Coconut Cashew Bliss Bars! Yes! These just happen to be raw, vegan, dairy, and refined sugar free and they just happen to be blissfully delicious! These babies have a date, pecan and almond base, a caramel layer made of more dates, almond butter and maple syrup with a cream filling of you guessed it, toasted coconut, coconut nectar and cashews! It all comes together…well, blissfully with the dark chocolate sea salt coating. Go ahead, have your bliss and eat it too!
I love a good bar, a candy bar, Klondike bar, roof-top bar and now my Coconut Cashew Bliss Bars! No need to be vegan, or raw or be on restrictive diets to really dig into these beauts. Bonus, after digging in, no need to feel like you threw your week, diet or whatever off!
These bars are also pretty simple to whip up. Does require a food processor and optional high-speed blender, but no bake, just a few steps and chilling time. All in all, easy and the results are delicious! The combo of the salty sweet of the base and caramelly layer combined with the creamy filling that is topped off with the crunch of the dark chocolate coating is the cat’s meow (that’s a good thing)! Careful though, you may get carried away and eat half the pan before you even knew what hit you! Pure bliss, that’s what hits you! My advice, after you cut into bars, eat your 1, 2 or what the hell your 3rd bar (YOLO). 🙂 Wrap the rest in plastic wrap, foil and store in the freezer to enjoy a bar whenever your little heart desires!
Dates, almond butter and maple syrup are the perfect threesome…and the perfect caramelly layer!
Next comes the cashew coconut cream layer. I added more toasted coconut goodness and texture with these yummy flakes.
Here comes the final piece…that dark chocolate with sea salt coating! Gotta have your chocolate, it’s good for you!
These make a perfect dessert, post work-out snack, skipping your workout snack, midnight snack…wholesome treat! So, get your bar on this weekend…your Coconut Cashew Bliss Bar!
Happy Weekending!
Diane
- Base:
- ½ cup Almonds
- 8 to 10 pitted dates
- ½ cup Pecans
- 1 to 4 tbsp. water or date nectar
- Caramel Layer:
- 6 to 8 pitted Dates
- 2 tbsp. almond butter
- 3 tbsp. Maple syrup
- Coconut Cashew Cream Layer:
- 1 cup cashews
- 3 tbsp. coconut cream in a can
- ¼ cup coconut nectar
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded toasted coconut
- ¾ cup hot water
- Dark Chocolate Layer:
- 4oz Dark chocolate (at least 72% for paleo)
- 1 tbsp. Coconut oil.
- Sea salt for sprinkle
- Soak the cashews in a bowl of water for two hours up to overnight. Or boil for 10 minutes.
- Toast the shredded coconut in a medium un-greased skillet until golden brown. Remove from heat onto a plate and set aside. Can be made ahead and stored in zip-lock bag or airtight container for a couple weeks.
- For the Base:
- Line a square 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper, cross wise with the ends hanging over the side, set aside.
- In a bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade, add the nuts and dates and pulse until crumb forms. Add 1 tbsp. of water at a time until a dough ball forms to one side of the bowl. Dump into prepared pan and evenly press into the bottom of the pan. Pop in the freezer while you prepare the caramel layer.
- For the Caramel:
- In the same food processor add the caramel layer ingredients, dates, almond butter and maple syrup and pulse until smooth caramelly texture. Pull the pan out of the freezer and spread the caramel layer evenly over the top of the base. Pop back in freezer while you prepare the cashew cream.
- For the Cashew Cream:
- Drain the cashews and dump them in the container of high-speed blender like Vitamix, if you don't have, use a clean food processor.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and processor to combine. Add the water ¼ of cup at time until mixture is smoother yet still thick and processes easily.
- Pour over the caramel layer and even out with off-set spatula. Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top. Pop back in the freezer while you make the chocolate layer.
- For the Chocolate Layer:
- Chop the chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl. Add the coconut oil and microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour over the top of the chilled cream layer and sprinkle with sea salt. Cover and pop back in the freezer for at least an 2 hours to over night.
- When ready to slice, remove from freezer an allow to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Slice into bars. Store left overs in plastic wrap and foil in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Enjoy!
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