Whether you’re vegan, follow a dairy-free diet or intolerant to it, you may have seen the news that Baileys Almande has launched – and it’s available in the UK! After months of spent formulating the recipe to remove the beeswax from their liqueur, this version of the Irish cream beverage is made from almond milk, almond essence, cane sugar, purified water and real vanilla – great news for those of you who have been missing out on this classic Christmas tipple.
As a big fan of Baileys, I was so excited to be sent this free-from version thanks to Taste PR. Rich but light, the sweetness is enhanced (but not too overpowering) thanks to the dominant almond flavours and still satisfies as a creamy alcoholic treat.
Thinking about how to incorporate this into a recipe (it wasn’t that hard ha), I thought chocolate and almond butter would be the perfect partners to form these gorgeous, rich and indulgent gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan friendly boozy desserts ideal for any celebration but particularly at this time of year – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve… The list goes on. What’s more, they’re pretty straightforward to make and can be prepared ahead so you don’t need to stress!
Ingredients:
For the tartlet cases –
- 150g rolled oats (I used Flahavan’s – can be gluten-free)
- 100g dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained
- 100g almonds
- 3 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder (I used Creative Nature)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (I used Indigo Herbs)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (I used Indigo Herbs)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Baileys almond butter layer –
- 4 tablespoons almond butter (I used Pic’s)
- 2 tablespoons Baileys Almande dairy-free almond drink
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- Dash of vanilla extract
For the chocolate ganache –
- 100g dark chocolate, broken up into pieces (I used Raw Halo vegan chocolate)
- 1 x can coconut milk, stored in the fridge overnight
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Cacao nibs, to decorate (I used Creative Nature)
Get making!
- First make the tartlet cases: Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor (I use my Ninja Kitchen Nutri Ninja Auto IQ) and pulse until the mixture comes together.
- Divide between 4 individual loose-bottomed tartlet tins and use your hands to press into each one – being sure to cover the base and up the sides. Chill for 1 hour.
- Next whisk together the almond butter layer ingredients until smooth then spoon a generous layer over the base of each tartlet. Return to the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Place a glass bowl over a pan of hot water and melt the chocolate over a medium heat, stirring constantly, then remove.
- Scrape the solid part of the coconut milk from the tin and spoon this into the chocolate along with the maple syrup and whisk well.
- Pour over the almond layer to cover and fill to the top of each tartlet (there may some extra leftover!) then sprinkle over some cacao nibs. Chill in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, simply pop out of the tin and serve!
Currently, Baileys Almande is available at Whole Foods stores across the UK 🙂