oz of dates if you want to use date paste (rather than maple syrup) to sweeten the chocolate layer too.
  • Meanwhile, line a small baking tin (I used a 2lb / 900 g baking tin*) with a piece of baking paper and preheat the oven to 150° C / 300° F.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
  • Place drained dates in a food processor, together with vanilla essence and tahini and process until smooth. Add 30 ml / 2 tbsp (not more!) of boiling water to keep the machine going without getting jammed. Process for 5 minutes, until super smooth and a thick paste forms. If using dates for the chocolate layer, save ¼ cup of the paste for later.
  • Stir the date / tahini mixture through the nuts and seeds mixture, ensuring it is evenly distributed throughout. You may need to use your hands to do this as the paste is thick.
  • Spread the mixture in the paper-lined baking tin. Press the mixture down really well so that there are no gaps / air pockets and the bars hold together well. Use a piece of baking paper with a flat-bottomed glass on top to be able to pack the mixture better.
  • Bake for about 30-40 minutes, they should be browned, no longer super soft / raw to the touch.
  • Take out of the oven and compress the mixture again using a flat-bottomed glass again. Then weigh it down with something heavy while the mixture is cooling down. Allow it to cool down completely before cutting or applying the topping.
  • Melt coconut oil on a low heat, stir through cocoa powder and maple syrup (or date paste - see NOTES).
  • Spread the chocolate layer on the cool bars, sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt flakes and refrigerate until the topping has set.
  • Cut into equal size pieces with a sharp knife. Store the bars in an airtight container.