crispy date and chocolate bars

This is another of my mum’s recipes that I’ve tinkered with a little. These crispy date and chocolate bars – or ‘date slices’ as they were known in our family are easy and delicious. They are perfect for lunchboxes, picnics or after-school snacks. They require very little actual cooking and are a great thing to make with children. In fact they were one of the first things I made when I was little.

The other great thing is that, unlike when I was little, we’re all a bit more aware of catering to food allergies now. These cakes are gluten-free, free of added sugar and can easily be made dairy-free too. Oh, and unlike most free-from things, they are egg and nut-free too. So with all that stuff that isn’t in them, what is in them? Well it’s very simple – chocolate, dates, puffed rice, butter or coconut oil and a pinch of salt.

Whenever I eat these I think of my first night at university in Leeds. Like most 18 year olds I was pretty much gagging to be let off the leash, so when my parents dropped me off at my halls of residence I told them to leave me to it until the next day. I had dreams of my first night being in the bar making new friends and showing off my carefully curated outfit. What I didn’t realise was that all the other newbies were being better children than me, and they were all heading off for last suppers with their respective parents. So instead of living the high life, I spent my first night of uni in my room on my own, self-consciously listening to Massive Attack with no food other than the box of these date slices that my Mum had left me with. The next day my poor mum and dad returned to find their slightly less cocky daughter, with a slightly less full box of cakes, very grateful for their company.