Vegan Peppermint Patty Slice
Ingredients
For the filling:
3/4 cup (225 g) raw cashew butter*
1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup (125 mL) virgin coconut oil, melted
6 tablespoons (90 mL) almond milk, room temperature
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons (5 to 7.5 mL) pure peppermint extract, or to taste**
1 cup (30 g) packed baby spinach***
Pinch fine sea salt
For the chocolate ganache:
1/2 cup (90 g) non-dairy chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (30 mL) full-fat coconut cream
Dash fine sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs or crushed candy cane, plus more for serving
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Line a small (approximately 4x8-inch) loaf pan or 6-inch cake pan with plastic wrap so the slab will be easy to lift out after freezing.
Add all of the filling ingredients (cashew butter, maple syrup, melted oil, almond milk, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, spinach, and salt) into a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. Make sure no chunks of spinach leaves remain. Taste and add more peppermint extract if desired.
Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Place the pan on a flat spot in the freezer and freeze for 4 to 5 hours, until the filling is solid. There’s no need to cover it unless you plan on keeping it in the freezer longer than 8 hours.
When the filling is solid, prepare the ganache topping. In a medium pot, combine the chocolate chips, coconut cream (make sure water is drained before adding), and salt. Melt the chips over the lowest heat setting, stirring frequently, until smooth.
Remove the filling from the freezer and, gripping the plastic wrap as a handle, lift it out of the pan. Flip the filling onto a large plate and peel off the plastic wrap.
Pour the ganache over top of the solid filling, starting in the centre, and allow it to cascade down the sides a bit. Immediately scatter the crushed candy cane or cacao nibs all over the ganache. Return it to the freezer, uncovered, and freeze for about 10 minutes, until the ganache is firm.
Slice and garnish with fresh mint, if you’re fancy! Sprinkle additional cacao nibs or crushed candy cane on top of each slice and enjoy immediately. Return leftovers to the freezer right away as the dessert does soften as it sits.