Raw Vegan Caramel Mocha Bars
I don’t “do” dessert, which is a miracle when I reflect back on what a sugar addict I was up until my late 30s. I mean, it was serious. When I got to a restaurant the first thing I looked at was the dessert menu. If there were no good chocolate desserts, I wanted to leave. I couldn’t understand how a restaurant could offer zero chocolate desserts. It seems silly now, but believe me it was quite serious to me back then. I discourage the intake of sugar and refined grains but guess what, in celebration of February, Valentine’s Day, and all things chocolate, I am offering several chocolate recipes that fulfill chocolate-y deliciousness with none of the gluten, dairy or sugar that typically comes along with such desserts. We have Emily von Euw to thank for this raw decadence and when the mood strikes, as long as it’s not too often, I invite you to check out her delicious blog, This Rawsome Vegan Life. It’s nice to find a site in which all recipes are safe. The only caveat I have is the use of coconut oil. Yes, it’s okay in moderation, but it is a saturated fat, so depending on your health status, something to keep in mind and enjoy on special occasions only. These caramel bars can be more chocolate and less mocha if you leave out the ground decaffeinated coffee beans. If you like coffee flavor, enjoy.Buon Appetito!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup organic raw almonds
- 1 cup organic pitted dates soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
Caramel layer
- 1/2 cup raw organic cashew butter – I made it myself in my Blendtec but, especially if you soak your cashews for about 20 minutes, they are easy to turn into butter in a high powered blender. Don’t use the water you soaked them in, or you’ll get milk!
- 1/2 cup organic refined coconut oil
- 1 cup organic pitted dates soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
- 1/2 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut
Mocha layer
- 1/3 cup organic refined coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoons organic cacao powder
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons finely ground decaffeinated coffee beans
- 1/4 cup organic pure maple syrup
Instructions
The crust
- Pulse the almond into flour in your food processor. Add the dates and continue processing until it begins to stick together and form a ball.
- Press the dough into the bottom of an 8 X 8 ” baking pan. If you want the bars taller, put into a smaller pan or just fill it 3/4 of the way.
- Place in the refrigerator while you’re preparing the next two layers.
Caramel layer
- Blend the ingredients until smooth. Spread the caramel on top of the crust. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the mocha layer.
Mocha layer
- Blend the ingredients until smooth. Spread the mocha frosting on top of the caramel. Refrigerate until completely set. It is recommended you do this overnight, personally we couldn’t wait. Giving it an hour or two should be just fine! If you have any leftovers, store the bars in the refrigerator.
Notes
Is Your Health At Its Optimum?If you are suffering from any of the problems listed above—contact us for a consultation. Call (727) 335-0400 to schedule. Our medical clinic is located in Clearwater, FL. If you are not local to us, our medical team treats patients from across the country and internationally via telemedicine consultations. We help you find the underlying root cause of your health issues. To your health,
Dr. Vikki Petersen
DC, CCN
IFM Certified Practitioner
Founder of Root Cause Medical Clinic
Author of the books:
“The Gluten Effect”
"Hiatal Hernia Syndrome",
and of the e-book “Gluten Intolerance – What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You!”
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
