not-so-naughty caramel slice

Caramel slice has always been one of my favourite treats: I have many a memory of my mum buying them for my brother and I as an after-school treat, or devouring a boxful of my grandma's mars bar version on numerous special occasions. The only problem with this super delicious treat is that it's not really that healthy.

Now don't get me wrong, I love splurging on treats (read: I'm a chocolate addict) and there's certainly a time and place for every kind of naughty food, but sometimes it'd be nice to eat a lot more of them, more often, and not feel so guilty.

Inspiration for this not-so-naughty caramel slice comes from stumbling home after a messy night out in town *hangs head in shame* to my friend's Laura's house and heading straight for the kitchen for that all-important 'gorge-yourself-silly' 3am feed. But alas! Laura whipped out her version of a healthy caramel slice, so utterly delicious I'd had three slices before I even realised (not drunk at all), and the best thing was that I didn't feel so bad about myself, despite all the alcohol I'd previously consumed, whoops!

I found this recipe for a not-so-naughty caramel slice via The Good Food Cook Nadia Lim, and although the caramel tastes a little different to the kind you find in a store-bought slice, it's silky, rich and so so tasty- I can't imagine it's going to last in the fridge for very long!

  

Ingredients:

biscuit base

¾ cup wholegrain rolled oats

¾ cup shredded coconut

1 tbsp cocoa powder

12 dates

½ cup natural almonds 

Pinch of salt 

7 tbsp coconut oil 

caramel filling

400g dates

¾ cup boiling water 

2 cups cashew nuts

¼ cup pure maple syrup

½ cup melted coconut oil 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

chocolate topping

200g  dark chocolate 150-200g

2 tsp olive oil

1/3 cup walnuts

shredded coconut to top

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease and line squae baking tin (20cm x 20cm).

2. Place oats, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, dates, almonds and salt in a food processor and pulse until fine and crumbly. Add melted coconut oil/butter and pulse until well combined.

3. Press mixture into baking tin. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside in fridge to cool.

4. Soften cashew nuts by boiling in water for 15minutes.

5. To make caramel, place dates and water in a medium-size pot and boil, stirring frequently until dates are soft and mushed, and all the water has evaporated.

6. Place dates in the food processor along with softened cashew nuts, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Pulse until smooth.

7. Spread caramel over the base in baking tin. Set aside in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours or the freezer for at least 2 hours.

8. Melt chocolate and oil on stove. Pour melted chocolate over the filling and spread it evenly. Top with chopped walnuts and shredded coconut.

9. Return to fridge for 20 minutes.

10. Cut into small cube-size pieces with a serrated knife- the slice will keep for up to a week in the fridge.