Dairy Free Nanaimo Bars

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I know this post is a little bit late.... Last Christmas I was in charge of bringing dessert to my mom's house for our celebration.

I am gluten free, dairy free and I do not eat refined sugar; so are my kids and my mom is dairy free/gluten free as well. I asked her what she would like me to bring to her house for dessert and she asked me to bring a Nanaimo Bar if possible.

I searched online and I couldn't find one that checked all the boxes. I wanted something gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free and not some non-traditional flavour. I just wanted the standard Nanaimo Bar but "healthier" so I had to create my own. It turned out really well I was impressed. Although the middle layer can be a little creamier than the traditional bar, but as long as it is kept in the refrigerator it will remain intact.

Here is the recipe that I brought to my mom's house last Christmas for our celebration. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Nanaimo Bars

Makes approximately 12 bars depending on size.

For the Crust:

1/3 Cup Sulphite Free Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

3 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 Cup Almond Flour

12 Pitted Dates

1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt

For the Middle:

1 Cup Raw Cashews (Soaked for 4 Hours)

1/3 Cup Coconut Butter or Coconut Manna

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2/3 Cup Coconut Milk (Canned)

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil (melted)

Himalayan Salt to Taste

For the Chocolate Top:

1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (Melted)

1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Soak the Cashews for approximately 4 hours and set aside. The soaking allows them to become more creamy when blended together.

Line a 8 x 10 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.

For the Crust:

Soak the dates in hot water for 2-5 minutes until soft. Remove from the water and blend in a food processor until it forms a paste. Add the rest of the coconut paste ingredients and pulse until combined.

Put into the baking dish and press down firmly until there is a thin layer along the bottom. Place in the freezer while you make the second layer so it can harden.

For the Middle:

Remove the water from the cashews and put the cashews into a blender.

Add the remaining ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender to combine. I use the VItamix Professional 750 Series. It is awesome as it has several pre-sets on the blender that you can just push and walk away instead of standing there and gradually increase the speed.

When it is well combined take the crust layer out of the freezer and put a even layer of the filling on top of it. Put it back in the freezer. This will have to harden a bit more than the crust or the chocolate will mix with it. Harden for at least 30 minutes before doing the chocolate layer.

For the Chocolate Layer:

In a small saucepan on low melt the coconut oil. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until combined.

Take the baking dish from the freezer and put a layer of chocolate on top of it.

Depending on the timing either return to the freezer to have the dessert solidify faster or the fridge if you have a few hours to wait.

Enjoy!

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