Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• ¼ cup brown rice syrup or honey
• 2 tbsp natural almond or peanut butter
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp Himalayan salt
• 1¼ cups puffed brown rice

Caramel

• 1¼ cups Medjool dates, soaked in water for 1 hour
• 1 tbsp almond or peanut butter
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

Chocolate coating

• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup cacao powder
• 1½ tbsp brown rice syrup or honey

METHOD:

1. Line a 20 cm square pan with baking paper.
2. For the crust, melt together the brown rice syrup, nut butter, vanilla and salt in a pan over a low heat until viscous or pourable. Remove from heat and add puffed brown rice, stirring well to coat.
3. Pour the mixture into the pan and with a palette knife or wet hands spread to evenly cover the base. Place in the freezer while you make the caramel.
4. To make the caramel, place dates, nut butter, salt and 1 tablespoon of water in a food processor, blend until smooth. Spread caramel over the crust and return to the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Prepare the chocolate by mixing together coconut oil, cacao powder and brown rice syrup until well combined.
6. Spread chocolate on top of the caramel and freeze for a few minutes until almost set.
7. Slice into bars and freeze again for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Tips
Store remaining bars for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. They will likely fall apart if left at room temperature for a long time due to the coconut oil content.

This recipe was first published on SBS Food. Photographed by Benito Martin. Food styling by Alice Storey. Prop styling by Lynsey Fryers.