Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place your dates in a bowl and cover with hot water, allowing them to soak for 15 minutes while you prepare the shortbread base.

Prepare the shortbread base by mixing together the spelt flour, melted coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl until smooth. Pour the batter into your prepare pan, using a spatula to smooth it out, and then place the baking pan in the fridge.

Next prepare the caramel layer by thoroughly draining your soaked dates and placing them in a food processor or high speed blender with the coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt. Process until smooth. Take the baking pan out of the fridge and pour the caramel over top, smoothing it out with a spatula until the entire shortbread base is covered. Now place the pan in your freezer while you prepare the chocolate topping.

For the chocolate topping, melt ¼ cup of coconut oil in a small sauce pan. Once melted, turn off the heat and stir in the cocoa powder and maple syrup until a smooth, chocolate sauce forms. Remove the baking pan from the freezer and evenly spread the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer.

Place the bars back in the freezer for around 3 hours until the chocolate layer sets and the caramel layer becomes more solid.

After a few hours you can carefully lift the entire dessert out of your pan using the parchment paper and carefully cut the large square into 16 smaller squares. I found that using a sharp knife, starting slowly, and cutting straight down helped.

Store the bars in the freezer in an airtight container and serve them straight from the freezer. They won't be frozen solid, but the cold keeps the caramel from becoming to soft and they're perfect for eating!