Date and mandarin energy bars with a mandarin pâte de fruits top

Heat the dates with grapefruits, lemon juice and a splash of water, then puree in a food processor into a paste.

Toast the peanuts and turn about half of them into peanut butter.

Dice the preserved lemon peel.

Mix the date paste with the peanut butter, incorporate the egg whites, then add the rolled oats, chia seeds, preserved lemon peel, coconut oil and pumpkin seeds; pulse a few times without overworking, then mix in half of the toasted peanuts.

Spread evenly in the prepared pan and press in the remaining peanut halves.

Bake at 350 F, 180 C, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and spread the remaining date paste over the top.

Heat the mandarin puree with lemon juice and vanilla, add the sugar, dextrose and agar mixture, bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.

Cool about 10 minutes, pour over the slab and refrigerate a few hours until completely set; cut into bars.