Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Start by heating the oven to 350F 175C
Place the almonds on a baking sheet and roast them for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are just barely toasty
Allow them to totally cool down
In the meantime, use a double boiler or the microwave to melt the dark chocolate chips, stirring every so often until the mixture is smooth
To make a sticky caramel-like sauce, put pitted dates, almond butter, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla extract in a food processor and blend them together
Put a small amount of the caramel mixture on each almond and press it down so that it forms a turtle shape
Put the caramel almond turtles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Freeze for 10 to 15 minutes to make them firm
As soon as the turtles are hard, dip each one in the melted chocolate so that they are all covered
Put them back on the baking paper
While the chocolate is still wet, put some smoked almonds on top of each turtle
Put it back in the fridge for another 10 to 15 minutes so the chocolate sets
Keep in the fridge in a container that won't let air in until you're ready to serve
