No-Bake Mini Date & Nut Bars

Ingredients:

• 250 g (1 cup), packed medjool dates, pitted
• 250 g (2 cups) nuts [almonds, walnuts, cashew hazelnuts etc]
• 150 g dark chocolate with 80-90% cocoa

Procedure:

• Grease 8*4 inch (21*10cm) loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, about 2 inches (5 cm) of overhang on each side.
• Soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes or until they are soft.
• Toast all the nuts in a pan over medium heat for almost 3-5 minutes.

 (If your nuts are raw it takes 5 minutes. If you want then take the skin off)

• Stir in every 15-20 seconds to prevent them burning.
• Take them from the heat when they give off their aroma. Let them cool.
• As the dates are soft enough, remove the pits.
• When the nuts are cool, place them into a food processor and pulse for 8-10 seconds to make big and small nuts pieces.
• Remove the chopped nuts into a bowl.
• Put the dates into the food processor and pulse until they turn into a paste.
• Add the chopped nuts into the food processor and mix until dates and nuts form a paste.
• Spread the mixture evenly with your hand and spoon into the pan.
• Melt the chocolate by double boiling method. (Place the chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl that sits over a pan of simmering water.)
• Stir often.
• Pour the chocolate over the nuts-date mixture and keep in the fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate sets.
• Slice the mixture into 6 even rectangle bars. Then slice each bar into 3. It makes 18 small squares.
• Enjoy