Raw Almond Apricot Slice

Some days I'm in the mood for something completely non-fussy. These raw almond apricot slices (or cookie bars) were a result of one of those moods... 2 minutes to process. 2 hours to set. A pinwheel of delicious fruit and nut slices to tuck into.

When I made this I was inspired by a craving for something like a fig cake. You know, the kind you have with a slice of cheese...? Only when I went to make it I spontaneously swapped the figs out for apricots. Reaching past them on the shelf suddenly made me wonder why apricots are such an overlooked item in desserts... Dates & figs are a more common choice. But apricots can be quite special in their own way. They're delicious, healthy, sweet, sticky, ... orange... and they taste so good with almonds. Perfect what what I had in mind here.

I made this in a 6" springform pan (pic below), but it can easily be made in any kind of round dish with a bit of a rim, pie plate, or tupperware container of a similar size. Slightly taller, slightly thinner, round or square -- doesn't quite matter -- go with whatever shape you're in the mood for. I also lined mine with some plastic wrap for easier handling and storage.

Simple. Sweet. Satisfying. Balanced. And I love how simple it is to make. And it's quite allergy / special diet friendly -- no gluten or grains, no dairy, refined sugar, or oils -- a sweet treat to share with others, or to keep stashed for a delicious and wholesome pick-me-up snack.

Raw Almond Apricot Slice

Print Recipe

• Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients

• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 ½ cups dried apricots (preferably unsulphured)
• ½ cup almond meal
• ¼ cup whole almonds
• 2 tbsp agave (or maple syrup)
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Line a 6" springform pan with a large piece of plastic wrap (leaving the edges to hang over the rim along the sides). Evenly sprinkle the sliced almonds along the base of the pan. Set aside.
2. Process all remaining ingredients in a food processor into a sticky mixture with a fine crumb to it (don't over-process into a paste!). Carefully spoon this mixture into the pan over the sliced almonds. Even it out with the back of a spoon and flatten it into a disk as best as you can. Cover with the plastic wrap edges. Freeze for 2 hours to set until firm. Unwrap, slice and enjoy! Keep leftovers frozen.