Raspberry Caramel Shortbread Slice
A four-layer celebration slice: a buttery almond-cashew shortbread base, a bright, glossy raspberry jelly, a silky salted cashew caramel, and a crisp dark chocolate top, scattered with freeze-dried raspberries. Grain-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free.
Yield: One 8x8 pan, 16 slices · Active: 1 hour · Total: 6 hours, mostly setting · Best in North America in summer, when raspberries peak (frozen raspberries work year-round) · Best eaten: early afternoon
Ingredients
Shortbread base
1 cup cashews (or sprouted rolled oats)
1 cup blanched almond flour
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ tsp Baja Gold sea salt
Raspberry jelly
4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2½ tsp agar powder
Salted cashew caramel
1 cup cashew butter
¾ cup maple syrup
4 tbsp coconut oil, softened
2 tbsp full-fat coconut cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp Baja Gold sea salt
Chocolate topping
7 oz dark chocolate (70% or darker, ideally sweetened with coconut sugar), chopped
Optional: ¼ cup freeze-dried raspberries, crushed
Method
Make the base. Heat the oven to 350°F, and line an 8x8 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. Pulse the cashews in a food processor until finely ground, then add the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt, and pulse until the mixture holds together when pressed.
Bake the base. Press it evenly into the pan, and prick it lightly with a fork. Bake 15–18 minutes, until lightly golden, then let it cool to room temperature.
Make the jelly. Simmer the raspberries in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, until jammy. Blend them until smooth, then press the purée through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
Set the jelly. Return the strained purée to the pan, and whisk in the maple syrup, lemon juice, and agar. Bring it to a boil, then simmer 3 minutes, whisking constantly (agar needs to boil to set). Let it cool 10 minutes, pour it over the cooled base, and freeze 30 minutes, until set.
Make the caramel. Blend the caramel ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes, until silky smooth. Spread it evenly over the jelly, and freeze at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Make the chocolate topping. Melt two-thirds of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, to about 115°F. Take it off the heat, and stir in the remaining chocolate until it's smooth and cools to about 88–90°F. Spread it over the frozen caramel, and sprinkle with freeze-dried raspberries (if using).
Set and slice. Refrigerate 15 minutes, until the chocolate sets. Lift the slab out by the parchment, and slice it with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
About tempering: Stirring unmelted chocolate into melted chocolate (called seeding) gives the topping a crisp snap and glossy shine. Since this slice lives in the fridge, tempering is optional. Simply melted chocolate works too, but it may look a little duller.
A note on "raw": Every cashew sold has been heat-treated to remove the caustic oil in its shell.
Storage
Refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 2 months. Let slices sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Nourishment Notes
Agar, made from red seaweed, takes the place of gelatin in the jelly layer. It's plant-based, sets firmly at room temperature, and slices cleanly, so the jelly layer stays distinct and beautiful.
The caramel needs no stovetop cooking, so there's no risk of scorching. Its caramel flavor comes from the rich, toasty flavor of cashew butter, the deep, aromatic notes of maple syrup, and a generous pinch of salt. The result is closer to dulce de leche than to a hard caramel, soft and silky rather than brittle.
Raspberries — one of the highest-fiber fruits, plus vitamin C, manganese, and ellagic acid.
Cashews and cashew butter — magnesium, copper, and zinc.
Almond flour — vitamin E, magnesium, and monounsaturated fats.
Dark chocolate — flavanols, magnesium, iron, and theobromine.
Coconut oil and coconut cream — lauric acid, a medium-chain fat.
Maple syrup — manganese, zinc, and polyphenols.
Agar — soluble fiber.
For your cycle: The dark chocolate's magnesium and the raspberries' vitamin C make this a lovely luteal-phase treat, when chocolate cravings often peak.
Sourcing
Raspberries — organic, fresh in summer or frozen
Cashews and cashew butter — organic, with nothing added to the cashew butter
Almond flour — organic and blanched (keep it in the fridge)
Sprouted rolled oats (optional) — organic, like One Degree Organic Foods
Agar powder — organic agar powder (not flakes, which need different amounts)
Dark chocolate — organic, 70% or darker, ideally sweetened with coconut sugar and tested for heavy metals, like Hu
Freeze-dried raspberries (optional) — organic, with no added sugar
Coconut oil and coconut cream — organic, virgin coconut oil; organic, full-fat coconut cream with no guar gum
Maple syrup — organic Grade A dark
Vanilla — organic pure vanilla extract
Lemons — organic
Salt — Baja Gold sea salt
— Anna aka Food Marshall