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Raw Apricot & Macadamia Slice

I used our homegrown dried apricots in this slice giving the slice a delightful tangy flavour. If you are using store-bought dried apricots, as I appreciate not everyone has an apricot in the backyard, they will be sweeter than ours so add the optional lemon juice to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients

Topping

  • 1/2 cup dried apricots chopped
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts [or cashews]
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
  • if needed 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Base

  • 1/2 cup 'activated' buckwheat groats [see notes below] or sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 cup hazelnuts or almonds
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Pinch of salt

To decorate

  • Coconut chips

Instructions

  • Place the apricots into a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Leave to soften for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile prepare the base: In a food processor blitz the buckwheat groats [sunflower seeds], coconut and nuts until roughly ground. Add the coconut oil, honey and salt and pulse to combine. Press into a lined tin [approx. 20 x 20cm] and place in the freezer to set.
  • Make the topping: Place the apricots along with soaking water, macadamias, vanilla and salt into a food processor and blitz for 1-2 minutes until smooth-ish [the degree of smoothness will depend on the food processor]. Add the melted coconut oil and lemon juice if using and blend to combine.
  • Remove the chilled base from the freezer and pour over the apricot topping. Place back into the freezer for 2 hours to set. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. *It is best eaten cold as the warm weather will soften the coconut oil.

Notes

Buckwheat groats are a gluten-free ‘pseudo’ grain. They are in actual fact a seed growing on a bush rather than as a cereal grass so hence the name pseudo. As the name my indicate buckwheat is no relation to wheat at all. I suspect the name came from the fact that buckwheat can be ground into flour and used like wheat. It has a delightful earthy flavour, although this can overpower if used exclusively so I always combine with other flours and nuts in baking.
*When using the whole groats I activate them first. Soak for 12 hours in plenty of water with a splash of apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse well. Dry the groats in a dehydrator OR spread on a lined baking tray and dry in 50C oven set on 'fan bake' with the door slightly ajar [a wooden spoon in the door works well]. Buckwheat groats are available from organic and wholefood stores.