Baking Wednesday – Caramel Slice

Howdy Y’all,

Happy Hump Day! So yesterday was rainy and I was trapped inside with Little L (argh!!) One thing she loves and often asks to do is bake. I read recently in a blog about an app I have been meaning to try called Hippy Lane. The app is recipe-based but only contains health-conscious recipes. They promote that the sweet treat recipes are gluten free, vegan, dairy free, and contain no refined sugar. Trying to find recipes that have these bases covered but still taste delicious is a challenge. This app is very sophisticated and styish and the photographs are beautiful.  I had a very quick gander through my pantry to see what ingredients I had and Little L and I selected the recipe for  Caramel Slices. Where I am from it is referred to as millionaire’s shortbread and  it is delicious and I thought this would be a great introduction to its yumminess for Little L. So here is how it went:-

Recipe

Summary

Creamy, delicious bars of gold. These caramel slice bars are just like the real thing with a crumbly biscuit base, smooth caramel center and silky chocolate top, you will be taken to choc caramel heaven with each bite. Free of dairy, gluten and sugar, you can enjoy them guilt-free.

Ingredients

Base

1 1/2 cups (225g) cashews

1/2 cup (40g) desiccated coconut

8-10 medjool dates, pitted

3tbsp rice malt

Caramel

1 cup (150g) medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup (60ml) coconut oil

1/2 cup (125ml) tahini or almond butter

1/2 cup (120ml) rice malt syrup

1 tsp vanilla powder

Pinch salt

Chocolate

1/3 cup (36g) cacao powder

1/2 cup (120ml) coconut oil, liquid

1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup

1/2 tsp carob powder (optional)

Steps

1. To make base, reduce cashews to small pieces in the food processor.
2. Add coconut and pulse.
3. Add dates and rice malt, and process until combined and sticky.
4. Press base into tin lined with baking powder and freeze.
5. Making caramel by processing all ingredients until smooth.
6. Spread caramel over base and freeze.
7. For the chocolate, whisk the ingredients until well incorporated.
8. Spread chocolate evenly over slice and freeze.
9. Remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving.

Lifestyle Lady Findings

• Firstly I could not find rice malt so I substituted agave syrup.
• I used almond oil instead of tahini.
• I did not have vanilla powder so I substituted for vanilla essence.
• As you know I am yet to buy a brownie tin, but that would be the ideal size to make these in.
• Call me lazy but I loved the ease of the prep and that it needed no baking. It was an ideal recipe to do with a toddler. They can lick the spoon and not get poisoned!

Prepping the base

The base is so yum and took 15 min in freezer to cool

This is delicious. It did get very sticky and cause my processor to stop

Use a cold spoon to spread on base

Sorry about the light reflection but this was so glossy

So yummy

So suprised how good they looked and fantastic they tasted

Close up time