Caramel and Peanut Butter Vegan Bars

Peanut butter! That's the keyword this week. If you are a fan of peanut butter, you should give this recipe a try. It combines the taste of peanuts with the taste of homemade caramel for one super indulgent dessert. At the same time, these bars are much healthier than any store-bought alternatives. They require no baking and are really easy to prepare.

These bars are:

• vegan;

• white-sugar-free;

• gluten-free;

• dairy-free.

The bars are energy-dense and are ideal to fuel up one's muscles during/after a heavy workout, such as hiking or cardio session. Lately, I have been bringing them with me to the mountain as my favorite snack.

Ingredients:

For the peanut butter layer:

• 150 g oat flour

• 150 g peanut butter

• 30 g maple syrup *

For the caramel layer:

• 2 tbsp water

• 50 g coconut sugar

• 100 ml of coconut milk

• 50 g peanuts

For the chocolate cover:

• 200 g dark chocolate

Preparation:

For the peanut butter layer:

1. Using a food processor or a blender, or simply your hands, mix all the ingredients for the first layer together.

2. In a container of your choice press down the mixture with your fingers.

3. Refrigerate the layer until you prepare the caramel.

For the caramel layer:

1. In a saucepan, add the water and the coconut sugar over medium heat.

2. Once the water starts bubbling, add the coconut milk and stir to combine all ingredients together. Keep the mixture on the stove.

3. Stir occasionally when big bubbles appear on the surface of the milk. **

4. The mixture will start changing color (become darker in color) and reduce.

5. When the mixture reduces to twice its initial volume and thickens up, remove it from the heat and let it cool down. The caramel will continue thickening as it cools.

6. Once the caramel reaches room temperature, add the peanuts and mix well to combine.

7. Pour the caramel on top of the peanut butter layer and place it in the freezer.

For the chocolate cover:

1. On a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate.

2. Take the dessert out of the freezer and cut it into bars.

3. Dip each bar in chocolate and let it set on a rack or a baking paper. After that, the bars are ready to be enjoyed!

Serves about 10 bars (depending on their size, the number can vary).

Tips:

* The maple syrup can be replaced by the same amount of honey or 2-3 Medjool dates.

** Unlike the classical caramel, this homemade vegan caramel is hard to burn. Stir it occasionally to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan.