Paleo Chocolate, Caramel & Almond Clusters

INGREDIENTS:
– 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
– 1 tablespoon coconut oil
– 3/4 cup raw almonds (or nuts of choice)
– 16 pitted dates
– 1 cup almond or other non-dairy milk
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
– First put dates in a bowl of water and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. The longer they soak, the easier they’ll be to blend.
– Put chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Add coconut oil, if using. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between, until melted and smooth. Divide nuts evenly between the cavities of a muffin tin (mine had 12).
– Drizzle with a little chocolate, just until all nuts are covered a little. Place tin in freezer or refrigerator to set.
– Put dates in a food processor and run until they form a paste, scraping down the sides. Add the milk gradually (you might not use the whole cup) until the mixture comes together in a relatively smooth sauce.
– Keep scraping down the sides of the food processor to ensure the date pieces are getting blended. This took me about 15 minutes.
– Divide caramel evenly between the 12 nut clusters, then top with chocolate.
– Sprinkle with a little sea salt and return to the fridge of freezer to set. When ready to serve, carefully pop from the muffin tin (a butter knife is good for this). [Credit: PreppyPaleo.com]