Chocolate Cashew Cups

THESE. These were a little something I whipped up for Valentines Day for some of the people I love dearly. These are vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened! (except for the chocolate cup and hearts) Decadent chocolate loving in 3 layers and a secret caramel filling! They have been approved by my taste testers so here it is.

Chocolate Cashew cups for some beauties- J, A & R.
Shout-out to them for encouraging me to start this blog. xo

Ingredients:

For chocolate cups & hearts:
Enjoy Life chocolate mini chips

For layer 1:
1c jumbo cashews
8 dates (soaked for 2hrs)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 c maple syrup

For layer 2:
1 c jumbo cashews (soaked for 2 hrs)
2 tbsp cashew butter
2 dates (soaked)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/8 c maple syrup
1/4 c & 1 tbsp coconut milk

For layer 3:
3/4 c jumbo cashews (soaked)
2 dates (soaked)
2 tbsp almond milk

For caramel filling:
1/4 c coconut milk
1/4 c maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place the chocolate chips in a bowl and melt them down. I like putting them in a glass bowl and placing it on top of a small sauce pot of boiling water to avoid burning the chocolate. I find it also melts it very smoothly. Once the chocolate is melted school some into cupcake moulds and spread it up the sides to give yourself a chocolate cup for the base. Place these in the fridge and let them harden. Fill an icing bag with some of the melted chocolate and pipe out whatever shapes you'd like (I went with the hearts and initials in hearts etc) onto some wax paper laid on a baking sheet then moved them into the fridge to harden.

2. While the cups are hardening get started on layer one. Blend all the ingredients together in either a food processor or with a hand mixer until fairly smooth. Depending on your taste you can blend it all together very well or leaving some chunks. Both are still delicious. Once it is all blended bring out your chocolate cup and spread a layer at the bottom of each cup then place the cups back in the fridge.

3. Take all the ingredients for layer 2 and blend away. Once it is blended to your desired consistency (I like it fairly smooth) bring back your chocolate cups and top off another layer. When doing this, leave a small space in the centre open. DO NOT USE ALL OF THE FILLING! You'll need some later. Get to direction 4 and find out why! (ou, anticipation!) Once this is done, send the chocolate cups back to the fridge.

4. Caramel time! Grab a small sauce pot and put in the coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. heat on low (about 2 or 3) until it is simmering. Whisk the mixture every so often until it begins to thicken. You should be good after about 10 minutes. Then remove the sauce pot from heat and let it cool a bit (approx. 8 minutes) Remove the chocolate cups from the freezer and guess what… fill the empty space you left in the last direction with caramel! You can let the caramel overflow a bit so you have a nice layer of it. Once the warm caramel his the cold cashew filling, it solidifies fairly quickly-while still staying chewy!

5. Remember that layer 4 filling we saved a bit of? Now it is time to whip it out and top off the cashew cup, covering the caramel so it remains a secret surprise!

6. Layer 3, lets go. Blend together your cashews, dates and almond milk until it is well blended. I like it as kind of a whipped topping, so I took out my beaters and whipped it up  a bit after I blended them, but either way works! Top off your chocolate cashew cups with this making it pretty.

7. The aesthetics aren't done yet! It's time for chocolate hearts, or whatever else you want to make. Take them out of the fridge and stick 'em on.

Note: Keep these desserts in the fridge! Otherwise it will get kind of gooey. They also just taste better when they are a little chilled. Now eat them! Now!

Happy Valentines Day J, A & R xox