How to make mocha protein bars.

Check out this amazing mocha chocolate protein bars as snack idea. Creamy layered bars with almond, dates and cocoa base, cashew, vanilla, espresso, protein, coconut middle layer and thick chocolate top layer. The recipe is super easy:
crust ingredients:
1 cup raw almonds (I used toasted )
10 pitted medjool dates
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
filling ingredients:
1 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked for 20 minutes in hot water)
2 tsp instant espresso powder or 1 espresso
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup maple syrup or other sweetener
1 1/4 cup coconut cream
Top layer ingredients:
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla or 1 tbsp almond butter
½ cup plant protein of your choice (optional)
Place the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb consistency is formed. If your dates are a little hard you can soak them in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Line a pan with parchment paper(I used 12x30cm) and dump out the crust mixture evenly in the pan. Place in the freezer while you make the filling. Drain and rinse the cashews from the soaking water and place in a food processor. Dissolve the espresso powder in 1/4 cup of warm water. Put it with all rest ingredients in food processor and mix until very smooth.

For the coconut cream, ensure you refrigerate 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk overnight so that the thick cream separates to the top of the can. Alternatively use really dense coconut milk.
Pour this mixture on top of the crust in the pan and freeze for at least 2 hours.
After freezing prepare the chocolate topping by melting coconut oil with raw cacao, maple syrup, and vanilla in a pan over low heat. Once just melted remove the sauce pan from the heat and whisk until very smooth. Immediately pour this on top of the now frozen mocha cream layer. Let this freeze for another 20 to 30 minutes before removing and slicing into bars. Remove from the freezer about 20 min before slicing and serving.

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