Almond Delights or Almond Datelights — gluten free with natural sugar

These bars are delightful or should I say datelightul? I’ve seen versions of these called Snickers Bars with almonds but, personally, I don’t think the name fits. I thought of Almond Joy but there’s no coconut! These delightful bars begin with a base of almond flour (along with oat flour) mixed with almond nut butter and date or maple syrup. A date paste composes the gooey, caramel-like layer that is topped with toasted, sliced almonds and then spread with dark chocolate. Created to delight, these bars are also gluten-free and use only natural sugars. This is a nutrient-packed recipe so watch out as they are also packed with calories . . . but these bars are so rich that a small one satisfies most sweet lovers. 

Almond Delights or Almond Datelights    Yield: 8x8-inch pan; about 12 bars

Bottom Crust 

3/4 cup almond flour

1/4 almond butter, no sugar added

1/2 cup oat flour (to make your own – add a little over 1/2 cup old fashioned or quick oats to the blender or food processor and blend until it creates a somewhat coarse oat flour

2 tablespoons date syrup or real maple syrup 

Caramel Middle

3/4 cup date paste (cook about 1 cup of dates with 3-4 tablespoons of water until softened, adding more water as needed; process in a food processor until smooth 

2 tablespoons almond butter

1 teaspoon  vanilla

Topping

1/2 cup of chopped or sliced almonds, toasted (place in a 350° oven for 4-5 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden; watch closely)

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine almond flour, almond butter, oat flour, date syrup and salt.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Press mixture into pan to form bottom base layer.  Place in freezer.
   
4. For middle layer, combine date paste, almond butter, and vanilla.
   
   
   
   
5. Spread on top of bottom layer and sprinkle with almonds. Place back in freezer.
   
6. Melt chocolate and spread over top to set. You can also cut into bars first and dip in chocolate to cover like a candy bar. Since these bars keep best when refrigerated, I left the chocolate off. When ready to serve, I microwaved enough chocolate chips to cover a couple of bars, and then spread it over the tops of the cut and plated bars. 
   

Recipe without photos . . . Almond Delights or Almond Datelights    Yield: 8x8-inch pan; about 12 bars

Bottom Crust 

3/4 cup almond flour

1/4 almond butter, no sugar added

1/2 cup oat flour (to make your own – add a little over 1/2 cup old fashioned or quick oats to the blender or food processor and blend until it creates a somewhat coarse oat flour

2 tablespoons date syrup or real maple syrup 

Caramel Middle

3/4 cup date paste (cook about 1 cup of dates with 3-4 tablespoons of water until softened, adding more water as needed; process in a food processor until smooth 

2 tablespoons almond butter

1 teaspoon  vanilla

Topping

1/2 cup of chopped or sliced almonds, toasted (place in a 350° oven for 4-5 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden; watch closely)

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine almond flour, almond butter, oat flour, date syrup and salt.
3. Press mixture into pan to form bottom base layer.  Place in freezer.
4. For middle layer, combine date paste, almond butter, and vanilla.
5. Spread on top of bottom layer and sprinkle with almonds. Place back in freezer.
6. Melt chocolate and spread over top to set. You can also cut into bars first and dip in chocolate to cover like a candy bar. Since these bars keep best when refrigerated, I left the chocolate off. When ready to serve, I microwaved enough chocolate chips to cover a couple of bars, and then spread it over the tops of the cut and plated bars. 

Honey Almond Cake . . . gluten free & sweetened with honey

Simple, moist and delicious — this  almond and honey cake is gluten-free, sweetened with honey and flavored with spices! Adjust flavors, fruit and nuts to your own specs - see notes below. 

Honey Almond Cake      One 9-inch tart 

I actually cut the recipe in half and used a smaller-sized spring-form pan and baked for just about 25 minutes. 

2 cups (8 ounces) almond flour or almond meal, firmly packed into measuring cups

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2  teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2  teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

4 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup + 1 teaspoon honey, divided

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

One orange

6 ounces blueberries 

Garnish: 1/2  cup chopped raw pistachios + other fresh fruit and mint if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease a 9-inch pan (a springform pan) with butter is ideal) and dust with almond flour/meal.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, ginger and sea salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the beaten eggs, honey, olive oil and the zest of your orange or lemon. Use a whisk to mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir just until there are a few clumps remaining, then gently fold in the blueberries or raspberries.
   
4. Pour batter into prepared pan.
   
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the center is firm to the touch. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
   
6. Once the cake is out of the oven, slice the orange in half and squeeze out ¼ cup juice. Combine the juice with 1 teaspoon honey in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, while stirring, just until the honey is blended into the juice. Brush the orange-honey glaze over the warm cake. It should soak right in.
7. Once the cake is cool, garnish with chopped pistachios or almond slices + other fresh fruit and mint as desired. 

NOTES: 
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: Cover and store in the refrigerator. 
CHANGE IT UP: Substitute an equal amount of other berries or fresh fruit for the raspberries and/or trade lemon or lime zest for the orange zest and/or garnish with other fruits and nuts.  If fruit is omitted, the cake will be done somewhere around 35 to 40 minutes. 

Recipe without photos . . . Honey Almond Cake      One 9-inch tart 

I actually cut the recipe in half and used a smaller-sized spring-form pan and baked for just about 25 minutes. 

2 cups (8 ounces) almond flour or almond meal, firmly packed into measuring cups

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2  teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2  teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

4 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup + 1 teaspoon honey, divided

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

One orange or lemon, preferably organic

6 ounces blueberries 

Garnish: 1/2  cup chopped raw pistachios + other fresh fruit and mint if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease a 9-inch pan (a springform pan) with butter is ideal) and dust with almond flour/meal.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, ginger and sea salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the beaten eggs, honey, olive oil and the zest of your orange or lemon. Use a whisk to mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir just until there are a few clumps remaining, then gently fold in the blueberries or raspberries.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the center is firm to the touch. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
6. Once the cake is out of the oven, slice the orange in half and squeeze out ¼ cup juice. Combine the juice with 1 teaspoon honey in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, while stirring, just until the honey is blended into the juice. Brush the orange-honey glaze over the warm cake. It should soak right in.
7. Once the cake is cool, garnish with chopped pistachios or almond slices + other fresh fruit and mint as desired. 

NOTES: 
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: Cover and store in the refrigerator. 
CHANGE IT UP: Substitute an equal amount of other berries or fresh fruit for the raspberries and/or trade lemon or lime zest for the orange zest and/or garnish with other fruits and nuts.  If fruit is omitted, the cake will be done somewhere around 35 to 40 minutes.