Salted Cashew Caramel Chocolate Cups

When I want a treat, I ALWAYS reach for dark chocolate. It's the only thing that gets me off, period. I am a total snob when it comes to the quality of it and I think you should always choose high - quality, dark, organic chocolate. There are some incredible companies out there that also share a passion for it and many of them are sustainable, fair trade and donate a portion of their profits to wildlife preservation and research campaigns. I cannot take the credit for the recipe for this incredible VEGAN dessert, only the success in the execution of it. These are not for the faint of heart. They are rich, decadent, and highly addictive.  The 'caramel' filling is actually made of dates and cashews. All you need is a blender and a couple of pans to make a double boiler to melt the chocolate. You can add a layer of berry chia jam if you like fruit with your dark. That's optional, of course. It would work with either raspberries or strawberries. You will no doubt have your friends, kids, company and spouses requesting more of these, I promise.

INGREDIENTS
Cashew - Date Caramel:
1 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked in water for 1 hour
1|4 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
1|2 teaspoon vanilla extract
scoop of almond butter (optional)
pinch of sea salt

Raw Berry Chia Jam:
You can refer back to my own recipe here or try a simple puree
1 cup fresh berries
1 tablespoon chia seed

Chocolate Cup:
8 ounces dark chocolate + 1 tablespoon coconut oil (for the outer cup)
6 ounces dark chocolate + 2 teaspoons coconut oil (for the top)
You will melt the chocolate mixture in two stages

DIRECTIONS
Drain the dates, saving the liquid they were soaking in. Drain the cashews. Add these to the blender with the vanilla, almond butter, salt and the date water. Blend until smooth, thick and creamy. You may need to add a little more water to get it just right. Put it in the refrigerator while you work.

Blend the berries into a puree and stir in the chia seed. Put this in the refrigerator as well.

Make a double boiler on the stove top by filling a medium sized saucepan with an inch or two of water. Put a smaller saucepan on top, leaving space between the bottom of it and the water level. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Put 8 ounces of chocolate and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in the top. Stir constantly until it is smooth and the chunks are melted. Silicone muffin cups work the best for this recipe because they're non - stick. You can use paper if you need to but you will have to oil them first. Pour 1 1|2 tablespoons of chocolate into each cup. Tilt them to spread it up the sides. You will need to do each one individually. Put them into the freezer for 30 minutes to set up. Make your second batch of chocolate while you wait.

Take the jam and the caramel from the refrigerator. Put a small layer of jam in the bottom of each cup and top with a dollop of the caramel. No need to spread anything out. Top with another 1 1|2 tablespoons of chocolate and then tap the cup on the counter to settle everything and remove air bubbles. The surface will smooth out naturally with this step.

Return the cups to the freezer for 15 minutes, then sprinkle a little sea salt on top of each one and put them back in to set again. This takes a couple of hours, or overnight if you can wait. The result is like ice cream! You can thaw them for 10 minutes on the counter before eating if you like it more gooey.

ENJOY!!