Chocolate after practice? Yes please!
These yummy, no-bake seedy chocolate squares are a big favourite with the Sunday self-practice class and the Teacher Training groups. I’m regularly asked to share the recipe, so posting it here for easy reference. They couldn’t be easier to throw together and last a good week in the fridge.
Ingredients
- Pitted Dates (mug and a half)
- Milled Flaxseed (half mug)
- Ground almonds (half mug)
- Walnuts (Half mug)
- Sunflower Seeds/Pumpkin Seeds (half mug mix)
- Desiccated Coconut (3/4 mug)
- Tahini (heaped tablespoon)
- Coconut Oil (a couple of dessert spoons – no need to melt first)
- Vanilla Essence (1 teaspoon – or to taste)
- 70% Dark Chocolate 4/5 squares chopped or smashed in pestle & mortar)
- Cacao Powder (heaped tablespoon)
- Sea salt and cinnamon (optional – half-teaspoon or to taste)
Blitz all ingredients except chocolate chips in Magimix (or equivalent). Check every few seconds so mix doesn’t overblend – you want a bit of texture to it (so you can see a seed or a chopped nut here or there). If the mixture seems very dry, add more coconut oil – but slowly – you don’t want the mixture to be so wet that it’s soggy – it needs to be a little loose so that it binds fully only when you press it down into a prepared tin. A rectangular tray bake tin is best, lined with greaseproof paper (baking sheet). I use one that measures 32 cm by 20 cm.
After pressing the mix into the prepared tin, scatter the chocolate chips on top and press these in carefully. Chill the mix until it’s set (approx 30 minutes), then divide into squares and store in the fridge.
I sometimes scatter goji berries on top with the chocolate and some extra desiccated coconut, and I generally vary the recipe almost every time I make it. Different nuts, seeds, almonds or peanut butter are all options. This is just a rough guide and can be adapted any way you like. Quantities are approximate, and you can vary according to your taste (or what’s available in the kitchen). The dates, tahini , nuts and coconut oil are the important base; after that, you can add anything you like in terms of sweetness and texture. Leave out the vanilla essence if you don’t have a sweet tooth – the dates, cinnamon and chocolate add plenty of sweetness. Experiment and see what works – you’ll find your own favourite mix.
