Raw Festive Snickers Slice

Here is a version of my raw snickers slice I love to make around Christmas time.  The change from the original is in the mousse layer.  I have used ¼ cup of brandy and ¼ cup of water to give it a little extra yumminess and Christmas feel.  It is fairly rich, so be sure to slice into small pieces.
 
Again, the raw cacao and dark chocolate have benefits, which is why I tend to use them often in my cooking.   Click here to learn about the benefits of cacao.

Ingredients:
Base:
1 cup almond meal
6 medjool dates (fresh from fruit section)
1 tbsp. coconut oil
 ¼ tsp. vanilla extract concentrate
2 tbsp. raw cacao powder

Caramel Filling:
8 medjool dates
2 tbsp. boiling water
1 cup organic peanuts
pinch Himalayan salt

Chocolate Mousse:
2 cups cashews*(soaked for 5 hours or more, then rinsed and drained ready for use)
¼ cup brandy
¼ cup filtered water
1/2 cup coconut oil
3 tbsp. raw cacao powder
1 tbsp. honey or pure maple syrup
¼ tsp. vanilla extract concentrate
*Make sure you have already soaked your cashews

First the Base: Blend all the base ingredients in a food processor until crumbly, then firmly press them into a lined pan or cake tin. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.

Caramel Filling: Soak the pitted dates in hot water for a few minutes, then blitz in the processor to make a paste.  Stir in the peanuts by hand before evenly spreading over the base.  Sprinkle a pinch of salt on top of the caramel filling and place this back in the fridge while you work on the mousse.

Chocolate Mousse:  Place the cashews*, water and coconut oil in the blender and blend until they're smooth.  Add the remaining mousse ingredients and mix through until well combined.  Gently pour/spoon on top of the caramel layer and pop it the freezer to set.  This may take an hour or so.  Once firm, you can sprinkle with a few extra crushed cashews, or you can drizzle a little melted dark chocolate on top.

Once sliced, you can store this one in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to share.  Just remember to get it out of the freezer about half an hour before serving so it's not too hard to eat.

 ♥ Shaz ♥