No-Bake Pecan Caramel Slice

Gluten-free | Refined sugar-free | Dairy-free | Grain-free | Vegan friendly | No Bake

Makes: 15-18 slices 
Cuisine: New Zealand 
Course: Dessert 
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 - 15 minutes
Freeze time: 30-45 minutes 

I'm not sure about you, but I have a special place in my stomach set aside for pecans. They are a very special nut that tastes of comfort and holidays all rolled into one. So, when tasked with making a healthy pecan pie version, I started working and came up with this beauty.

This healthy treat is a mini-miracle of delight with all the flavours of a traditional pecan pie but 100% plant-based. It's also free from gluten, refined sugar, dairy and grain. 

I've also stayed away from adding in extra oils. If it couldn't get any better at this stage, this recipe is also a no-bake one and takes only a few minutes to make.  

Hints, Tips & Tricks

You will need a food processor for this recipe.

To dry roast your pecans, place them on a small roasting tray in the oven set at 180C (350F) for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. 

I use my Sweet As Fibre Syrup as a refined sugar substitute in this recipe due to its natural sweetness. My fibre syrup is a low-calorie prebiotic fibre made from 100% pure chicory. Feel free to use your own fibre syrup, but read the labels. Many companies lace their syrups with malt extract and stevia to make them sweeter. If your fibre syrup isn't golden, it probably isn't 100% pure. Click here if you would like to purchase my Sweet As Fibre Syrup.   

RECIPE

Ingredients

Base

• 100 g (3.5 oz) rolled oats or quinoa flakes
• 100 g (3.5 oz) raw pecans
• 50 (1.7 oz ) almond flour or nut flour of your choice
• 5 g ( 0.2 oz) mixed spice (or cinnamon if you can't find mixed spice)
• 75 g (2.6 oz) pitted dates 
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp Sweet as Fibre Syrup

Caramel

• 200 g (14 oz) pitted dates
• 50 ml (1. 7 oz) water
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping

• 100 g (3.5 oz) dry roasted and crushed pecans 

Method

Base

1. Place the oats, pecans, mixed spice & almond flour into your food processor and blend until it resembles a crumble or crisp topping. 
2. Add the dates, water and fibre syrup and blend until the dates are very well combined. The mixture should be sticky enough to stay together if you roll it into a ball. 
3. Line a small Slice Tin (I used a 25cm x 12cm or 10in x 5in ) with non-stick baking or parchment paper, and using clean hands, press the mixture into the tin, making sure it is even and smooth. 

Caramel

1. Make the caramel by placing the dates, water and vanilla into your food processor and cover the processor with a towel as it might spit water at you. Blend the dates until they form a very smooth mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between bursts of the machine to ensure a velvety soft caramel. 

Slice

1. Top the base with the caramel, smoothing it out with a slightly damp spatula. Using a damp spatula will help with smoothing the caramel. 
2. Push the crushed dry roasted pecans pieces into the caramel and allow the slice to chill in the freezer for 30-45 minutes or in the fridge for a couple. Cut the slice with a large knife into 15-18 pieces. 
3. You can store the finished slices in a covered container in the fridge for a couple of weeks. You can also keep the pieces in the freezer for up to 3 months.