Gooey Peanut Caramel Bars - Gluten Free with a Vegan Option - Recipe

Gooey Peanut Caramel Bars

Gluten Free with Vegan Option (Make the caramel sauce with Dairy Free Margarine like Olivani)

These are a bit fiddly and do take a long time but are well worth it. The combination of  the sweetness and saltiness and the gooey sauce make it a delicious treat.

If you are not using butter, the sauce does not harden as firm so best to keep in the freezer and take out five minutes before serving.

They take at least 4 hours of fridge/freezer time so allow for this when you plan to make them.

‘Nougat’ Base

½ cup coconut cream

2 Tbsp rice malt syrup

Pinch of sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 Tbsp coconut flour plus extra if needed

½ cup peanut or cashew butter

Filling

½ cup Gooey Caramel Sauce (See below)

¼ cup peanuts, roughly chopped

Chocolate Coating

200g dark chocolate

Line a loaf tin with baking paper. Combine all ingredients for the base in a bowl until mixture comes together and forms a very soft dough. You may need to add more coconut flour to achieve the right consistency.

Spoon mixture into the lined tin and freeze for 1 – 2 hours or until firm to the touch. Remove from the freezer and cover with Gooey Caramel Sauce. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and slice base into 20 even pieces. Place back in the freezer for a further hour to set again.

Line a  tray with baking paper. Remove the tray from the freezer. Lift the bars out of the tin and place them separately on the tray. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Coat them with the chocolate. Put them back in the freezer.

Gooey Caramel Sauce

1/3 cup rice malt syrup

100g butter or Dairy Free Olivani if you wish to make it vegan

½ cup coconut cream.

Heat the rice syrup in a pan until bubbling vigorously. If you have a candy thermometer, heat until the caramel reaches 135 degrees C. If you don’t have a thermometer, cook the syrup for 13 minutes until it has reduced down. The mixture should be thick, drippy and lightly coat the back of a spoon.

Add butter (or Olivani) and stir until combined over a medium heat. Remove from heat and slowly add coconut cream, stirring until combined. Pour caramel into a bowl and sit in the freezer for a few hours until thick.