It has been a while since I posted a blog, I have actually been travelling for the last month seeing friends and family across Asia, and the UK. It has been a great experience and so wonderful to eat so many different foods and learn about new flavour combinations. I have to admit that all the eating out has made me desperate to get back into my kitchen and cook food from scratch again.

With Autumn in full swing, if you are anything like me, you will be rather enjoying the fact that winter jumpers are back covering up those ever increasing muffin tops. It’s my winter layer and I can’t help myself as the leaves turn orange, my belt loosens by a notch.

However, this winter I am going to try and stick with my refined sugar free diet and will be trying to make a few favourites along the way.

Here is my ‘millionaire’s shortbread’ which is a crumbly shortbread base, covered with sticky caramel then topped with chocolate . You can make this dairy free by swapping the butter for coconut oil or almond butter.

This is quite a small batch as they may be refined sugar free, but that doesn’t mean they are calorie free too!

Ingredients:

Shortbread layer
2 tbsp butter (melted)
4 heaped tbsp oats
3 heaped almond meal

Caramel layer
70g dates (stones removed)
2 tsp cashew butter
2 tbsp date syrup
1 tbsp Coconut oil (melted)

Chocolate
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tsp maple syrup

How to:

Blitz the oats in a food processor then add the almonds and butter and blitz till mixed through. Press into a lined dish and place into the fridge while you make the next layer.

Pour bowling water over the dates and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Then blitz in food processor with remaining ingredients till combined. Carefully layer this onto of the shortbread and place into the fridge again and leave for an hour.

To make the chocolate, place all items in a saucepan and heat till it starts to gently bubble and is combined. Remove from the heat and pour over the caramel and put into the freezer till set.

Cut into squares and enjoy. Best kept in the fridge and good luck making them last longer than a day!