Baking/kitchen fail AIBU - how to rescue it?

[Kloklo]

Just tried to make ‘no-bake’ date and walnut bars, which is basically dates blended to a paste and mixed with blitzed walnuts then set once they’re in the fridge for a bit. Once the mixture’s set, I was going to pour some chocolate on the top to have a chocolate layer on top of the date-walnut layer.

I made the mixture about an hour ago, and it’s still quite sticky and doesn’t feel very set. I had some dates to use up, and all of the recipes I was looking at asked for cup measurements (and my attempt to convert it into grams wasn’t great), so the consistency feels a bit off. Just wondering if anyone knows how I can rescue it please?

I wondered if I could put it in the oven on a very low temperature (not quite sure what temperature would be good) to dry it out, but maybe that sounds like a crazy idea!

I’d love to make it less sticky and more set, but just wanted to check with you all what you think is best. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Mix some oats into it.

Would you not need a binding agent of some kind? I'm not sure how dates and walnuts are supposed to stick together?
Could you turn it into a flapjack kind of thing? Add oats, honey and melted butter and bake.

Or more spongey, add some flour, egg and butter and bake.

Or maybe even banana and oats if you want it to be properly healthy

Aren't they meant to be sticky and quite soft?

Put it back in the blender with some oats, cocoa powder and some coconut. Then break into balls again and roll them in cocoa powder.

Stir in some sieved icing sugar till it gets more to the consistency you want, then leave it overnight in the fridge.

I would mix in the melted chocolate and maybe roll into balls and refrigerate. The chocolate will harden and help them firm up.

Roll into balls and put on a stick (skewers or something if you have them). Then dunk in chocolate and leave to set.

Or just increase the ground walnuts/add some ground almonds if you are trying to avoid sugar/flour etc

Mix in rice krispies?

Chill the mix as it is or lightly freeze then quickly roll into balls and dip in chocolate. My daughter makes them but uses a good peanut butter, dates and cocoa powder to roll in, keep in fridge once prepped

Thanks so much everyone for your ideas - knew you’d come to the rescue! I rolled the mixture out into balls again, rolled the balls in oats and then covered them in melted chocolate. They’re just chilling in the fridge, so fingers crossed they’ll be tasty when the chocolate’s a bit more set. Thanks again!