Coffee desserts where always one of my favourites even before I developed a love for an actual cup of coffee itself. Coffee cake, the coffee sweet that no one else wanted in the Roses tin, coffee cream slices… now they were indulgent.
These coffee cream layer bars, or espresso bars as I’ve decided to call them in a bid to make them sound a little more fancy, are relatively easy to make and just require the right equipment and a bit of patience. You see you need to let the layers set before you go pouring on the next one and these are most definitely left overnight in the fridge to firm up before slicing.
I prefer not to stick my no bake desserts into the freezer in an effort to freeze them fast as I my own one personally just doesn’t have enough room to accommodate more than the copious amounts of food that is already being preserved in there. I also don’t like the idea of a no bake raw dessert that HAS to be stored in the freezer. I’m a fridge kinda gal, ready to eat once set and no thawing required.
I made use of the new activated walnuts from Linwoods which they kindly sent me to try. They are so light and airy, super crunchy and just way easier to digest. I’m in love with both them and the activated almonds.
Espresso Layer Bars
Print RecipeIngredients
- BASE LAYER
- 100g Linwoods activated walnuts
- 100g hazelnuts, raw or roast
- 14g coconut oil, melted
- 100g Medjool dates
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- Pinch of Pink Himalayan Rock Salt
- MIDDLE LAYER
- 240g raw cashew nuts soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- 160g coconut oil, melted
- 125g coconut cream, from the top of a refrigerated can of full fat coconut milk
- 120g Meridian Foods maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp espresso powder
- TOP LAYER
- 3 tsp espresso powder
- 2 tsp raw cacao powder
- 30g Meridian Foods hazelnut butter
- CHOCOLATE TOPPING
- 100g 70 - 85% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 7g coconut oil
- Cacao nibs to decorate if desired
Instructions
Line a 9 inch loaf tin with baking paper and lightly grease with spray oil.
Blend dates to a paste in your food processor. Remove and set to one side.
Add oats and walnuts to the food processor and blend to a coarse crumb.
Add back in date paste, broken up into chunks and blend to combine.
Add in the remaining base ingredients and blend to combine.
Press evenly into the base of the prepared tin and place it into the fridge while you make the next layers.
Place all ingredients for the middle layer into a high speed blender. A food processor won’t achieve the same silky consistency!
Blend until silky smooth!
Place approximately half of the mixture in on top of the base layer and return to the fridge to firm up for an hour.
Add the remaining top layer ingredients to the high speed blender and blend to combine. Set to one side while the middle layer sets. Once set or almost set pour the top layer on and return to the fridge to set overnight.
Melt chocolate with coconut oil and pour over the top. Return to the fridge for just 20 minutes to set before slicing as it will help ensure the chocolate isn’t too hard and is less likely to crack.
Slice into 8 bars. If you leave them in the fridge a little longer before slicing allow them to come to room temperature and use a warm knife to slice them.
Notes
Store in the fridge for up to three days in a seal tight container or freeze for up to one month. Serve at room temperature.
