Emma Newlyn Yoga

Originally known as the ‘caramel slice’, complete with condensed milk, sugar and butter, the ‘millionaire shortbread’ is one of those sweet treats that is definitely a favourite in our house, although ours has some very different ingredients. You can find a few healthier millionaire shortbread items in the supermarket in the ‘free from’ section, but if you’re currently in Covid-19 lockdown like us, it may be easier to whip up your own. 

Feel free to play around with some of the ingredients – you can use a mixture of oats or flour, or even chopped nuts for the base if you have them handy, and if you don’t have raw cocoa butter in the cupboard, coconut oil works just as well. 

INGREDIENTS

(makes a 15cm x 15cm container’s worth )

For the base:

• ½ cup dates cup dates (stones removed)
• ½ cup oats
• ½ cup ground almonds
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp honey 
• 1/2 cup ground flax 

(if you don’t have almonds or flax, you can sub statute them for oats)

For the ‘caramel’ filling:

• 1 and ½ cups dates (stones removed)
• 1 tbsp stevia (or honey / another sweetener)
• 2 tsp miso paste (optional – if you don’t have this, use ¼ tsp salt. The miso adds a ‘salted caramel’ flavour)
• 1 tbsp peanut butter or any other nut butter

For the chocolate topping:

• 2 tbsp raw cacao butter + 1 tbsp coconut oil (or 3 tbsp coconut oil)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp stevia or another sweetener 

METHOD

1. To make the base, soak the dates in warm water for 10 minutes
2. Keep the water, but add the dates to a food processor, along with the other ingredients
3. Blend until the ingredients form a dough-like texture, the sort of texture you might use to make energy balls with – if you need to, pause to scoop the mixture off the sides of the food processor every so often, and add a little of the water the dates were soaking in if needed
4. Press the mixture firmly into a tin and pop in the freezer for 15 minutes
5. Meanwhile, make your caramel filling by soaking the rest of the dates in warm water for 10 minutes again, then place the dates and all other filling ingredients into a blender and whizz until you create a thick caramel-like texture. If you need to, add a tiny bit of water to help it mix. 
6. Spread the caramel filling over the top of the base and place back in the freezer, this time for about an hour to allow everything to really firm up.
7. After an hour or so, make the chocolate topping by melting the cacao butter and coconut oil (or just coconut oil) and mixing in the cocoa powder and stevia
8. Allow the mixture to cool for a couple of minutes so it becomes thicker, then pour over the caramel layer of the shortbread
9. Place back in the freezer and leave again for at least an hour – after an hour or so, the shortbread can be moved to the fridge until you’re ready to slice and serve it!
10. Enjoy!