Issy
Raw Hazelnut Cacao Slices
Dark chocolate and hazelnuts - another classical must-try combination. This time coming in the form of a raw dessert - healthy and indulging at the same time. Highly recommended for all chocolate lovers!

Soft and chewy, these slices are based on one of the first recipes I created for this blog - Raw "Nutella" Bites. The latter is a staple in my house - loved by family and friends. Hazelnuts combined with cacao and sweetened with dates are seriously addictive. These flavors now come to life in the form of energy slices that consist of a chewy oat base, hazelnut-cacao fudge, and a chocolate coating. The slices do not contain refined sugar, they are plant-based and ideal for a healthy energy boost at any time of the day.
These slices taste best with homemade hazelnut butter that you can prepare from scratch. However, if you decide to use unsweetened store-bought hazelnut butter, success is also guaranteed.

Ingredients:
Base:
80 g oats
3 Medjool dates*
15 g hazelnut butter
20 g coconut oil
5 g vanilla
a pinch of salt
Hazelnut fudge:
10 Medjool dates*
50 g hazelnut butter
15 g cacao
Chocolate coating:
50 g dark chocolate
hazelnut butter

Preparation:
Base:
Add the oats to a food processor and process for a minute to ground them.
Add the rest of the ingredients and process until all ingredients are blended in well. You will end up with a sticky mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a container by pressing it down with your fingers to form the base.
Refrigerate.
Hazelnut fudge:
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process them until you obtain a smooth homogeneous consistency. The mixture should be sticky and have a fudge-like consistency. That should take approximately two minutes.
Spread the hazelnut fudge evenly over the base and refrigerate again.
Chocolate coating:
Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie.
Let it cool slightly and then pour it over the hazelnut fudge.
Optionally, decorate with hazelnut butter that you feather with the chocolate (as shown in the photos).
The recipe makes approximately 9-12 medium-sized slices.

Tip:
* You can use other types of dates, just keep in mind that you need to adjust the number of dates you put in the mixture as the Medjool dates are usually larger than most of the other types of dates.