Cherry Almond Raisin Bars
[Vegan, Gluten-Free]

To Make the Base:

1. Line a square baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside.
2. Place the ground almonds, ground oats, coconut sugar, flax seeds, coconut oil, and flour into a food processor/blender and pulse until fully combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into the lined/greased tin and press down until smooth and even.
4. Place the base into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
5. While the base is baking, prepare the topping.

To Make the Topping:

1. Wash, peel, and chop the roughly chop the Apples and place them into a deep/large pan along with a squeeze of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and enough water to cover the apples.
2. Cook until partly soft.
3. Drain the apples from the water and place into a blender/food processor.
4. Whizz up until smooth and set aside.
5. Mix together the ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and allow to thicken up.
6. This will take around 10 minutes.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the thickened flax mixture, apple purée, maple syrup, ground almonds, and almond extract, then stir together until combined.
8. Sprinkle the raisins and dried cherries on the base and cover with the topping mixture.

To Make the Bars:

1. Return the tray to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
2. Place baking tray on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before removing from the tray.
3. Slice into squares and serve.
4. These squares should be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
5. Before serving, leave at room temperature for 5 minutes as this allows the coconut oil to soften slightly.