Recipe - Caramel Rocky Road
Jessica Giljam-BrownThis decadent slice is a crowd pleaser! A crispy base covered with a smooth salted caramel then topped with a fruit and nut chocolate topping ticks all the boxes. Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds and is a rich source of calcium, an essential mineral for healthy bones, normal muscle function and nerve signalling.
MAKES 20 SLICES | PREP TIME 10 MINUTES | BAKE & REFRIGERATION TIME 25 MINUTES
Base
- 1⁄2 cup desiccated coconut 1⁄2 cup buckwheat flour
- 2⁄3 cup ground almonds
- 1⁄4 cup cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons flax meal
- 1⁄4 cup maple syrup
- 1⁄2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Caramel
- 1⁄3 cup cacao butter 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
- 1⁄4 cup coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1⁄4 teaspoon Himalayan salt 1⁄4 cup hulled tahini
Rocky Road Topping
- 1 cup dairy-free dark chocolate
- 1⁄4 cup coconut cream
- 1⁄4 cup chopped dried fruit (we like dried cherries, blueberries and figs)
- 1⁄4 cup chopped raw macadamia nuts 1⁄4 cup large coconut chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180oC. Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry base ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and mix well.
Press the base mixture into the tin in an even layer. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until it starts to brown. Remove from oven and leave in tin to cool.
To make the caramel, melt cacao butter in a pot over a low heat and once melted add the maple syrup, coconut cream, vanilla, salt and tahini. Stir over a very low heat until all the ingredients have melted and combined.
Pour the caramel over the base and place in the fridge to set for 2 hours.
To make the topping, melt the chocolate in a pot over a very low heat, then stir through the coconut cream. Once the chocolate mixture is smooth, stir through the dried fruit, chopped nuts, and coconut chips.
Spoon the topping over the caramel and then return to the fridge to set for 2–3 hours. Once set, remove the slice from the tin and carefully cut into squares.
NOTES:
Replace the dried fruit and nuts for varieties you enjoy or have on hand. Just keep the quantities roughly the same for the rocky road effect.
You can completely remove the dried fruit, nuts and coconut from the chocolate layer to make a classic caramel slice. We would suggest sprinkling the chocolate with a little flaky salt to enhance the salted caramel flavour.
This recipe is from my cookbook, Grow Younger with Great Food - find out more about it here.
