Sticky, Sweet, Sea Salt Caramel in Raw Chocolate Turtles

I LOVE this recipe. I played around with the ingredients quite a bit, but I am in love with this combination of sticky, salty & sweet caramel. I also use this same caramel to cover my rawkin’ caramel apples, which are the most perfect dessert in themselves. And this is a totally guilt free treat, as when you break it down, you are really just eating glorified sweetened, almond butter!

I will warn you, once you make these raw chocolate caramel turtles, you will never be satisfied by any other store bought chocolates again! So make a big batch! This Recipe makes 24 turtle candies.

Perfect Raw Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 6 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (can use honey* or coconut nectar)
• 2 TBS melted coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla, or seeds from 1 bean
• 3 pinches sea salt

Blend almonds, vanilla & sea salt in a food processor into a fine powder. Add in dates, continue to blend into a crumble. Pour in maple syrup, blend, pour in coconut oil, blend. Scoop out of food processor into a bowl. Chill to firm up a bit, while you work on your chocolates. It is the added coconut oil in this recipe that firms this caramel up to the perfect consistency.

*if using honey, it will be a bit firmer of a caramel, and you may need to add a couple TBS of water to thin the mixture, or it might work great for you super thick!

Raw Chocolate Recipe:

• 1 cup raw cacao butter ($pendy stuff, can use virgin coconut oil instead)
• 1 cup raw cacao powder (can use cocoa powder, but the raw stuff is so much better!)
• 1/2 cup finely ground coconut sugar (grind in a coffee grinder)

1 cup nuts, pecans, walnuts, macadamia, etc. I used the most incredible fresh macadamia nuts from Calimacnuts.com

Melt cacao butter in a food dehydrator at 115*, or using a double boiler method on a stovetop. Once cacao butter is melted, stir in cacao powder & coconut sugar. You will likely need to reheat a bit to get the chocolate to melt into a thin and smooth chocolate sauce.

Spoon 3/4 of a tablespoon of raw chocolate sauce into your mold or paper cupcake liner. Chill until firm. Add a dollop of caramel to each flat of chocolate, and push the caramel into place with some nuts, like walnuts, pecans or macadamia nuts. Pour 3/4 of a TBS of raw chocolate sauce over the nuts & caramel. I also like to add an itty bitty pinch of coarse sea salt to the top of each chocolate just before it firms up. Freeze until firm. Share with friends. Devour.

TBS = 1 Tablespoon

Join Betty for a Private Raw Chocolate Class ~ Date Night! Make 2 dozen assorted raw vegan chocolates to take home with you, 4 dozen per couple! Raw vegan appetizers also provided! The perfect afternoon or evening adventure in Willamette Valley Wine Country for Two!