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Raw Nanaimo Bars

Source of Recipe

Marcie Dingerson


Recipe Introduction

Origins Unknown

List of Ingredients

LAYER 1
3/4 cup almonds and walnuts, any ratio you like
3/4 cup shredded coconut
.33 cup raw cacao powder
10 dates, soaked
LAYER 2
1/2 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon agave nectar, (or sweetener of choice, but try to use a lighter coloured one)
1 teaspoon vanilla
LAYER 3
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 cup cco powder
.33 cup dates, soaked
agave nectar, to taste (maybe around a teaspoon)



Recipe

Servings: Makes about 10 servings.
Nanaimo Bars are a delicious three-layered confection that originated in Nanaimo, BC. They are super rich, and usually made with tons of butter, sugar, and eggs. You can easily find these at coffee shops/Tim Horton’s/etc in Canada. This is my first attempt at making a raw version, and they turned out pretty well. The two outer layers are chocolatey, and the middle is usually a sweet custardy filling. Some places add mint or coffee flavoring here, but in this recipe, the almond butter makes it almost like an Almond Nanaimo Bar.

Layer 3 (below) is supposed to be a chocolate frosting. While it’s pretty good, if you have your own recipe for it, I would love to hear an alternate version.

Preparation:
Note: All measurements are approximate. Feel free to adapt the recipe as you make it if you like it sweeter, more bitter, etc.

LAYER 1

Process the nuts into crumbs. Add the coconut, cacao, and the 10 dates. Process until it makes the consistency you like for a crust. Press into the bottom of a container. This layer should be just under 1 cm thick.

LAYER 2

In a small bowl, stir together almond butter, vanilla, and agave until smooth. Add this mixture on top of the crust. This layer should be a little thinner. You may need to wet your fingers and press it in to get it to stick.

LAYER 3

Process the 1/3 cup dates, cacao, and agave. This should make a thick frosting. Spread across the other two layers. Again, you might need to wet your fingers to spread on top.

Best when chilled in refrigerator for a few hours. I put this recipe into three small containers, so I stuck one in the freezer to see how that is. I think with the hot weather, it might be a good way to cool off! Enjoy!