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Ingredients

For the base

For the filling

For the topping

Method

  • STEP 1

    Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Tip the cashew nuts and oats into a food processer and blitz to crumbs. Add the dates and coconut oil, and blend again. Transfer to the tin and use a spoon to press the nutty mixture into a compact, even layer that covers the base. Chill while you prepare the filling.

  • STEP 2

    For the filling, add the dates, almond milk, maple syrup and coconut oil to a saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Boil for 2-3 mins until the dates are really soft. Cool the caramel a little, then tip into the blender, add the vanilla extract and blitz to a smooth purée. The caramel will be hot so be careful when handling. Add a little more salt if the mixture is too sweet. Pour over the nutty base and spread to the sides of the tin, getting the surface as smooth as possible. Chill while you prepare the topping.

  • STEP 3

    Gently heat the coconut oil in a saucepan until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa and maple syrup until there are no lumps. Cool for 10 mins, pour over the caramel layer and return to the fridge for at least 3 hrs or until firmly set. To serve, cut into squares. Will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

How long will these last in the fridge?

These bars will keep for up to one week in the fridge in an airtight container – this will prevent them from going stale.

Does each layer need to be chilled?

After each step, chill the bars before continuing – this will ensure you end up with neat layers.

Tips for making vegan millionaire’s bars:

  • In step two, leave the caramel to cool slightly to room temperature before adding it to the blender, as some blenders aren’t heatproof
  • You can substitute the coconut oil in step three for vegan spread or butter if you prefer a subtler flavour, as coconut oil can be quite sweet
  • For a simpler topping, you can also melt vegan chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave, then spread it over the chilled caramel layer
  • Make sure to firmly press the dough into the base of the pan in an even, solid layer to avoid caramel filling spilling through any cracks
  • Weigh the dates after they’ve been pitted, not before – you’ll have a different quantity than needed if you weigh them first
  • Leave the bars to chill in the fridge for at least 3 hrs until they’re firm enough to be cleanly sliced into squares
  • For neat, pristine slices, dip a sharp knife into a jug of boiling water from the kettle, wipe dry, then slice the bars
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