The original recipe called for raw cacao powder which wasn’t easily accessible to us, so we substituted cocoa powder with good results. However, no substitutions with the dates! Medjool dates are a type of date that is exceptionally large and sweet; it is important to find the real thing for this recipe. We were able to find them sold in bulk at our local grocery; they are also available for sale online. If you can’t imagine a dessert without chocolate, you could add a few dark chocolate chips if you’d like, or top with a bit of sea salt if you prefer the sweet / salty combination.