Indulgent caramel slices with no refined sugar, no gluten and no dairy: that is the promise kept by this three-layer recipe. The crunchy base rests on a mix of nuts and coconut flour, the caramel owes its melting texture entirely to dates, and a thin layer of chocolate crowns the whole. Sixteen pieces to keep in the freezer for a treat at any moment.
Lighter raw caramel slices
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Activated almond puree
€15.70
Ingredients
Base
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans (or another nut)
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (or another liquid sweetener: honey, rice syrup…)
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla paste (optional)
Caramel
- 2 cups soft dates
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp cashew butter (or almond butter)
Chocolate layer
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (or raw cacao for a fully raw version)
- 1 tbsp cashew butter (or almond butter)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Preparation
- For the base, blend the pecans in the food processor for a few minutes until finely ground.
- Add the rest of the base ingredients and blend until everything is well combined.
- Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper, tip in the base and press it down with a fork (or by hand).
- Freeze for around 30 minutes, until it firms up slightly.
- For the caramel, if your dates are dry, soak them for 10 minutes in hot water, then drain and rinse them quickly.
- Blend the dates in the food processor for a few minutes, then add the melted coconut oil.
- Add the rest of the caramel ingredients and blend until you have a really smooth paste (this can take a while depending on the power of your machine).
- Take the base out of the freezer, spread the caramel over it and smooth with the back of a damp spoon.
- Return to the freezer for several hours, or overnight.
- For the chocolate, melt all the ingredients in a bain-marie, in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, over low heat, stirring until smooth and lump-free.
- Pour the chocolate over the caramel layer and let it set before cutting into 16 slices.
Tip
If your dates are too dry to blend easily, a short soak in hot water (10 minutes) is enough to soften them without diluting them.
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FAQ: your questions about raw caramel slices
What is the trick to keeping caramel runny?
In a date caramel, fluidity depends on three settings. First the amount of water: the date soaking liquid, added spoonful by spoonful during blending, lets you reach the consistency you want without diluting the flavour. Then the fat: coconut oil sets when cold, so if you want a caramel that stays pourable in the fridge, replace part of it with a nut butter, which stays supple. Finally the serving temperature: straight out of the freezer, any date caramel is hard; allow ten minutes at room temperature before judging it.
What can you do with date caramel?
Far more than slices. In its runny form it coats a porridge, pancakes or banana ice cream, and stirs into a smoothie to give it a milkshake character. Thick, it works as a middle layer in a raw cake, fills stuffed dates, or binds the grains of a granola. You can also mix it with a nut butter and a pinch of salt to make a spread. It keeps for a week in the fridge in a sealed jar, or several months frozen in portions in an ice-cube tray.
How do you make caramel without sugar?
A classic caramel relies on the caramelisation of sucrose, so on the sugar itself: without sugar there is no caramel in the strict sense. What you make instead is an equivalent in texture and taste, built from dried fruit rich in natural sugars — the date is the best candidate, and figs and dried apricots also work. The caramel flavour comes from three elements not to be skipped: a generous pinch of salt, which creates the illusion of salted butter caramel, a fat for creaminess, and a note of vanilla. None of these caramels is cooked: they are blended.
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