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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Issue 128
This winter issue of dish is about comfort and connection. Celebrating the best of New Zealand and Australian produce, it brings together recipes from some of our most-loved chefs, including Moroccan Chicken Soup, Mint-glazed Roasted Leg of Lamb, Slow Cooker Braised Red Wine and Miso White Chocolate Cheesecake. Find plenty to carry you through the colder months, from flaky sausage rolls and mushroom pie, to soul-soothing pasta, nostalgic baking, weekend market inspiration and dinner party menus. There’s a spotlight on the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, recipes from Caroline Griffiths’ Midnight Spaghetti, and a deep dive into the difference between Kiwi syrah and Aussie shiraz.