Raw chocolate vanilla slice

We have been making and loving this raw chocolate vanilla slice for years, and over on instagram it is one of our most remade and loved no bake desserts. It is a wholesome vegan dessert that also happened to be paleo/grain free, gluten free, dairy and egg free and made from whole foods. The best part? It is pretty much fail proof (as long as you have the right equipment) and the kids will LOVE it.

This is a slice heavy on the nuts, so I definitely consider it to be a celebration food. Nuts are a great addition to any diet (except of course this with allergies) but they are SO expensive, right? To save on money and wastage, I buy mine in bulk, and store the excess in my freezer. Nuts that have been removed from their shell are in fact not stable, and can/do go rancid. If you buy in bulk, and have room in your fridge and freezer, then it is a storage option you should consider (and this also goes for seeds, too).

If you follow me on instagram, you’ll no doubt have seen me waffle on about activating my nuts, seeds and grains. You can read more about it in this post if you’re interested, and note that I use activated nuts for this recipe. Yes, the process can be fickle, but it is an extra step to boost minerals in my (and my kids) diet and I think it is worth it. Having followed a plant based diet for almost a decade, I am committed to preparing my food in a traditional way, so I encourage you to read this post if you’re curious. I hope to do a much more detailed post… soon.

What does the Raw chocolate vanilla slice taste like

Basically this is a no bake cheesecake slice. It’s like a mix of raw brownie base, creamy vanilla cheesecake centre and dark chocolate topping. The base is made up of pecans, dates and cacao (a combo that I personally LOVE in no bake desserts), while the filling resembles a classic no bake cheesecake. I top it off with melted a simple homemade chocolate, but you could also use store-bought chocolate if you prefer.

The ingredients you will need

• Pecans – my favourite nut when making a raw brownie, however they are seriously expensive in Australia. You could substitute for walnuts or cashews, however best results will happen with pecans.
• Coconut flour– we only use a little, but it is a vital ingredient for soaking up liquid and creating a soft and chewy base. Coconut flour is cheap and readily available, but if you don’t have any on hand you could sub for twice the amount of desiccated  coconut. Again, the result wont be as good, but it’ll still work just fine.
• Cacao powder– or you can use cocoa. Either will work.
• Dates- I like big, juicy Medjool dates (which are also expensive! Hence, a sometimes slice) but have also made it with dried dates. To get the dried dates ready, soak double the amount in hot water for 15 mins. Drain, squeeze excess water off, then add the sates one at a time to etc recipe until you reach the right consistency.
• Raw cashews– These will make the base of the creamy middle section, and you want raw (not roasted) nuts. To prepare, soak the nuts in cold water for 2-4 hours. Overnight works fine, too.
• Full fat coconut cream– we are making a creamy slice so DON’T use lite coconut cream. The thicker the better. I like to choose a brand that uses only coconut in the ingredients, so if you’re new to using coconut cream check the ingredients. You might   be surprised at how different they are. I love this brand.
• Salt and vanilla– Because,  FLAVOUR
• Pure maple syrup– or your preferred liquid sweetener. I tend to buy maple syrup as I prefer the taste and texture, however you can also use rice malt syrup, honey, agave or coconut nectar. The flavour will vary slightly with whichever you choose, but ultimately they will all just sweeten your no bake vegan choc vanilla slice
• Coconut oil– Sets hard, so helps your slice stay firm. You can absolutely sub for cacao butter.

I hope you enjoy this raw chocolate vanilla slice as much as we do! If you have tried this recipe, I would love any reviews or comments below. Your reviews help others readers find this post too.

If you are looking for other healthy no bake vegan snacks, you might like:

• Raw blueberry swirl cheesecake
• Peanut butter hemp protein bars
• Easy vegan chocolate fudge with rose and pistachio
• No bake cherry bounty bars

Raw chocolate vanilla slice

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

• Author: Jade Woodd
• Prep Time: 20 mins plus soaking time (2-4 hours)
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 59 minute
• Yield: 8-12 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: No Bake
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This raw chocolate vanilla slice is an easy paleo and gluten free vegan slice that requires no oven, only whole food ingredients and takes no time to whip up. This is perfect straight from the freezer (in summer) or defrosted to serve as a creamy dessert the rest of the year.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Base

1/2 cup pecans
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
Pinch good-quality salt
6+ Soft Medjool dates, pitted

Creamy vanilla filling

1 cup raw cashews, soaked 4 hours
1/4 cup full-fat coconut cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Chocolate topping

1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp full-fat coconut cream
2 tsp virgin coconut oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Set aside a small square/rectangle cake tin- mine was 15 cm (7 inch) squared. Line with baking paper or lightly grease the sides if using a spring form tin. If using baking paper, allow the edges to sit above the tin for easy removal later on. 
2. Make the base. Add everything except the dates to a food processor. Pulse until very small crumbs have formed (about the size or cous cous) then, with the food processor still running, add dates one at a time. You have added enough dates when the mixture begins to clump together- you will see the mixture start to clump. To test, turn off the food processor and pick up a small amount of the mix. Press it together. It should easily hold together, but not be so sticky it sticks to your palms. Once you have reached this consistency, press base into the base of the tin. Use your fingers to press down firmly, or use a small glass to create a rolling pin if you prefer. Set aside. 
3. Make the vanilla filling. Melt coconut oil gently in a small saucepan over a flame. As soon as it is liquid remove from heat and allow to cool down for 5 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, drain cashews and add to high speed blender with remaining ingredients. Blend on high until completely smooth, approx. 1 minute- if your blender is not high powered, this will take longer (see notes). Pour in cooled coconut oil (check the oil first by dipping in your finger- it should be about body temperature), and blend again on high for 30 seconds or util completely smooth.. Pour onto your base and bang it on the bench to release any air bubbles. Set in the freezer for 1 hour.
5. Make the chocolate topping. Melt coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pot of just simmering water. Once liquid, add remaining ingredients then whisk together until smooth. Pour final later onto cake, and reset in freezer.

To serve

1. First, remove the cake from its tin. If you are not using a springform pan, allow the cake to defrost for 5 minutes then use the sides to gently lift the cake out. Allow the cake to defrost a further 5 minutes, then use a HOT and SHARP knife to carefully cut into serving sizes.
2. You can now place the cake in an airtight container in the fridge to defrost completely, or place in the freezer if you plan to eat it at a later date- then, you can simply remove a piece at a time, and allow 10-30 minutes for it to defrost (less time on a hotter day).

This No bake vegan choc vanilla slice will store in the fridge for 5-7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

 

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Notes

• You can use a food processor to make the filling too, however you will not achieve a completely smooth result.
• You can melt the coconut oil in a saucepan, however there is a high chance of burning the oil, and altering the health benefits that come from virgin coconut oil.
• For me, this made 9 squares (note- the image shows slice, which I then cut into smaller servings). 
• You can substitute pecans for walnuts or roasted cashews
• You can substitute rice malt syrup for agave, honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar

Keywords: Vegan, paleo, grain free, raw desserts. plant based, whole foods.