Dairy Free Raw Apricot Slice

I am not a vegan, however I am avoiding making recipes that have processed sugar in them.  This can be quite difficult at times, as all my favourites do have sugar in them.

Unfortunately I have a sweet tooth, so after being diagnosed with high sugar levels, I decided I had to stop eating cakes, biscuits and desserts which I had on most days!

I then went down the path of making sweet morsels that had fruit in them.  I realise that the fruit still has sugar in it, however it is not processed and therefore possibly healthier than ordinary sugar.

I mostly use coconut sugar or similar in these recipes, however am now making ones that do not require any added sugar as the sweetness comes from the dried fruit.  These are not as sweet as commercial cakes and biscuits, however in time I have got used to having bliss balls, or raw sweets to satisfy my sweet tooth.

It is with all this in mind, that I made these raw apricot slices.  I often use either dried apricots, dates or similar, and I also sometimes make desserts with fruit and sago  or even chia seeds.  These all turn out different to what I used to eat, but also tasting very good, and not sickly sweet.

I have to say, I do miss having my cheese cakes, which I so loved - I used to make one from a recipe handed down to me by my European mother.  This was baked with ricotta or cottage cheese, lemon and sugar, and was delicious.  But as usual, I digress from the subject of this recipe!

All the new found morsels of sweetness, are very quick to make, and are mostly made in a blender or food processor, whichever you find easier.  I always tend to go for the one that is the least washing up, and that is my processor, as this can go in my dishwasher.  Yes, I have told you countless times, my lovelies, that I am lazy, and I AM!

I also mostly use baking paper instead of greasing tins, as this also saves on washing up and most recipes are just the same using this method.

I had some dried apples left over from another recipe so I used these with the apricots however the recipe will work equally well if you just use apricots on their own.

This recipe takes just a few minutes, once you have all the ingredients lined up, plus time to set.  It last for many weeks in the fridge, and is also great in lunch boxes, and for after school snacks, or as an emergency if someone drops in unexpectedly.

It is dairy free, gluten free, egg free and is a healthy substitute for a muesli bar, and good if you are eating "clean".

It is also great as it is raw, and you do not have to spend time cooking it.

You can leave it as a slab and slice it as you need it and that way it should stay fresher.  Either way, this is a great dessert, sweet, or just a small snack, and they are quite rich which means you will not eat too many, even though they are very moorish.

Preparation: 5 minutes plus standing

Cooking Time: Zero

Serves:  Makes about 20 pieces

Ingredients

About 200 g dried apricots

50 g dried apples

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup almond meal, plus extra for rolling

3 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

Line a slice tray or similar with some baking paper.

Put the apricots and apples in a bowl and cover them with some water.  Let them soak for about an hour, and then drain them.

Put all the ingredients into a food processor.

 Process this mixture until the mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs.

Take the mixture out of the processor, and press it into the slice tray.  Sprinkle it with a little additional almond meal, or coconut on the top.

Put it in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight, for it to set.

Slice as you need it, into whatever size you wish, but remember, they are quite rich, so not too large.

Serve as afternoon tea with a nice cup of hot tea or coffee.

They can also be frozen if wrapped completely.