Raw Vegan Caramel Slice

I know, I know, I promised salad. But as the title quite clearly suggests I got somewhat distracted. I mean I love salad I really do but sometimes there is a gap in your soul screaming ‘chocolate!!’ that no salad (no matter how awesome) is going to fill. And that is where these caramel slices came in.

You see a lot of raw vegan caramel slices images and recipes floating around the world of Instagram. I could have just made one of those, and I am sure it would have been delicious. But A. I Love making up recipes, and B. I wanted to create a recipe that contained slightly less dates than most raw vegan caramel slices (the large majority have dates in both the crust and the caramel layers). This is not because there is anything wrong with dates. Dates are rich in fibre, minerals and vitamins. They are a great source of calcium, magnesium iron… I could go on! But too many dates can still hurt a girls tummy a little you know?!

These slices are so good (if I do say so myself!) They are crunchy on the bottom, gooey in the middle and the ‘chocolate’ on the top is to die for! They are stored in the freezer, which means they can last quite a long time (however they can also be eaten straight out of the freezer, and thus they probably won’t)

Ingredients:

Base:

1 ½ cup oats

2/3 cup desiccated coconut

¼ cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel centre:

1 cup dates

3tbsp cashew/ almond butter (to make nut free use coconut butter/ seed butter of choice)

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup dairy free milk (I used almond)

Chocolate top:

1 tin coconut milk (LEFT IN FRIDGE OVERNIGHT BEFORE MAKING)

2 tbsp cacao powder

2 tbsp date/ rice malt syrup (or maple syrup but not strictly raw)

2 tsp coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Begin by lining a 7 inch x 7 inch tin (or as near as possible) with either cling film or grease-proof paper.

The Base

Place the oats and coconut into the blender and blend for a couple of minutes until the mixture has become finer and more powdery. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until a doughey consistency has formed. You may need to add a few splashes of water to help the mixture really achieve this!

Scoop the base mix into the lined tray and press down firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. One really great way to spread the sticky mixture easily is to wet a large spoon and use that to move the ‘dough’ around. Pop the tray to the side. Rinse out the blender.

The Caramel Centre

Simply place all the ingredients into the blender and mix until a smooth and creamy caramel is formed. Empty this out on top of the base, creating a smooth and even layer. Put the baking tin into the freezer to allow the mixture to begin to set.

The Chocolate Top

Begin by making the coconut whip. The coconut milk should have solidified after a night in the fridge, so using a spoon scoop the cream into a mixing bowl. ‘Whip’ the solidified milk using a whisk or a handheld mixer. It will become lighter and more creamy.

Once you have done this scoop out 1/3 cup and place into a different mixing bowl along with the cacao, rice malt syrup, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil. Using a spatula fold the ingredients together until well combined.

Remove the tin containing the bottom to layers from the freezer and spread the chocolate mix evenly on top. Pop back into the freezer for the final time and allow to set for at least four hours before slicing into squares.

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to four weeks!