NO BAKE CHOC & ALMOND SALTED CARAMEL SQUARES

No oven or stovetop required for these wonderfully quick and easy squares. Almonds are used rather than a refined carbohydrate creating a great cross between an indulgent treat and an energy bar. Try to use activated almonds when possible/necessary and raw almonds when not. The miso/honey combo creates the salted caramel flavour notes both deliciously and wholesomely. This recipe is lactose free, high in good proteins and fibre, is almost totally plant based and is high in good fats if you choose to use cocoa butter over butter.

Hands On Time

25mins

Passive Time

½hr in fridge for melted chocolate and cocoa butter/butter to solidify

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter (45g) or 2 to 3 tablespoons (30g to 45g) raw cocoa butter

1 cup/250g good quality almond nut butter

¼ cup/60g raw unfiltered honey

2 tablespoons good quality miso

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/3 cup (or 140g) almonds which have been pulsed – approx. 1 min

100 - 250g good quality dark chocolate: amount depends on level of indulgence required. 😉

Preparation

Line a baking tin, approx. 22cm square sized, with baking parchment paper

Method

Bottom layer:

Gently heat the cocoa butter (approx. 2mins in microwave) or butter (20 seconds or so in microwave) and add nut butter, honey, miso and vanilla extract and stir well to combine.

Add the pulsed almonds and stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.

Transfer to the baking pan and press down firmly to compact.

Top layer:

Gently melt chocolate. Spread melted chocolate over the almond mixture. Chill till chocolate and base is firm - takes approx. ½hr in the fridge till ready to slice.

Slicing:

Lift up the parchment paper onto a cutting board and slice into squares: halve lengthways and widthways and then into 3 and 3 lengthways and 2 and 2 widthways)

Notes

• When less hedonism and more wholesomeness is needed, omit the chocolate top layer and instead add cacao or cocoa powder into the mixture, as in last photo below

• Ring the changes by substituting some of the quantity of almonds with other nuts left whole/unpulsed, eg macadamia nuts, as in last photo below

• Choose activated almonds over raw or roasted almonds where you can: Activated nuts/seeds/buckwheat are soaked, sprouted and then dehydrated. This increases digestibility & nutrition via reducing levels of gut irritants/allergenic constituents & significantly boosting nutrient levels. Activated nuts/seeds/buckwheat are available from some health shops (or can be homemade if you have a dehydrator).

• However, activated or not, almonds are a great ingredient to choose over refined carbs (eg such as rice crispies) when making treats such as these, especially if being eaten more than occasionally.

• However, for now and again, nothing wrong with using rice crispies, 140g (approx. 5 cups), in place of almonds.

© Dr Karen Morris