Vegan + Paleo Caramel Twix Bars
For as long as I can remember, the epitome of Christmas is spending cozy, snowy days baking all sorts of cookies and treats with my family. Without fail, we would go overboard every single year, and always have an overflowing freezer of after-dinner sweets to enjoy for months to come.
I have always had one absolute favourite recipe, which - I'm not kidding - came from a tiny, tattered, PHOTO-FREE (I know) "cookbook". We would dig it up every single year, and flip through to our treasured recipes for lemon squares, butter tart bars and my all-time favourite, chocolate toffee squares. We affectionately referred to them as Twix bars, since they combine a shortbread layer, a caramel layer and a thick block of chocolate on top. Although I do not like to ruin a beautiful thing and am happy to indulge in my favourite treats, let's just say the ingredient list is less than stellar (read: sweetened condensed milk and the dreaded corn syrup) and I have always, ALWAYS dreamed of making a healthier version.
We affectionately referred to them as Twix bars, since they combine a shortbread layer, a caramel layer and a thick block of chocolate on top. Although I do not like to ruin a beautiful thing and am happy to indulge in my favourite treats, let's just say the ingredient list is less than stellar (read: sweetened condensed milk and the dreaded corn syrup) and I have always, ALWAYS dreamed of making a healthier version.
Well my friends, I am happy to finally report that after years of testing, I have NAILED it. These honestly taste exactly like the original, sugar-laden treats that I know and love. Don't get me wrong - these are still very much a sugary, indulgent treat. But I'm thrilled to report that they happen to be grain, gluten, dairy and refined-sugar free, thanks to an almond flour shortbread base, a cashew butter caramel and a generous layer of rich homemade coconut oil chocolate on top. Pure heaven! And to be honest, maybe one of the best treats I've made to date. Christmas is next week (HOW?!) and you MUST make these for your family + friends.
Vegan + Paleo Homemade Caramel Twix Bars
Ingredients
For the shortbread base:
1 ⅔ cups fine blanched almond flour (packed)
4 tablespoons vegan butter or coconut oil (softened but not melted)
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
For the caramel:
½ cup cashew butter
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
⅓ cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon sea salt
For the chocolate layer:
1 ¼ cups dark chocolate chips or chunks
2 tsp coconut oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 square pan with parchment.
In a bowl, combine all of your crust ingredients and use clean hands or a fork to incorporate the butter/oil into the dry ingredients. The resulting dough should be smooth and hold together when pressed between your fingers. Press this mixture evenly and very tightly into your prepared pan - I like to use a flat surface like the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup to really press it down. This is important so that it holds together! Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool, then place in the freezer while you make your caramel.
To make the caramel, whisk together your coconut oil, maple syrup and cashew butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, making sure the bottom doesn’t burn. It should be thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and whisk in your salt and vanilla. Pour this evenly over your baked crust, then place the pan in the freezer to set the caramel for at least 30 minutes before adding the chocolate layer.
To make the chocolate, use a double boiler (I just do a metal bowl overtop of a small saucepan of simmering water) to melt your dark chocolate and coconut oil together. Whisk until smooth, then remove your pan with the set caramel from the freezer and pour the chocolate mixture overtop, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Return the pan to the freezer and let it set for at least 45 minutes before slicing (running your knife under hot water first helps to get a clean cut!) Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer (they’ll melt at room temp!)
Makes 16 bars
