Heavenly Raw Cherry Rose Bars

Every woman deserves to feel beautiful and treat herself.  Including something indulgent once in a while.  I enjoy fresh fruit most of the time, and I felt as if I was treating myself when I bought a large bag of cherries this weekend.
They were a treat alone, so sweet and delicious.  But I decided that they needed to be put in something a little more beautiful and grand, so I paired them with a rose cream and made some heavenly bars.  I made a pistachio coconut crust as the base, then topped it off with raw cherry jam, fresh cherries, then a sweet coconut rose cream. They would have been wonderful as they were, but I decided to top them off with chocolate as well to make them even more delicious.
They turned out pretty amazing, and I definitely felt like I was treating myself as I indulged in my first few bites of them.  The aroma was amazing with the rose, and it was like biting into something in a dream, so heavenly.

Heavenly Raw Cherry Rose Bars
Makes 16 bars

Crust:
1 cup raw pistachio nuts
1 cup finely shredded dried coconut
3/4 cup buckwheat, sprouted and dehydrated (or additional coconut)
1/4 tsp sea salt
12 soft medjool dates, pitted (if not soft, soak them until they are and drain them)

Cherry jam:
1 cup pitted red cherries
2 Tbsp dried cherries (soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes and drained well)
1 Tbsp raw coconut nectar
1 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups red cherries, pitted and halved

Rose Cream:
1 cup raw cashews or pine nuts, soaked 2 hours and drained well
1 cup fresh young coconut meat (or 1 cup cashews if coconut is unavailable)
1/4 cup fresh coconut water (or filtered water)
3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or raw agave nectar
1/4 tsp sea salt
seeds of one vanilla bean, or 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp rosewater
1 small chunk red beet (optional for color)
3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
1/4 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid

Chocolate glaze:
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1/4 cup raw coconut nectar or raw agave nectar
a pinch of sea salt

For the crust, combine nuts, coconut, buckwheat, sea salt, and dates in the food processor and process until fine crumbs and starting to hold together when squeezed. Press the mixture into a square on a foil lined sheet pan 1/4 inch thick, and set aside in the fridge. 
To make the cherry jam, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.  Spread over crust then top with the halved cherries cut side down, and place in the freezer while you make the cream.
To make the cream, combine all ingredients but the coconut butter and oil in a food processor and process until smooth.  With the motor running, add the coconut butter and oil and process a minute more.  Pour the cream over the cherries on the crust, spread to smooth and place in the freezer until firmed up, about 2 hours (it needs to be very firm in order to cut cleanly). 
Meanwhile, to make the chocolate glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.  Pour it over the bars to form a thin layer, then smooth out (you may have extra, in which case pour it onto a foil lined pan and let harden, then use another time) then place in the freezer just until set, about 5 minutes, then cut into bars (I use a knife dipped in hot water, then wiped dry quickly to cut them (it slices cleaner since it melts the chocolate, and you need to dip it in the hot water between each cut)) enjoy!  Store in the fridge.

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