I remember a time when my love of the Milky Way eclipsed my love of Snickers. It was also a big shock for me.
I somehow managed to find space in my heart for another candy bar. If I had to confess my only fault, I would say that I am addicted to …(candy.
The nougat has been on my mind for some time.
The perfect nougat was a mystery to me. I knew how to make a great date caramel (pat shoulder) and melt chocolate.
This 30-minute, 6-ingredient recipe begins with a date-based Nougat. It’s so simple I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner.
Do you have the ability to forgive me despite your love of candy? Please say yes.
Dates are blended into a sticky ball. Then coconut flour and almond powder transform it into an ideal, moldable dough with the taste and characteristics of (a terrible-for-you corn syrup-laden) nougat. This is what I call four-ingredient magic.
Date caramel is next. Last but not least, melt chocolate with coconut oil and ensure that it is the right consistency to dip.
You can make these when you have a craving for junk food and need to fix it quickly. The bars can be made in 30 minutes, and they last up to a month in the fridge! Enjoy one bar at a given time, or, like me, take out a bar from the freezer five times throughout the day to “feel better.”
Ingredients
NOUGAT
- Weight of 15 whole pitted Medjool dates
- Almond meal or almond flour* can be substituted with varying results.
- Half a cup of Coconut flour
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
DATE CARAMEL
- Weight of 30 whole pitted Medjool dates
- Use 3-8 Tbsp of water
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
CHOCOLATE
- 1 1/4 cups chopped dark vegan chocolate (I like Trader Jo’s 72% cacao Plus bars)
- Coconut oil, 1 Tbsp
Instructions
- Add dates to a processor and blend until it is small pieces or form a ball. Add the almond, coconut, and sea salt. Mix/pulse until combined, scraping sides as necessary. You want a semi-firm, non-sticky dough. Add 1 Tbsp of each almond and coconut flour until the dough is right.
- After your dough has been formed, place it in a standard loaf pan lined with parchment paper (or additional pans if you are increasing the batch size). Press down to create a uniform layer. To flatten, use something flat like a glass or liquid measuring cup. Use your hands to flatten any lumps, and then lift the loaf pan out.
- Cut nougat into six even bars. (Amount is as written in the original recipe // adjust for batch size.) Place on parchment-lined baking sheets or plates and place them in the freezer to harden.
- Add dates to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until it is a small ball or there are no more large pieces. Add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, while blending. Scrape down the sides as necessary. The consistency should be spreadable, not watery, but also not doughy. Mix again. Add more salt. Set aside.
- You will likely have leftover date caramel*. Store it in the refrigerator to use for things like a href=”https://minimalistbaker.com/sea-salt-caramel-coconut ice cream/”>ice cream/a>, oatmeal (https://minimalistbaker.com/date sweetened apple pie oatmeal/”>oatmeal/a>, or other stickers bars’. If you have any date caramel left over, store it in the fridge to be used for ice cream or oatmeal.
- Place nougat in the freezer while preparing chocolate. Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave, in 30-second increments, until smooth and creamy, or in a double boiler over the stove. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl and set it aside.
- Add one piece of nougat at a time, straight from the freezer, to the chocolate that has melted. Then, using a fork, gently roll/flip the bar to ensure it is completely coated. Please pick it up (nougat-side down, caramel-side up) and remove any excess chocolate. Repeat until all bars have been dipped.
- You can either let the chocolate set at room temperature or place it in the fridge or freezer for about 5-10 minutes to firm up.
- Enjoy straight from the refrigerator or freezer. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month (sometimes even longer).
