These are totally delicious! I wish i knew who’s recipe it was (I wish it was mine!) because it’s really excellent. If it’s yours please do let me know as I would love to credit you! Although I have made a couple of tweaks – I hope you don’t mind. The recipe came home from school as part of mental healthy awareness week. Isn’t that wonderful – teaching children that cooking and eating well can and will improve your mental health. They’re also really easy to make.

Prepare: 20 minutes, plus freezing
Makes: 16 (or more or less if you like)

200g pitted dates
100g porridge oats
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter (or other nut or seed butter)
1/4 tsp sea salt
A handful of salted peanuts
180g pack milk or dark chocolate, melted

1. Put the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put the oats into a food processor and wizz until fine, to make ‘oat flour’.
2. Drain the dates and put them into the food processor (there’s no need to wash it in between). Add the peanut butter, salt and 1 tbsp hot water. Blend until smooth to make date caramel, scraping down the sides occasionally if needed. Remove to a bowl.
3. Put the oat flour into the food processor (again there’s no need to wash it). Add 3 tablespoons of the date mixture and blend, gradually adding 1-3 tablespoons of hot water to make a sticky dough. Press this firmly into the base of a baking parchment lined 900g loaf tin, until flat and pushed into all the corners.
4. Spread the remaining date caramel over the top, then scatter with the peanuts and push them into the top. Place into the freezer for at least 2 hours or until very firm.
5. Remove from the tin, then using a sharp knife, cut into 16 bars (or make more or less if you like). Dip into melted chocolate using two forks, let any excess drop off, then sit on a wire rack to set. Chill in the fridge until firm – if they last that long.