I made this version, a double batch, as a healthier-than-usual snack for my seminar group at work (my first batch is blogged here). The fruit, nut and seed featured were dried cranberries, brazil nuts and pepitas, respectively; I also ran out of tahini along the way and substituted crunchy peanut butter for half of it. This slice really is something special, with the mushy dates, tahini and nut butter creating a fudgy texture. No-one at work acted at all deprived in the face of this lack of chocolate!
I did learn something along the way - the most readily available brand of dried cranberries here are only 70% dried cranberries. I'm not complaining here about over-packaging or air in the packet: the dried cranberries were 30% sugar and oil. I suspect the real deal is much more tart. Have you noticed this before, or can you recommend a source of pure dried cranberries?
I get my cranberries (as well as my beans, nuts, lentils and rice snacks) from the nut shop in Northcote Plaza. They're lovely and tangy, i have no idea about the nutritional side of it but I definitely prefer them over Craisins.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised by that. It wouldn't even occur to me to turn the pack over and check!
ReplyDeleteyour slice looks delicious - I have noticed that cranberries are sweetened because I think they are quite sour if not - but 30% is a lot - I have really noticed the difference between sweetened cherries and unsweetened cherries - would be nice to have the choice!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I'm thinking that I should try a specialty shop like yours, though I'll have to pluck up the courage to ask the staff what their cranberries are really made of. :-)
ReplyDeleteMallika, it's not the sort of thing I do often either... until I'm lounging 'round the kitchen, waiting for the dates to simmer down. :-)
Thanks, Johanna! I first tried dried cranberries about a decade ago, and my memory is that they were much drier and more tart - they mustn't have been sweetened. The hunt is on for more of the same. :-D