Salted Caramel and Buckwheat slice
A decadent chocolate, buckwheat and coconut base with a salted caramel layer on top - a tasty and simple treat the whole family will enjoy yet full of nutrient dense ingredients.
The inclusion of activated Buckwheat means that this recipe is bursting with nutritional benefits. Buckwheat is a gluten free wholegrain and with the increased awareness of gluten free diets, this powerful wholegrain is becoming a very popular ingredient in gluten free recipes and used in many interesting ways. You will find that I often include Buckwheat in a lot of my recipes especially my healthy refined sugar free (RSF) sweet treats. One of the benefits of Buckwheat is that it has a low glycemic index – this means it is much more slowly digested (especially compared to i.e. wheat) making you feel fuller for longer. Buckwheat is also rich in protein, calcium and a great source of fibre. Are you sold on Buckwheat yet….?
I choose to use activated wholegrains (legumes, nuts & seeds) where possible in my recipes (and sometimes it’s also time dependent as it takes time to activate). The great news is, that if you are short on time there are a few brands which now stock activated products. ‘Activated’ means that the vitamins and nutrients are absorbed by our bodies more readily. If you want to get technical, “unactivated” wholegrains (for example) means that the Phytic acid is still within the wholegrain. The Phytic acid binds to the wholegrain making the nutrients less available to us (much less are absorbed). In other words, buy activated or activate your own when possible.
This slice is great to satisfy your sugar cravings or sweet tooth especially when you are on a health kick or choose to exclude sugar from your diet (like me). Like any refined sugar free treat, they are still only ok to consume in moderation but at least this slice is made with nutrient dense ingredients i.e. Buckwheat, Almonds, raw Cacao powder, goji berries, coconut and naturally sweet dates. Just don’t eat the entire slice in one sitting!
The slice has a rich decadent chocolate layer, an indulgent salty caramel layer and drizzled with a small amount of dark chocolate – trust me, it tastes as good as it sounds! The slice requires no baking and barely any preparation as it’s predominantly made in a food processor but you do have to take into consideration the chilling time. Don’t be scared off by the total time it takes to make, it really is very simple. They store well in the fridge or if you have any left over, they freeze very well and can be eaten straight from the freezer – a great option on a hot day too.
We all really loved this slice and hope that you do too – another recipe the whole family can enjoy! Don’t forget to let me know if you attempt this recipe and tag me on Facebook or Instagram (Instagram – @glutenfreemum)
Ingredients
Decadent Chocolate and Buckwheat base:- 1 c dates (soak in warm water for 10 mins and reserve soaking water) – for both base and top layer.
- ¼ t salt
- ¼ c + 2 T raw cacao powder
- ½ c Almond meal or ground Almonds (or any other nuts)
- ½ c Activated Buckwheat groats
- 1 t Vanilla extract
- 3 T desiccated coconut
- ¼ c coconut oil
The Salted Caramel top layer:
- ¼ c + 1 T reserved date paste
- 2-3 T reserved water (from soaking dates)
- ¼ – 1/8 t salt
- 1 ½ T Almond Butter
- 1 T coconut milk/cream or yog
- 2 T dark chocolate (85% +) to drizzle over
Directions
Decadent Chocolate and Buckwheat base:
- Add soaked dates, salt and 2-3 T (of reserved water) to the processor and process until a smooth date paste forms.
- Remove ¼ c + 1 T of date paste and set aside (for salted caramel topping).
- Add raw cacao powder, Buckwheat, Almond meal and vanilla extract to processor and mix to combine.
- Add coconut oil and pulse.
- Finally add desiccated coconut and goji berries and pulse a few times to combine.
- Press mixture into a lined loaf tin and place in fridge to set for 2 hours
The Salted Caramel top layer:
- Add all ingredients (excluding chocolate) to a clean food processor and process until you get a smooth caramel.
- Pour mixture on top of chilled chocolate & Buckwheat base and smooth with a spatula.
- Freeze for an additional 2 hours.
- Drizzle melted chocolate on top.
- Once chilled cut into squares and enjoy the mouthwatering healthy treat.
