Raw Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Bars

It all started when I was trying to think of a Valentine's Day recipe to make last week. My greatest setback was that I loath the combination of fruit and chocolate (chocolate covered strawberries being the only exception). However, I was determined to find a way to combine the two. This is where Scott comes into the picture, my fruit-and-chocolate-loving-husband. His favorite combination being raspberries and chocolate - I decided to oblige his taste buds, but with a twist of my own. Peanut butter. I can never go wrong with peanut butter. I eat jars of the stuff homemade every week. Therefore, I knew if I put that golden goodness in the recipe somehow I would be sure to love it regardless of my disdain for the deadly fruit and chocolate combo. The verdict? It was a hit for both fruit and chocolate lovers and haters alike. How can you not love an ice cream bar that tastes like peanut butter and jelly? (Unless you don't like peanut butter and jelly. In which case you have bigger problems to deal with.) Needless to say, I got distracted and Valentine's Day came and went without a blog post on this recipe triumph, but here is the recipe to enjoy year round nonetheless. 

Ingredients

Crust

3/4 cup raw walnuts*

3/4 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup natural peanut butter**

1 tablespoon raw honey or agave

Raspberry Ice Cream Layer

1 cup raw cashews soaked for 4 hours and drained

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

1 tablespoon raw honey or agave

1 cup fresh raspberries

Chocolate Layer

1/2 cup coconut oil melted

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

2 tablespoons raw honey or agave

*I chose to use walnuts in the crust with the cashews, however, feel free to use all cashews or another one of your favorite nuts instead. 

**Use raw peanut butter to make this dessert 100% raw. If using unsalted peanut butter, I recommend adding a 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the crust ingredients. 

Begin by lining an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. To make the crust, process the nuts in a food processor until they resemble a coarse meal, then add in the peanut butter and honey/agave. Process until well mixed (should be a sticky batter). Press the crust mixture evenly into the prepared pan. 

Prepare the raspberry ice cream layer by combining all of the ingredients listed above in a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy, and spread evenly over the crust. 

Whisk the chocolate layer ingredients together until smooth, and pour over the top of the raspberry layer. Place the pan in the freezer, and freeze for at least 1 hour before slicing into squares. Keep the ice cream squares in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to serve.