Instructions

1. Line a 20 x 20 cm tin with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Place a fry pan over low-medium heat, add the hazelnuts and cook for 3-5 minutes [stirring constantly] or until toasted, fragrant and slightly golden. Allow to cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of hazelnuts and set aside. Place the remaining hazelnuts into a food processor and blitz for 2-3 minutes or until finely ground. Measure 2 1/2 cups of hazelnut meal and place into the large bowl of a food processor.
3. To the toasted hazelnut meal add the dates, coconut oil, vanilla bean paste, oats, cacao butter, syrup, cacao powder and a pinch of salt. Pop the lid on and blitz until combined [approx. 3 minutes]. If needed, add a splash of water to bring the mixture together. Taste the mixture for sweetness – if required add a dash more of syrup and blitz to combine.
4. Add the reserved hazelnuts and cacao nibs and pulse to combine.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and flatten using a spatula. Pop into the freezer for an hour to ‘set’.
6. Remove from the freezer and use the baking paper to lift the bars out of the tin. Place onto a chopping board and cut into 12 bars.
7. Place dark chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and heat on high in 15 second intervals [stirring in between] until the chocolate is melted.
8. Drizzle the chocolate over the bars, top with a scattering of cacao nibs and chopped hazelnuts and serve. Bars can be stored in the fridge or freezer. Enjoy x