Melt-in-the-mouth chocolate and caramel together in one silky, smooth, sweet bite? Hell yeah!
I made these yummy treats over the weekend just to try out new recipes for the quinoa base and caramel layer, but they were such a hit with my family that there are absolutely none left! Luckily, they’re very straightforward to put together for next time š
Sitting on top of a crispy base made from toasted quinoa set with a glorious mixture of melted coconut oil, almond butter and maple syrup, the caramel is rich, creamy and seriously delish – if I do say so myself!
The cups are naturally sweetened and completely free from refined sugar. In fact, the magic ingredients in the caramel are coconut cream and cashews. Their creamy texture and mild flavour work so well with the vanilla, maple syrup and almond butter blended into them.
The perfect weekend treat and a fun new way to use quinoa!
I would love to know if you get a chance to make these Crispy Chocolate Caramel Cups! Simply tag #RosannaDavisonNutrition on Instagram or Twitter or come on over to my Facebook to say hello š
- 255g (1.5 cups) dry quinoa
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter or almond butter (use tahini or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the fridge
- 120g raw cashew nuts
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp almond butter (or any nut/seed butter)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 tbsp raw cacao powder or Cadbury's Bournville cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- In a large saucepan over a medium heat, toast the quinoa. Add small amounts of the dry quinoa to the saucepan, stirring it for about 2 minutes until it toasts without getting burnt. It will turn golden and gently pop but won't expand in the same way popcorn does.
- Place the toasted quinoa in a mixing bowl.
- In a small saucepan over a low-medium heat, melt together the coconut oil, nut butter, maple syrup and vanilla to make a smooth sauce.
- Pour it over the toasted quinoa and mix together well until it's well coated.
- Press the quinoa mixture into the wells of a muffin tin. As this mixture makes about 18 cups, I used a muffin tin and 6 paper cupcake holders.
- Place the bases into the freezer to set while you make the caramel layer.
- For the caramel, carefully open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. The cream should have separated from the water and hardened at one end of the can.
- Spoon the cream into a blender and add the cashews.
- Blend until as smooth and creamy as possible.
- In a small saucepan over a low-medium heat, melt the coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the sauce to the coconut and cashew mixture in the blender, blending until well combined into a thick caramel sauce.
- Take the quinoa bases out of the freezer and spread a layer of caramel on top of each. Place back into the freezer.
- To make the chocolate sauce, melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over a low-medium heat and stir in the cacao powder, maple syrup and vanilla until a smooth chocolate sauce forms.
- Pour a little sauce over the caramel layer of each cup, ensuring it's smooth across the top.
- Place the cups back into the freezer to set for at least an hour.
- Serve chilled and store in the freezer until ready to serve, as they can melt quickly at room temperature.
- Any leftovers can be stored in the freezer for 3-6 months.