Healthier Snickers Ice Cream Bars

Process half the cashews, half the dates, the water, and vanilla until completely smooth. In a high-speed blender, combine 135g of the cashews, 240g of the dates, the 475ml of water, and the 1 tbsp of vanilla extract. Blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds until the mixture is completely white, smooth, and liquid with no gritty cashew pieces left.

Pour the creamy mixture into a lined pan to create the base layer. Line a standard loaf tin or a square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to use as handles later. Pour the blended ice cream base into the tin and place it flat in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours until it is firm to the touch.

Process the remaining dates with salt and warm water into a glossy paste. Clean your blender or use a food processor. Add the remaining 240g of dates, a big pinch of sea salt, and 2 tablespoons of warm water. Blend until it forms a thick, ultra-sticky, glossy caramel paste. If it's too thick to spread, add an extra tablespoon of warm water.

Spread the caramel over the frozen base and press the remaining nuts into it. Take the frozen ice cream base out of the freezer. Gently spread the salted date caramel evenly across the surface. Take the remaining 135g of cashews (or peanuts), chop them roughly, and scatter them over the caramel. Press down firmly with your hands so the nuts get locked into the caramel layer. Return to the freezer for 30 minutes.

Lift the mixture out using the parchment paper and cut into uniform bars. Once the caramel and nut layer is set, lift the block out of the tin using the parchment handles. Place it on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice it into 6 to 8 rectangular bars. Place the bars back on a lined tray in the freezer while you melt your chocolate.

Dip the frozen bars into melted chocolate to seal the layers. Melt the 200g of dark chocolate with 1 tsp of coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Pour the melted chocolate into a tall glass. Take each frozen bar and dip it completely into the chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Because the bars are freezing cold, the chocolate will harden into a crisp shell almost instantly.

Store your finished bars in an airtight container in the freezer. When you are ready to enjoy one, let it sit on the counter for 3 to 5 minutes. This allows the date caramel to become perfectly gooey and the cashew base to soften into a premium ice cream texture!