Let me introduce you to your new favourite dessert: salted dark chocolate tahini caramels! These beauties are made with only 4 simple ingredients: dates, tahini, dark chocolate + sea salt. And they are mighty fine.
Here’s how the magic happens:
First, the dates and tahini come together in a food processor to make an ooey-gooey, soft, chewy caramel.
If you’re a big fan of tahini, I highly recommend a taste test right about now.
Next, melted chocolate is added to the lined baking sheet to form a sturdy base for the caramels, followed by scoops of the tahini caramel filling, and then into the freezer they go!
Once the caramels are set, they’re coated in dark chocolate and topped with a little sprinkle of sea salt *heart eyes*.
I keep a container of these in the freezer ready for whenever the cravings hit. Which, let’s be real, is all the time.
These caramels are vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, making them the perfect treat to share with friends and family who have allergies or dietary restrictions. That is, if you can manage not to eat them all yourself. It happens…..
SALTED DARK CHOCOLATE TAHINI CARAMELS
Let me introduce you to your new favourite dessert! These beauties are made with only 4 simple ingredients: dates, tahini, dark chocolate + sea salt. And they are mighty fine.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups packed dates (pitted, then measured)
- 1/4 cup Tahini
- 75 g dairy-free dark chocolate (~ 3/4 of a chocolate bar)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Method
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To soften dates: Add measured pitted dates to a small saucepan or bowl. Pour boiling water over the dates until submerged, and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain well, and press out any excess water using a paper towel once they have cooled down enough to handle. (This step can be skipped if your dates are very fresh and moist).
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Add softened dates to food processor. Pulse until a paste starts to form, scraping down the sides often.
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Add tahini to the food processor. Pulse until tahini is fully incorporated into the date mixture, and smooth. Scrape down sides as necessary.
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In a double-boiler or small microwavable bowl, melt dark chocolate. (If using microwave method, melt in 30-second increments, stirring in between, to avoid burning the chocolate).
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To form a sturdy base for the caramels, add melted chocolate onto the baking sheet, making 16 thin flat discs approximately 1-inch in diameter. If the chocolate disks don't solidify at room temperature, pop the tray in the freezer for a couple minutes.
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Next, transfer the date and tahini caramel in 1 Tbsp scoops onto the chocolate discs. Freeze for 20 minutes to let caramel set.
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Remove the caramels from the freezer to be coated in chocolate. If the melted chocolate from before has started to solidify, reheat using above method until fully melted.
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To coat caramels in dark chocolate: use a fork to scoop up a caramel and hover above melted chocolate. Use a spoon to pour chocolate over top and coat the caramel entirely. Gently shake or tap off any excess chocolate and place coated caramel back on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of sea salt right away while the chocolate is still melted . Repeat for each caramel. It may help to wipe off the fork in between caramels to let excess chocolate fall through the spaces of the fork better.
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Place the tray of chocolate coated caramels back into the freezer for 10 minutes to set. Store in a container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, and is calculated using dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Leave a comment, share it with your friends, and don’t forget to snap a picture for Instagram and tag #plantifuleating so I can see your creations!
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I love dessert snacks made with caramel, provided the end result isn’t excessively chewy. I think you know what I mean- some caramel candies are so chewy, your jaw gets tired out trying to grind them up. Are these less chewy than average?
Yes I totally know what you mean! These caramels are super soft (even straight out of the freezer) so I think you’ll really enjoy them 🙂
Hello, these look awesome! Can I use a mini chopper to make these? Do you use the kind of dates that come already pitted?
Thanks Cheryl! I wouldn’t recommend using a mini chopper as the caramel mixture would likely become chunky. A blender would be a better alternative, although I will warn you it takes a bit more time and effort than a food processor to get it blending, but it does work with some patience! I used baking dates that were already pitted, but medjool dates would also be excellent if you remove the pits. Hope that helps!
How many are in a “serving”? A serving is 25g it says. What does that mean? Perhaps the word “serving” is not a good term.Items or something may be more clear. I feel like all these recipe blogs could very easily do better to make this clear (it’s not just your blog). Half the time I find recipes don’t say how many are in a serving, or how many cookies it makes. A blog with a consistent box listing all that kind of information would be nice.
Each caramel is one serving, so it should make approximately 16.
I just made these and they are soooo good! The only thing j would change is adding a second chocolate bar to the recipe, and maybe even adding sea salt to the caramel mixture. Overall though, a very delicious treat
I made these yesterday and I love them sooo much!!! Thank you 🙂
Thank you! These were magic in my mouth! Your recipe was perfect!
Love from Winnipeg!
OH AMAZING! So happy to hear x