A truly perfect Halloween treat. I wanted to use pumpkin but preferred the idea of a chocolate and orange combination so I went with both. Win win! It’s one of my favourite flavour combinations which was totally spurred on by a delivery of chocolate orange bars from Pulsin.
I made these on a total whim with the last and only can of pumpkin in my possession that I’d actually purchased last year. Stores don’t really stock it here in Ireland so I usually end up having to buy it online to get my pumpkin fix. The pumpkin provided the perfect pop of orange I was after and also bestowed a beautiful final consistency to the bars.
I used Coyo in the chocolate mix in order to balance out the consistency with that of the pumpkin orange mixture. I always get nervous when making something new;the idea of it turning out disastrously. These bars turned out perfectly! Like a soft fudge the top swirl layered worked beautifully and the no baked biscuit was just firm enough to differentiate between the two without it being at all crumbly or dry.
I went all out with the orange extract. I wanted them to scream chocolate orange rather than it just being a hint of a tint. The natural sweetness of the pumpkin simply complimented the flavour without at all shadowing it.
Perfect for kids and adults alike, a seasonal and festive Halloween treat!
16 large squares
Ingredients:
Base
– 2 cups (240g) pecan nuts
– 1/4 cup (55g) coconut oil, melted
– 1/2 cup (90g) pitted medjool dates
– 4 tbsp (30g) coconut flour
– 1 cup (80g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
Pumpkin Filling
– 110g (1/2 cup) pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
– 120g (1/2 cup) cashew butter
– 110g (1/2 cup) coconut oil, melted
– 80g (1/4 cup) honey or maple syrup
– 3-4 tsp pure orange extract to own taste, I used 4!
Chocolate Filling
– 120g (1/2 cup) cashew butter
– 80g (1/4 cup) honey
– 1/3 cup (40g) raw cacao powder
– 125g (1 tub) Raw Cacao Coyo
– 1 tsp vanilla powder or pure vanilla extract
– 1/2 cup (110g) coconut oil, melted
Method:
1. Process pecan nuts to a coarse meal in your food processor.
2. Remove the nuts and process the dates to a thick paste.
3. Add nuts, coconut flour and desiccated coconut into the food processor and process for a minute to evenly combine.
4. Add remainder of ingredients and process once more for a minute or two to combine.
5. Line a 9-inch square tin with baking paper and lightly grease with coconut oil.
6. Place the base mix into the tin and spread evenly using your fingertips of the back of a spoon.
7. Place into the fridge while you make the fillings.
8. Before blending the filling ingredients ensure all ingredients are at room temperature and that the melted coconut oil is cool enough to touch.
9. Blend all pumpkin filling ingredients in a high-speed blender to combine. Place into a bowl. Rinse out the blender and process all chocolate filling ingredients.
10. Place spoons of the mixtures across the prepared base, pumpkin beside chocolate, one after the other…
11. Use a knife to gently mingle the two to create a marbled effect. Place into the fridge to firm up for at least four hours or overnight before slicing. These will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to one month.
I’m Shel but some people call me “Peachy”…I’m the food loving, fitness fanatic, blogger behind Peachy Palate, a website which is now my hub for all the paleo, keto and grain free recipes I create, hoping to inspire people to think outside the box, eating whole foods that truly nourish. Fueled by a desire to improve my own health I love to create sweet and savoury recipes, sharing them with the world ensuring no one need feel deprived regardless of their dietary restrictions or preferences. Living in Wicklow, Ireland, when not dreaming up recipes I’m lifting with the men folk in my local gym, tapped into social media or out on the road delivering, merchandising and being a super duper brand ambassador for a local health food company.
My relationship with food wasn’t always so bright, in fact it wasn’t at all harmonious for quite sometime. Having overcome a decade of eating disorders I’m in the best place I’ve ever been. I’m happy, healthy, confident and I now enjoy every nourishing mouthful, giving my body what it needs. One of my favourite quotes from a sensational foodie … “Nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should.” Julia Child. Life, love and food! www.peachypalate.com
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