The holiday season is a time to indulge, even for those on a raw-food diet. While raw desserts boast some benefits over traditional desserts (they don’t contain refined sugar and tend to be lower on the glycemic index), they are still a calorie splurge. “Raw desserts still have to be viewed as dessert,” cautions Randie Dalia, owner of RD Raw Foodie in Palm Beach Gardens. “Many of them are still high-calorie, but they’re made with the whole food. In general, if you’re going to eat a regular slice of cake, you would eat the same portion of a raw dessert.” In addition to many savory items—like cashew cheese, corn tortillas, and kelp-noodle pesto—Dalia also specializes in raw desserts. Her chocolate-chip cookies can be ordered in bulk and make a great raw treat for Santa and his helpers, but her go-to dessert for holiday parties is a raw vegan caramel slice. “The host or hostess can make a large quantity in one preparation in a 13-by-9-inch pan—and it has a wow factor,” she says. Dalia shares her recipe below.
Photo by Ashley Meyer
Raw Vegan Caramel Slice (serves 16)
Crust Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds, ground into fine pieces
- 1 cup soaked, dehydrated buckwheat ground into flour
- 1 cup raw cacao nibs
- 12-16 medjool dates
- 2 tsp. vanilla bean powder or liquid vanilla
- Pinch pink salt
Filling Ingredients
- 2 cups soaked cashews, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 12-16 medjool dates
- 3 tbsp. tahini
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder or liquid vanilla
- Pinch pink salt
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 cup raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder or liquid vanilla
- Pinch pink salt
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
Method
For crust: In a food processor using a pulse method, combine the almonds, buckwheat, cacao nibs, and dates and pulse until it’s in fine pieces and will stick together when pinched. Place in a bowl and drizzle in the coconut oil. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Take the mixture and press into a 13-by-9-inch pan and place in freezer.
For filling: In a high-speed blender, place all filling ingredients and blend until smooth and pourable. Spread over the crust that you have taken out of the freezer. Return the pan to the freezer and cover with plastic film or parchment until frozen, approximately 8 hours.
For ganache and putting it all together: Whisk together the ganache ingredients and immediately pour over the frozen pan of filling. Work quickly spreading it over top of the filling. Place back in the freezer until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and let sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. Cut into 16 equal pieces using a sharp, straight-edge knife. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Tip: I use a 13-by-9-inch metal pan that has a removable bottom. I cover the bottom with parchment and push the slice up through the bottom for easy removal for cutting. You can also slide the whole cake off by pulling the parchment off the bottom part of the pan. Fat Daddio’s makes a great pan you can buy on Amazon.
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