I hate it when I make this tart. Really….I do. Because every time, I want to have just a “little more” of the delicious, bittersweet tart, and then……..just a little more (and the struggle goes on). It’s hard to resist with it’s chocolatle nut based crust, and it’s creamy, dark chocolate, decadent layer of pure chocolate goodness.
Very hard to resist.
Really, I can’t even believe that I am sharing this recipe at all. There are a few recipes a cook should always keep to themselves as “chef’s secrets”. Signature dishes that only they know how to make. Yet, here I am sharing it with the world (well, whoever of the world wants to read my blog, that is). Know, dear readers, that you are loved, as I give you one of my most loved recipes.
I served this for my husband’s birthday party, and it may have just been my imagination, but it seemed like all of the guy’s were hungrily looking for more after their piece was eaten (oh yes, there was more, but the leftovers had already been whisked into the fridge for my husband…..for me to have later. (Hey, there wasn’t enough for them all to have a second piece, so I was just protected them from having to fight over the last pieces * wink*).
This recipe was adapted from the book The Secrets of Baking by Sheryl Yard. The book has everything sweet and unhealthy in it, but made very well and gourmet. While I no longer use white sugar and refined flour, I have often been able to adapt a few of her recipes, and this is one of them. I’ve taken the crust recipe from Sally Fallon (altered to become a chocolate crust), and made this recipe a grain free, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, delicious dessert.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Deep Dark Chocolate TartBecause it’s so rich, it’s nice to serve this with something to cut the richness. Raspberry sauce, like pictured above works well, as does orange segments (which is how we serve it in the winter). You can also easily vary the sweetness of this tart. I love it bittersweet, but you could certainly sweeten it more.
I’ve made this in tart pans, pie pie pans and springform pans, but have found that pans with removable bottoms work the best. So use either a tart pan with a removable bottom, or a springfrom pan.
Crust: Grease a springform pan with coconut oil, and set aside.
2 cups of almonds (or choice of nuts)
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of arrowroot powder, or sprouted wheat flour (only use wheat flour if you can have gluten)
2/3 cup of coconut oil softened (or butter)
1/4 cup of coconut sugar, honey, rapadura, maple sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (make sure it’s gluten free, if needed)
1/2 teaspoon saltPreheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place almonds in a food processor, and process until a coarse flour, add the rest of the ingredients and process until it forms a uniform dough. Press down into the greased pan and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.
Take out of the oven and cool. Once the crust is cool, making the filling.
8 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons coconut oil (butter can be substituted)
1/4 cup of coconut sugar, plus two tablespoon honey, or more coconut sugar (all honey can be used as well. Honey will be sweeter than coconut sugar. Rapadura or maple syrup/sugar are also options).
1 1/2 cups of coconut cream (if you can’t find coconut cream, you can use a full fat coconut milk and skim the fatty top of the top. You will need two 14 ounce cans for that. Cream can be substituted.)
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons brewed coffee or espresso1-Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a medium size, heatproof bowl. Add the coconut oil and the sweetener, mix it into the chopped chocolate a little.
2-Heat the coconut cream on the stove until very hot. Pour over the chocolate and tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate. Let this sit for about one minute to start melting the chocolate. Using a rubber spatula (heatproof), slowly stir in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl. Stir for about two minutes (the mixture should be melted and the temperature 90 degrees, though I never check the temperature).
3- Add the coffee and stir until incorporated. Pour this over the crust and carefully place it in the fridge to set. It will take about an hour to set. Cover with plastic wrap once all the way cool. Will keep at least three days in the fridge (if you can resist that long!).
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I am excited to try your Tart recipe for a vegan gourmet dinner I am planning for Thursay June 24th. Our “Gourmet Group” has been together for 18 years and this will be our first vegan or vegetarian dinner. Because of my husbands health issues, we began eating a vegan, gluten free and as close to sugar free as possible, diet three months ago. Yesterday I shopped at a local co-op which carries raw coconut crystals by Coconut Secret, but nothing that was called coconut sugar. Do you know if this is the same but just called cystals rather than sugar? I want to be sure that your recipe turns our right. Thanks so much.
I think that should be the same thing.
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