Hands down THE best vegan dessert I've ever made! I kid you not! This tasty creation is made with lots and lots of hazelnuts.

Recently I discovered a wonderful lady here in Cambodia who is importing organic hazelnuts, chia seeds, dried apricots, hemp seeds, pinenuts, quinoa, and more yumminess.

Hazelnuts have always been my favorite but they were hard to find until now. They come with a hefty price tag but I couldn’t resist.

Though I still love living in Asia, apart from family and friends, there are a few other things I am starting to miss. And guess what… most of them are whole foods such as berries, parsnips, certain nuts and seeds, Jerusalem artichokes, etc.

Just before the corona pandemic started we were making plans to start a new adventure but that’ll have to wait now. Both my hubby and I have good jobs we both like very much, so it would be a bad move to trade all that for uncertainties the world is facing right now.

It is not the best time right now to relocate and start something new. Luckily we still like it here as it’s realistically gonna take another 2-3 years before the world is going to get over this and the time will be right to move on.

Anyhow…. Let’s talk about food again…..

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT PRALINE SQUARES

Although they are high in calories, hazelnuts are loaded with good-for-you nutrients and healthy fats. They are a very good source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, copper, vitamin B6, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.

INGREDIENTS

Makes one 9x5in or 23x13cm pan

For the base

½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
2.8oz or 80g dates, pitted
1 T extra virgin coconut oil
1 T raw cacao powder
¼ t Himalayan pink salt

For the praline filling

1 ¾ cup hazelnuts, roasted and divided
1 T extra virgin coconut oil
3.7oz or 105g dates, pitted
Splash of almond milk
¼ t Himalayan pink salt

For the chocolate layer

¼ cup raw cacao powder
¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil
Optional: maple syrup to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F or 175C. Roast hazelnuts for 10-12 minutes. If you used hazelnuts with skin, transfer to a clean towel, and rub to remove the skin. Discard the skin and wrap them again in a clean towel to let the nuts steam while preparing the base.

To make the base

Line a 9x5in or 23x13cm pan with baking paper.

Start with blending the oats until you get oat flour. Then add the dates and pulse until you got a coarse mixture. Add the other ingredients and pulse/blend until well combined.

Press the mixture firmly into the pan and put it in the freezer to set while you make the filling.

To make the filling

Take ¼ cup of the hazelnuts and pulse in a clean blender until roughly chopped. Take out another ¼ cup of hazelnuts and set aside. These will be added into the chocolate layer for extra crunch.

Add remaining 1 ¼ cup if hazelnuts to a blender with the coconut oil. Process on high speed until you got a smooth hazelnut butter. Scrape down sides often and depending on your blender stop often to avoid overheating.