Vegan Ginger Crunch Slice

Vegan Ginger Crunch Slice

This recipe is inspired by New Zealand’s Ginger Crunch Slice. Typically made with plenty of sugar, butter, and flour – I’ve swapped those things to make a healthier, plant-based, and gluten-free take on these bars, with a chewy oaty base made with chickpea flour and a creamy caramel spiked with ginger.

Ingredients

Oaty Base:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2+1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 tablespoon ginger powder
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Ginger Caramel Layer:

• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 1/2 cup medjoul dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup plant milk (coconut, oat, almond, etc.) or water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 tablespoons ginger powder
• hefty pinch of salt

Instructions

Oaty Base:

• Preheat oven to 180 C
• Add the dry oaty base ingredients to a bowl and, using a spoon or spatula, mix until combined. Add the vegan butter and vanilla extract and mix with a spatula until a smooth, firm dough forms.
• Press the oaty base into a baking tin (I used a loaf tin) and bake for about 18 minutes depending on which shape and size tin you use, I recommend keeping an eye on it after the 15 minute mark. 
• Meanwhile, make the Ginger Caramel.

Ginger Caramel Layer:

1. Blend all caramel ingredients in a blender or food processor until entirely smooth. This can also be done with a whisk, in a bowl. Spread an even layer of the caramel over the oaty base and transfer it to the fridge to set. Once solid, this will take about two hours, it’s ready to serve. Store in the fridge or freezer. 

Notes

• If you prefer to skip the oil in the oaty base, that’s no problem! Just substitute the oil for a nut butter, you might need to add an additional 2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup of nut butter in order to make make the liquid:dry ingredient ratio work.
• You can swap the chickpea flour for regular wheat flour, or a gluten free flour blend.
• If you want to take this recipe up a notch, drizzle some white, milk, or pure chocolate over the top.
• You can swap out the cashew butter for any other nut butter, but it will of course change the taste of the final product.