Chocolate Date Caramels (vegan!)

12 oz container whole medjool dates pits removed, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup almond flour plus more if needed to thicken the caramel
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons almond butter

Line a quarter baking sheet or brownie dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
Drain the soaked dates and place them in a food processor or high-speed blender with the coconut milk and blend on high until smooth. Add the almond butter, almond flour, and sea salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture should be thick and sticky. If it's too thick, you can add a little more coconut milk, if its too sticky, add a little more almond flour.
Spread the date caramel mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet or dish, smoothing the top with a spatula, so its about 1/2 in thick.
Place the sheet or dish in the freezer and let the caramel layer set for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil and place in the microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between each interval. Stir until chips are completely melted, about one minute.

Once the caramel layer is firm, remove it from the freezer and use a sharp knife to cut it into bite-sized squares about 1 inch square.
Using a fork, dip each square into the melted chocolate, ensuring it is evenly coated and scape off excess chocolate on the side of the bowl. Work quickly or place half of the cut squares back in freezer while you dip, as the caramel will start to get too soft to handle.
Place the coated squares back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with flakey sea salt.
Return the baking sheet to the freezer and let the chocolate coating set for about 20 minutes, until the chocolate forms a hard shell.
Remove the squares from the freezer and store them in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to eat!