Frozen Berry Lemon Bars
- 1 can chickpeas, you only want the liquid. (Use the beans for making hummus or bake them for a crunchy salad topping.)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cane sugar, ground fine
Combine the chickpea liquid and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and using a hand or stand mixer, beat until soft peaks form. This takes a couple minutes. Then add sugar and beat until firm peaks form. Set this aside while you make the cashew cream.
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours
- 5 dates, softened
- 2 lemons, juice and zest
- 1/4-1/2 cup water
Strain the cashews from soaking water and add to a blender with dates and lemon juice/zest. Add 1/4 cup water and blend starting on low speed until the cashews begin breaking up and then adjust speed to high. Add more water only if you need to in order for it to blend smoothly. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add
- 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil (only if you need more lemon flavor)
- 2 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil
Blend until thoroughly combined and creamy. Pour this cashew cream into the meringue, folding gently, rather than mixing. Then fold in:
- 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen ( I like to break frozen berries into pieces)
Line a pan with parchment or plastic wrap. Pour the mixture over a coconut-date crust that has been pressed into a pan and then freeze for several hours. For ice cream bars without a crust, spread into a plastic wrap-lined square pan and freeze.
- For a crust:
- 1/2 cup nuts or seeds
- 1/2 cup pitted soft dates
- 1 1/2 cups coconut shreds
- Pinch salt
In a food processor, pulse until everything breaks down into a crumble that will hold together when pressed or pinched.
If you only want coconut crust, increase coconut by 1/2 cup and omit the nuts.
Let me know if you give this a try. I really liked the light refreshing taste and the ice cream- like texture without having to use an ice cream maker.