Mint Chocolate Cashew Cream No-Bake Bars

For the crust, place cashews (for the crust) into a large food processor and pulse until broken down and crumble. Add dates and cocoa powder, and pulse until combined and the mixture begins to form a crumbly dough.

Transfer the a bowl and add the water. Use your hands to work the dough until it sticks together. Press the crust firmly into the bottom of a parchment-lined 8×8 inch pan. You need to press it very thin, so really use your muscles and work it in there. Place into the freezer while you make the cream.

For the middle layer, drain soaked cashews and place cashews, mint, almond milk, honey, peppermint extract and a pinch of salt, into a large, high-powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Transfer the cream to a medium bowl and place into the refrigerator until it cools, about 30 minutes. This is so the chocolate doesn’t melt when you stir it in.

Once cooled, stir in minced chocolate and then pour the cream over the chilled crust. Spread out evenly. Place into the freezer to fully set, at least 6 hours to overnight.

Once frozen, prepare the topping. Place chocolate into a microwave-safe container and microwave on half power using 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth and creamy. Pour melted chocolate into a shallow, rimmed plate.

Remove the bars from the pan and slice into squares. Quickly dunk the tops of each bar into the melted chocolate and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place into the freezer for a few minutes to set the chocolate. Devour!

Note: I buy my cashews pre-roasted. If you can’t find these, bake them in a 350ºF oven for 5º10 minutes until lightly golden brown. Do this for both the crust and the cream layers, and before you soak the cashews for the cream overnight.