Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites

This is my version of my favorite candy from Hawaii. It only has a few ingredients and is made a little healthier by use dates instead of sugar for the caramel. It requires no special tools and they're ready in less than an hour!

Author: Joscelyn Abreu

Recipe type: Dessert, Vegan

Serves: 18 bites

Ingredients

Date Caramel:

• 1.5 cups pitted Dates
• warm water, if needed for blending

Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites:

• ¾-1 cup Macadamia Nuts, chopped (can also use another nut, like peanuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews)
• 1.5 cups quality dark chocolate, dairy-free if needed
• Flaked or Coarse sea salt, optional

Instructions

1. Place your dates into a food processor and pulse until broken up. Continue to blend until it becomes a smooth paste. If it's too thick and won't blend, add warm water a tablespoon at a time until smooth, though it should still be thick enough to form a ball (see photo above.)
2. Scoop mixture by the heaping tablespoon and place onto a tray lined with a piece of wax or parchment paper. I got exactly 18 caramel rounds, but amount may vary based upon how large you scoop them. Make them as big or as little as you'd like!
3. After you have the caramel scooped out, cover the top with chopped macadamia nuts. I like macadamia nuts, so I add a lot.
4. Place pan into the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes or until chilled and slightly firm. At this point you can make the mounds pretty and shape them into a ball or leave them in a disc shape. It's all personal preference.
5. When the caramel/nut bites are chilled and ready to be dipped, begin melting the chocolate. Place chocolate in a double-boiler over boiling water. Stir the chocolate consistently until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave in a heat-safe bowl on medium power in 30 second intervals until melted. Be careful not to overheat or you can ruin the chocolate.
6. As soon as the chocolate is melted and smooth, begin dipping the caramel mounds into the chocolate and use a spoon to cover the top with chocolate.
7. Lift the chocolate covered caramels out of the bowl with a fork and tap the fork against the bowl to drain any excess chocolate before placing back on the parchment paper. Repeat until all the caramels have been dipped.
8. Sprinkle a bit of flaked sea salt on top and place into the fridge to cool. Store in a container in the fridge to keep fresh. Let come to room temperature before serving.

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