Date, Oat & Walnut Bites

Chocolatey goodness without added refined sugar #GlutenFree

So I am very much into reducing my refined sugar intake at the moment because it makes me feel better. I was eating far too much junk and it does not agree with me. Hence I went looking for healthier alternatives to make at home. There is an amazing channel on YouTube Schnelle Rezepte that has some absolutely yummy ones. This is one of their recipes, but I altered it a little, so this is my version. I have made their version and it is good, but it was a little too dry for my liking and I had to use too much maple to moisten it so it would stick together.

This is Schnelle Rezepte's version, check it out and give it some love.

The dry version is more like a protein bar, where as my take is more of a truffle texture. Both very valid and just as tasty. They are not sugar free because they have dates and a touch of maple, but the sugars in those are much better than the refined white stuff in everything from the shops. Hence them being healthier than a Mars bar. As long as you use gluten free oats (not all oats are packaged where this is guaranteed) then these are gluten free too and vegan.

These are my version (as you can tell if you check out the YouTube vid, our YouTube host has much better lighting 😉):

Tasha's Date, Oat & Walnut Bites

Please forgive the marks on them - they have been in a bag in the fridge for 3 days and it only now occurred to me to take a picture 😂.

Equipment

Small food processor/hand blender - mine is a set kind of like this one, but held together with duct tape 😎.
Food processor
spatula
baking sheet lined with grease proof paper or silicon mate
bowl
2 forks

Personal notes:

I know in the vid the lovely host only uses one small food processor, but that did not go well for me the first time I tried - too much for the bowl, hence me using the two.
It could also all be popped into the large food processor and done in one, but if you are using unsoaked dates in a big food processor, make sure your blade is sharp because mine just batted around the bits without mincing them the first time. I think it counted as a blunt object rather than a blade at that point (it was old), so I bought a new one 😏.

Ingredients

80g/1cup oats (oatmeal)
130g approx 3/4cup pitted dates (if you don't have enough dates, I have topped up with raisins and it worked fine)
100g /1cup walnuts (pecans would work too)
~~1 tsp maple syrup (you can use more, but I like it just for a background flavour)~~ after making them several times, I don't use this anymore
10g/ approx 1.5 tbsp cocoa (it doesn't have to be particularly accurate)
150g/5.3oz 72% dark choc (this is 1 cup of choc chips, but I use a bar, hence the oz conversion on this one - Dr Oetker is great for this)

Another variation for sweeter and sharper

80g/1cup oats (oatmeal)
40g pitted dates
90g dried apricots
100g ground almonds (or take almonds and give them a blast in the food processor)
10g cocoa
150g 72% dark choc
tbsp boiling water - because on the dates are soaked a little bit of water is needed to make the mixture sticky enough

Instructions

Soak the dates in boiling water for 20 mins
Put the oats in the small food processor, or in a tall vessel to use with the stick blender, and blend to a fine a consistency as you like. I prefer mine fine, but if you like more texture just give them a short blitz. Transfer to the large food processor.
Repeat with the walnuts and add to the large food processor.
Drain the dates and add them to the mini food processor and process into a paste (scrape down the sides to make sure everything is processed between blasts). When done, add to the large food processor. If you want some chunky fruit in their too, you could add a couple of whole, unsoaked dates to the large food processor too.
Add the cocoa powder ~~and the maple syrup~~ to the large food processor as well and blend everything into one mixture.
Remove the blade and set aside.
With your hands ball up the mixture and place on the baking sheet, flattening slightly - a pair of gloves is good for this because it is very sticky. I make mine bite size and the mixture makes between 16 and 25, but you can go larger if you prefer. (I make these in double batches of 40 once a week because I give so many away - they are very popular).
EITHER - Melt the chocolate in the microwave on high in the following sequence 30s/30s/15s/10s, stirring between each so the choc does not overheat - this should temper the chocolate. OR - Melt 3/4 of the chocolate in the microwave in 30s intervals until completely melted. Add the last quarter of the choc back in and stir to melt - this should temper the choc.
Dip the date bites in the choc using the 2 forks, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl before putting them back on the baking sheet.
Place in the fridge until set. I keep mine in the fridge because my kitchen is warm and it also means we don't eat them all at once.

These are great for an energy boost instead of a biscuit (cookie) with a nice cup of tea/coffee. They also work for cycle rides etc.

I also tried to create a version that uses peanut butter as well, but I have not perfected that yet. I may just try Schnelle Rezepte's alternative snickers bar instead. 😎