Chocolate Caramel Buttons

You may recognize these from my Sexy Food Therapy interview, but I'll tell my story again.

During my recent stay in Toronto, Ontario where I was visiting my Auntie, we decided to try out ‘LIVE’ raw food restaurant… & I fell in love with their Chocolate Caramel Cake! Caramel is one of my favourite indulgences, though it’s not often vegan. But RAW?! It was then I learned that lucuma powder has a caramel flavour. Though I’d heard of lucuma before, I hadn’t actually used it or consumed it. That changes NOW!
Determined to marry creamy chocolate & thick caramel together, I created these deliciously sinful Chocolate Caramel Buttons. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Caramel Sauce:
¼ cup Medjool dates, pitted
¼ cup agave syrup
1 tbs lucuma powder

Chocolate Buttons:
1 cup almonds, dry
½ an avocado, peeled & pitted
2 tbs agave syrup
2 tbs cacao powder
¾ cup Medjool dates, pitted

Directions:
For the caramel sauce:
1) In a food processor, combine dates & agave. Process until smooth.
2) Add the lucuma powder. Process until a sticky, smooth sauce is formed.
3) Remove sticky caramel sauce, & place in a bowl. Set aside.

For the chocolate buttons:
1) In a food processor, process almonds until chopped well.
2) Add avocado & agave; continue to process.
3) Add cacao powder; process until all is well-combined.
4) Lastly, add the dates. Process until mixture becomes a batter.

Assembly:
1) Grab a small handful of chocolate button batter, & roll between your palms to form a ball. In the centre, use your thumb to create a hole (like a thumbprint cookie).
2) Scoop about one tablespoon of the caramel sauce into the ’button.’
3) Continue steps 1 & 2 until no more batter or caramel sauce remains.
4) OM NOM NOM :)

P.S. I promise this won't be the only caramel recipe ;) I have plans for many more!!

Char, xo