Vegan Snickers
If Snickers are your favorite fun-sized Halloween treat, but you could do without the hydrogenated oils and refined sugar, whip up this version that's made with a handful of ingredients and is vegan, too.
INGREDIENTS
For the nougat:
2 cups raw almonds (or 1 cup store-bought almond butter)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
12 large, soft Medjool dates (18 small), pitted (about 3/4 cup packed)
1/3 cup water
Almost 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
For the dark chocolate coating:
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil
DIRECTIONS
Place the almonds in the food processor, and let it go for a few minutes. Every 30 seconds or so, scrape the sides of the container to help everything mix until it forms a smooth, almond butter consistency.
Add the maple syrup, flour, and salt, and mix for another 20 seconds or so until combined.
Place a piece of parchment paper on a small cutting board, and form the mixture into a rectangle that's about half an inch thick. Pop in the freezer for 30 minutes.
To make the "caramel" filling, combine the pitted dates, salt, vanilla, coconut oil, and water in a high-speed blender, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the blender a couple of times to make sure the caramel is blended uniformly.
Remove the nougat layer from the freezer, and spread the caramel filling evenly over the top, using a spatula to smooth.
Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top of the caramel layer, and use your hands to gently press the chopped nuts into the caramel filling. Place in the freezer to set for 45 to 60 minutes (overnight is OK).
Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth, about 45 seconds.
Remove the candy bar from the freezer, and slice the rectangle into 10 full-size bars. Slice those full-size bars in half, to create 20 "fun-size" bars. Place half in the freezer.
Use a spoon to spread the melted dark chocolate over the tops, sides, and bottom of each bar. Return the chocolate-coated bars to the parchment-lined cutting board, and return to the freezer. Pull out the other half of the bars, coat those with melted chocolate, and place in the freezer. Allow bars to set for at least 20 minutes before serving. The longer the bars set in the freezer, the firmer they get.
Store leftovers in the freezer.
