Caramel Slice but not as you know it. It’s for everyone who loves Caramel and Chocolate plus it’s gluten free and Vegan friendly.
It’s hard not to love a caramel slice, and this Date, Cashew and Caramel Slice is THE best. It’s especially a nice treat to make for someone you want to spoil. I can think of a special person you may want to spoil this weekend. Can’t you?
My Mum left for a long well earned rest lots of years ago. When they are gone the empty space can sometimes make you feel rudderless. Parents are such an anchor and childhood only just seems to start making sense as you get older. There are so many things I wanted to tell my Mother over the years and so many things I wanted to ask. But that’s gone, time has passed and there is no chance.
Now I am a Mother of an intelligent good humoured young person. I want to waste no time sharing little things with him about my life and how I feel about him. There is only one life after all. It must be done now.
So, back to who I could spoil with this almost guilt free caramel slice.
I know you are thinking I have lost my marbles. How is it almost guilt free?. This slice, my friends is not made with sugar or cream, no condensed milk or even gluten. Nup. It’s almost entirely trouble free. That is unless you like sweet things and can’t stop eating it. It tastes like caramel yet it most certainly isn’t. The slice itself needs to be kept a little chilled for it to be at it’s best because it is also mostly unbaked.
This recipe is from Nadia Lim, a New Zealand based chef and nutritionist. I met her a couple of weeks ago. I love her fresh approach to food, she doesn’t preach about clean food and she’s not stuck in a health niche. She just makes fresh, interesting food. You may not have heard of her YET but I am sure that you will. I am often the Queen of cakes and sugar and so it seems that even I need to learn to make desserts another way too. ( sometimes).
The filling to this slice is made with dates, cashews and maple syrup. I have added butter but you could use coconut oil like Nadia does. Something a little different and kind of funky. To be fair I guess it’s still got natural sugar in it but put it this way, it doesn’t have any real added sugar, like I said, it’s a shock. Let me know how you go with it.
This also has a Skater seal of approval. I haven’t told him yet that he was eating dates and cashews. I might wait till he eats another piece.
Date, Cashew and Caramel Slice
Ingredients
- 100 gm almonds ground, for gluten free
- 50 gm coconut shredded not desiccated / unsweetened
- 2 Tablespoon cocoa powder or a rich Dutch cocoa
- 100 gm almonds raw 1/2 cup
- 120 gm dates (or what's left of the 500 gm packet below used for the filling), 6 large fresh
- 100 gm coconut oil or melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 400 gm dates can be fresh or dried- fresh is slightly better
- 200 ml water 3/4 cup water
- 250 gm cashews (either soak overnight or put into a pot. Just cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes or till softened drain and leave to cool) This makes about 2 cups
- 100 ml just under 1/2 cup Pure maple Syrup
- 100 gm coconut oil or butter just under 1/2 cup melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Topping
- 200 gm dark chocolate chopped
- 200 ml coconut cream
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped, optional
Instructions
- First set the oven to 180C/ 350F. Line a 10in x 7 in or 325cm x 17cm rectangular tin with high sides or a brownie tin
- Put the coconut, cocoa, almonds, oats or almond meal and dates into the food processor and blitz till fine . Add the coconut or melted butter and combine again. The mixture looks a little dry
- Press onto the bottom of the tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until starting to go golden around the edges. Cool slightly then chill or freeze for up to 1 hour . The filling can be made and left till the base is ready.
- To make the filling soften the cashews by either simmering or soaking. Put the dates into a pot with the water. Simmer on low till the dates start to get soft. Mix them and they will turn into a purée. Cool. Add the dates, cashews maple syrup, vanilla and {butter or) coconut oil, into the processor and blend, scraping down the sides and blitzing again until very smooth
- Spread this over the nut base and even out with a pallet knife, or put a piece of plastic over the top and smooth down with your hands. Refrigerate for as long as possible.
- To make the chocolate icing. Melt the coconut milk till hot. Put the chocolate pieces into a ceramic bowl and pour the coconut cream over the top Stir till melted. If it needs a little more melting put in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir again. Spread onto the slice with a pallet or knife,
- Slice with a hot knife and Keep chilled.
Be nice to your Mother…………..tidy your room.
Absolutely fantastic, I made this today, unfortunately I put too many dates in base but still turned out well. I suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage in 2016 so do struggle now following recipes but considering this was a bit complex for me it turned out fantastic. I’m watching my weight as I’m on steroids due to an autoimmune disease. Thank you so much I will definitely be making this again minus the extra dates in the base.
Wendy, hi. Thanks for emailing me. I am so happy you liked it and could follow. All the very best to you.
Tania
What a great idea! I have a friend who is a coeliac and I know she’d love this recipe.
Looks so scrumptious! Will give it a try.
Hello Evans, thanks for your comment and thanks for visiting
absolutely delicious! these would satisfy all my cravings for sweet, chewy, salty, and rich without being woefully unhealthy!
Hi Grace Yes I have to admit it feels like it is very healthy indeed
Ooh I’m making a similar one but based on someone else’s recipe. I hope it turns out as nicely as yours did!
I am drooling just looking at this! Caramel is definitely the key to my heart.
These look absolutely sublime!!! And I love the combination of ingredients that you’ve used. No need to hide the fact that there is no sugar or cream or condensed milk here. Just tell me there are dates and cashews and I’m first in line for seconds! Beautiful! : )
I’ve been traveling and just catching up on my mail. How I loved finding this! An Australian friend long ago introduced me to the world of slices–and surely, this must be one of the very best recipes for one!
Hi Victoria, Lucky you off travelling, I agree that this is a game changer. Hope you enjoy it.
wow! just the perfect healthy treat. I pint it for later!
xx cathy
Looks delicious and lovely…Thanks.
Ooh this sounds just perfect! I think it’s a boy thing, my husband would do the same thing. I hope you have a kind and lovely weekend x
This seems too good to be true – I can make caramel slice and eat it too?!
This looks right up my street 🙂
How incredible that this amazing chocolate caramel slice has no condensed milk! You could have fooled me. I wouldn’t let Skater in on the secret. I’m sorry for hear your mother passed away a long time ago. She must have died when she was quite young and that is way too soon xx
Haha I do that to Will too – don’t tell him all the hidden goodies until he admits that he likes something. It sure looks like a delicious sweet treat and no I probably couldn’t stop at one.
So delicious! The soft date filling taste took me back to sweet childhood memories- Mum making fresh date purée! Thx for real treat!!
I love how simple ingredients can come together to form such an amazing final product! This looks great 🙂
No sugar, cream, and gluten..that sounds like a dream sweet treat for me. They look fantastic!
What do you mean, you’re not coming back? You’re part of the dead battery group? 🙂
I think with these slices you’d want to come back. I love what’s in them.