1/2cup112g salted butter, ghee, or palm shortening, softened
1/4cuppacked43g coconut sugar
1/4tspvanilla extract
1cup180g dairy free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Filling
1cuppacked265g pitted Medjool date halves (~14 dates)*
3/4cuppure maple syrup
1/4cup56g salted butter, ghee, or palm shortening, melted
1 1/2tspvanilla extract
1/2tspsea salt
3large eggs
1cup45g unsweetened coconut flakes
2cups230g pecan halves and pieces
*This recipe uses fresh Medjool dates. They should be soft and moistnot dried.
Instructions
Crust
Preheat oven to 350ºF/177ºC and line an 8x8" or 8x6" baking dish with 2 overlapping pieces of parchment paper, creating overhang to help with removal after baking. For even easier removal, grease the corners of the baking dish if they are not covered by parchment (optional).
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Mix well.
In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Pour dry ingredients into the large bowl and mix everything together until a dough forms. This is a shortbread dough, so it will be a little crumbly, not overly sticky.
Press dough into an even layer in the lined baking dish. Poke a few holes in the crust with a fork.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the center is set and the edges are slightly browned.
Remove to a cooling rack. Spread chocolate over the top in an even layer. Allow to cool completely.
Filling
While crust is cooling, make the filling.
Place date halves in a bowl and pour boiling water over them (just enough to cover). Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then drain off the water.
Place soaked dates, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt in a blender and blend on high until the mixture is smooth (about 1-2 minutes in a Vitamix).
Add eggs to blender and briefly blend just to mix.
Pour filling mixture into the large mixing bowl from earlier. Add in coconut flakes and mix.
Once crust has cooled, pour the filling over the crust. Top with pecans then jiggle it a bit to settle the pecans into the filling.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until filling is set and before pecans start to burn.
Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool for about 3 hours.
Remove from baking dish using the parchment overhang. Slice into pieces with a sharp knife.