Who’s in the mood for Easter yet? Did you enjoy the Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal I shared two weeks ago? Today I’ve got a second Easter recipe in store for you: Raw Vegan Chewy Chocolate Squares made by my super talented Canadian friend & vegan chef Heather Pace from Sweetly Raw – she’s the raw chocolate queen!
These squares are really easy to make and so addictive – Simon & I ate all of them in two days They're only sweetened with dates which makes them chewy and sweet, and you can top them with a simple chocolate drizzle or a nice dollop of coconut whipped cream. A healthy chocolate treat to enjoy this Easter or any time of the year!
Raw Vegan Chewy Chocolate Squares
SERVES: 20 mini chocolate squares
EQUIPMENT: food processor, rubber spatula, baking dish, parchment paper, mixing bowl
INGREDIENTS:
Crust
1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
3 tablespoons coconut flour
½ cup pitted dates, chopped
2 teaspoons water, or more as needed
Chocolate Date Caramel
1 ½ cup pitted dates, well packed
½ cup full fat coconut milk
9-10 tablespoons cacao powder
2 large pinches ground vanilla and sea salt each
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
Chocolate Sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon cacao powder, sifted
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot water
DIRECTIONS:
Crust
1. Combine the flours and dates in a food processor fitted with an S-blade until finely ground and well combined.
2. Add the water starting with 1 teaspoon. Pulse to combine.
3. Add the second teaspoon if needed so that the mixture holds together when pressed.
4. Put the dough in a baking dish lined with parchment paper and press it evenly into the bottom of the dish.
Chocolate Topping
1. Puree the dates in the food processor. You may have to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula a few times.
2. Add the coconut milk, cacao, vanilla and salt. Puree again until smooth.
3. Once the mixture is completely smooth, add the oil and process until its incorporated.
4. Spread the mixture over the crust.
5. Chill in the fridge for 8-12 hours or in the freezer for 4-6 hours.
6. Slice into bars.
Chocolate Sauce
1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Drizzle over the chilled squares and top with coconut flakes.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
• These Chewy Chocolate Squares will stay fresh for at least 5 days in the fridge, or 1 month in the freezer - if you can resist eating them all in one sitting.
• Don’t have coconut flour at home? You can replace it with shredded coconut too, or a little coconut oil for binding.
Now I would love to hear from you! How are you planning on celebrating Easter? Did you go hunting on Easter eggs as a child too? What’s your favorite Easter chocolate candy? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
Heather Pace is the Canadian raw vegan dessert queen! She was one of the first chefs I started following when I discovered raw food 7 years ago. Heather graduated as a classical chef at the age of 21 and worked in various restaurants, bakeries & juice bars, as a personal chef + recipe developer. She is the published author of Sweetly Raw Desserts and writes the popular blog Sweetly Raw. With her own voracious sweet tooth, her motto is “Have your cake and eat it too”. Heather is also a certified yoga instructor. To find out more, check out Heather’s Instagram account & YouTube channel.
