Paleo Caramel Slice – The Best Version Yet!

By Catherine Noonan on May 15, 2015 in Food

This Paleo Caramel Slice makes for a special dessert that will not only win the hearts of paleos and health-nuts, even the skeptics out there will be head over heels (and you know it’s good when you’re winning the skeptics over).

Ingredients

Base
1 cup hazelnut meal
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 pinch sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp honey

Filling
450g dried pitted dates
1 cup boiling water
200g raw macadamia nuts, soaked over night
175ml coconut cream
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt

Topping
3/4 cup melted cacao butter or coconut oil
3 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 pinch sea salt flakes, to garnish (optional)

Method
1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
2. Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
3. To make the base, combine the nut meal, desiccated coconut, cacao powder, vanilla powder and sea salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
4. Add the honey and coconut oil and work through with your hands until uniform in texture.
5. Transfer the base mixture into the lined tin and flatten, pressing down firmly and evenly into the corners.
6. Pop the base mixture into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After baking, leave in the tin and cool quickly on a level shelf in the freezer.
7. Meanwhile, place the dried dates and boiling water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir regularly with a wooden spoon for 5-7 minutes until all of the water is evaporated and a thick paste is formed.
8. In a food processor, whiz the date paste, macadamia nuts, coconut cream and vanilla for a few minutes until completely smooth. Add sea salt to taste.
9. Pour this mixture on top of the base and return to the freezer to set.
10. For the topping, combine all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. If warm, allow to cool slightly first. Pour onto of the caramel filling and then sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Allow to set in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

Storage
Store in an airtight container in your freezer for up to two weeks.