Raw Caramel Slice

This Raw Caramel Slice is a delicious cross between an indulgent dessert and a healthy treat.  Gooey caramel, nutty base, and easy homemade dark chocolate on top all come together in a generous sized bar that contains no refined white or brown sugars and is dairy free, just like this easy No Bake Chocolate Tart.

Jump to:

• Why Make This?
• Ingredients
• Ingredient Notes
• How To Make
• Expert Tips
• Storing Raw Desserts
• Freezing Raw Desserts
• Common Questions
• More Raw Desserts
• Raw Caramel Slice Recipe

Why Make This?

• Its naturally sweetened and there's no white or brown sugars
• Its totally addictive and perfect with a cup of coffee
• Its easy to make with only a few ingredients
• It looks more impressive than it really is – it’s dead easy to make
• It’s dairy Free
• It keeps in the fridge for a whole week and tastes as good as the day you made it

Ingredients

Would you believe this three layer slice is only 7 ingredients, probably most of which you already have in your pantry!

Related: Velvety Sugar Free Mini Raw Lemon Tarts

Ingredient Notes

• Medjool Dates: these are big, juicy dates with soft skins that have a caramel like centre. They are less fiborous than other types of dates and break down easier when making the date caramel. Room temperature dates work best for this recipe.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: this is used in the top layer to make the chocolate.
• Almonds: plain or toasted work fine. If using toasted, they provide an additional earthiness to the slice which is nice
• Natural Peanut Butter: any natural peanut butter is fine, just make sure to read the label to make sure there are no added sugars. Best used at room temperature.
• Maple Syrup: This adds additional sweetness and flavour to the slice. Its used in the date caramel layer and in the top chocolate layer. Pure maple syrup can be substituted for sugar free maple syrup and the one I recommend is Lakanto Maple Syrup which is available at Woolworths.
• Coconut Oil: to help bind the ingredients together
• Sea Salt: To balance out the sweetness

How To Make

Base Layer

1. Blitz almonds to a crumb in a food processor. Next add pitted dates, melted coconut oil and sea salt flakes. Blitz until a wet crumb is formed.
2. Line a rectangle loaf tin with baking paper (see recipe notes for the size tin I use). Press the crumb mixture into the base of the tin, using your fingers or the back of a spoon. If crumbs are sticking to your fingers, dampen them with a little water.
3. Set the base in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Middle Layer

1. Make Date Caramel: Add ingredients for date caramel to clean food processor and blitz until thick and gooey and caramel like.
2. Spread onto base: Using two dessert spoons, spoon the caramel out over the base, so that it reaches all the sides of the tin, smoothing the top with back of spoon.
3. Refrigerate: Set in the fridge for 4 hours

Date caramel is my new best friend, and tastes so much better than the canned stuff you buy, or the caramel that comes in tubes.  You know the one.  Yuck.  This caramel is sweet, sticky, low in natural sugars, contains good fats and fibre.

Top Layer

1. Make the topping after the base has been in the fridge for 4 hours.
2. Add chocolate ingredients to a bowl or jug and whisk until all thoroughly combined and pour chocolate topping over date caramel layer. (no heat required)
3. Refrigerate for 1 more hour until set.

Expert Tips

• You really need a food processor to make these types of desserts/snacks as there is a lot of processing of raw ingredients to get that crumb like base. Theres really no getting around this if you’re making raw desserts on a regular basis. 
• You’ll need to be OK with washing your food processor or high speed blender in between steps to avoid mixing layers. For this recipe, I washed my food processor after making the base, and after making the date caramel.  It only takes a few minutes though.
• You’ll need to have patience to let them set fully in the fridge before you dive into eating them. I recommend making a day ahead if you’re planning a dinner party or a special occasion.
• Use a clean, very sharp plain edge knife to cut your raw slices. Don’t use a serrated knife as it will make a mess of your creation.

Storing Raw Desserts

• Immediately after making: After its put together, refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours
• Slicing: After caramel slice has set, slice into 10 pieces which is a good size if serving for dessert. Alternatively, slicing into 20 pieces makes them more bite sized
• Ongoing: This raw caramel slice is best stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 7 days. 

Overall, an easy, indulgent and healthier dessert option if you’re over baked goods, or just fancy trying your hand at making a raw dessert.  Maybe you’ll even prefer making these once you see how easy a dessert can be when you don’t even have to turn your oven on.

Freezing Raw Desserts

I wouldn't recommend freezing this raw caramel slice as the date caramel is best made fresh and used the recipe or made a day ahead of you using it.

However my healthy Bliss Ball recipes are great for freezing and defrost well at room temperature, ready to be eaten. This is perfect for big batches where you only want to make enough for the week ahead and want to avoid overindulging.

Common Questions

More Raw Desserts

• No Bake Chocolate Tart (Dairy Free)
• Easy No Bake Ginger Slice
• Choc Mint Bliss Balls
• Lemon Cheesecake Bliss Balls
• My Award Winning No Bake Passionfruit Cheesecake

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