Hazelnut chocolate salted caramels

Seriously decadent and truly delectable, these salted caramels are hard to resist. Make them to share with friends or when you know you won’t be tempted to eat the lot!

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Soak time: 20 minutes
Freeze time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 14 small medjool dates, pitted
• 75ml coconut milk
• 75ml melted coconut oil
• ¼ tsp Maldon sea salt, plus sea salt flakes for sprinkling
• ½ tsp vanilla powder
• 12 raw hazelnuts
• Coconut flour, for dusting

Chocolate coating:

• 25g cocoa powder
• 25g coconut oil
• 2 tbsp coconut crystals

Method

1. Soak the dates in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes, then drain and put them into a blender with the coconut milk, coconut oil, salt and vanilla powder. Blend into a smooth paste, then transfer to a freezerproof container and freeze for 1 hour.
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Roll a hazelnut in the caramel mixture until it’s coated – it’s messy and the balls won’t be a perfect shape but this doesn’t matter, just keep using teaspoons to handle the caramel. Dust with a little coconut flour so the balls don’t stick together and put onto the lined baking tray. Repeat until all the mixture is used up, then put the tray into the freezer and freeze for 3 hours.
3. While the nuts are freezing, make the chocolate coating. Put all the ingredients for the coating in a pan and set over a low heat, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat and leave the mixture to cool a little until it is thick enough to drizzle over the caramel balls.
4. Pour the coating over the caramel balls, sprinkle a little salt over each, then
5. Pop back into the freezer for 30 minutes.

—Makes 12 caramels

Photo source: blisshousefoods

This recipe is taken from Eat. Nourish. Glow. by Amelia Freer (HarperThorsons). Available at Booktopia here.