Now I do like mince pies, but I know a lot of people that don’t. And you guys know how I like to be inclusive etc and even more so how I like to chocolatify everything I touch. Like Midas, but chocolate instead of gold. Can you imagine? What a delicious/hazardous life that would be, in equal measures.

Anyway I felt like the traditional mince pie needed a bit of an overhaul, so this year I’d like to share with you my chocolate caramel mince pies. Raw chocolate pie, plus salted peanut caramel = serious festive fun.

I’ll be making these for Christmas day for sure, and something tells me they’ll disappear just as quickly as all my test batches have, even after we’ve all stuffed our faces with Christmas dinner. So forget the mince, don’t bother with the flaky pastry, and just make these instead…you’ll be glad you did!

Ingredients

For the base & top

• 1 cup medjool dates
• 3/4 cup cashew butter
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp cacao powder
• Pinch of Himalayan salt

For the caramel filling

• 1/2 cup medjool dates
• 3 tbsp cashew butter
• 3 tbsp almond milk
• Pinch of Himalayan salt

To make the pies, combine the ingredients in a food processor and whizz four about a minute until they form a sticky dough. Shape this into mini cups either freehand or using a mini tart silicone mould, leaving some aside to make the stars for on top. You can make the stars freehand as well, but I use a mini star cookie cutter to save time and make them look a little bit fancy. Place the stars on a chopping board while you make the caramel.

To make the caramel, combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender and whizz until they form a sticky caramel, about 30 seconds or so. Spoon the caramel into the pies and place the stars on top. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or freeze for upto a month.

Love, Mrs H xx