I always have chunks of this rocky road in my freezer for a quick snack or to serve with coffee. The chilli peanut butter version was a big hit when testing, but use your own favourite nut butter.
INGREDIENTS
20 fresh pitted medjool dates
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup raw cacao powder
¼ cup nut butter of choice (I used a chilli peanut butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
¼ teaspoon each ground cinnamon and mixed spice
1 cup gluten-free fruit and nut granola*
½ cup thinly sliced apricots
½ cup dried sour cherries, goji berries or cranberries
½ cup popped amaranth or quinoa
Topping
⅓ cup toasted flaked coconut
¼ cup chopped pistachios
½ cup freeze-dried plums, strawberries or raspberries
METHOD
Grease a shallow 32cm x 23cm slice tin and fully line with baking paper.
Place the dates in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 15 minutes. Drain well and place in a food processor with the coconut oil, cacao powder, nut butter, vanilla and the spices. Process until smooth.
Transfer to a large bowl and mix in all the remaining ingredients until well combined.
Tip into the tin and press firmly into an even layer.
Topping: Combine all the ingredients, lightly crushing the freeze-dried fruit.
Sprinkle over the Rocky Road and gently press in to adhere.
Cover and refrigerate until firm before cutting into bars. Makes 2 generous gifts
Cook’s note: There are many fabulous gluten-free and regular granolas available these days – if yours is very chunky, tip onto a board and roughly chop with a knife otherwise the larger pieces will make it hard to cut neatly.
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