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RECIPE: A vegan guilty pleasure
We’re halfway through Veganuary by now and if you’ve been strict with eating plant-based this month, you might find that you are running out of ideas on what to make. Especially when it comes to sweet treats. So, we chatted to Bianca Beukes, pastry chef at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront for some advice.
Bianca has been vegan for a number of years now and she says that while it takes some getting used to, you will find that it’s easy to make some delicious vegan guilty pleasures.
Below is her recipe for vegan caramel chocolate almond fudge bars.
Yields: 24 bars
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients
Caramel Fudge Bars:
¾ cup flaxseed
¾ cup hemp seeds
1 ½ cups raw almonds
1 ½ cups rolled oats (gluten free)
600g Medjool dates, pitted and quartered
3 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Chocolate almond topping:
¾ cup raw almonds
6 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
6 tbsp rice malt syrup
¾ tsp vanilla essence
1 cup cocoa powder
Method
Caramel Fudge:
- Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.
- Add the flaxseeds and hemp seeds in a high-speed blender and blend until seeds are a fine consistency.
- Add almonds and rolled oats and blend until they too are a fine consistency.
- Add dates, vanilla and salt and blend until everything comes together and looks like fudge.
- Press the mixture evenly into the pan, then refrigerate while making the chocolate topping.
Chocolate Almond Topping:
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
- Place the almonds on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 8 minutes or until slightly brown – the almonds will smell nutty when they are done. Allow almonds to cool.
- Once cooled, chop into small pieces and set aside.
- Add coconut oil, rice malt syrup and vanilla into a saucepan on low heat. Take off the heat and whisk in cocoa powder until smooth.
- Pour this over the refrigerated caramel layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle over chopped almonds.
- Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
- Refrigerate a further hour to set before cutting.
And there you have it – a delicious vegan treat to enjoy this January or all year long if you wish.