June 20, 2021

A fantastic no-bake cake, and super-healthy on top of that!

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 heaping cup medjool dates, pitted
• 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)

Raspberry filling:

• 2 cups raspberries, frozen or fresh
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp chia seeds

Ganache:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For serving (optional):

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Dusting of cocoa powder

Instructions

Prepare your dates and cashews by placing in separate bowls and pouring boiling water over each. Set aside to soften uncovered.

You can use 9-inch pie pan or glass bowl, line it with parchment paper, making sure all sides are covered and the parchment paper is cut so it lies flat on all sides. If using a 9-inch tart pan, oil it well (preferably with avocado oil, not coconut oil as it freezes and hardens easily).

Crust

Put in a food processor the pecans and cocoa powder. Process until a fine meal is achieved. Drain the dates and add them to the food processor. Process until fully combined (about 1 minute).

Transfer the crust mixture to your pie or tart pan and use clean hands to press it evenly across the bottom and sides of the pan. Transfer to the freezer to set.

Raspberry filling

In a small saucepan, add raspberries and maple syrup and cook on low heat. Use a wooden spoon to break the raspberries apart while they heat, cooking until fragrant and lightly simmering (about 5 minutes). Transfer the mixture to a heat-proof blender and blend until smooth.

If you want extra smoothness, pour the raspberry puree over a fine mesh strainer and use a spatula to strain the seeds out. I usually don’t do that because I want to keep the food whole. Mix the chia seeds into the raspberry puree. Let it cool down.

Once the raspberry puree is cooled, remove the tart shell from the freezer and spread the raspberry puree evenly over the crust. Place the tart back in the freezer for at least 30 minutes for the raspberry puree to set (touch it to check: it shouldn’t get on your fingers).

Ganache

Drain your soaked cashews and blend them with 1 cup (240 ml) of water to make cashew cream. Ensure it’s blended until completely smooth so there are no bits of cashews.

Put the chocolate chips in a bowl. Transfer the cashew cream to a small saucepan and heat on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. As soon as the cashew cream begins to thicken (about 2 minutes), turn the heat off and pour the cashew cream over the chocolate chips. Stir once and cover and let sit for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate.

Whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth, then add vanilla and stir once more. If for some reason the chocolate isn’t completely melted, microwave in 20-second increments and stir until smooth and melted.

Remove the tart from the freezer and pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the raspberry layer. Smooth over the top layer of chocolate and place in the freezer to set for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Once set, remove from the freezer and let the tart warm up for about 15 minutes before trying to slip the outer sleeve off of the tart pan. If it sticks, let it warm up a bit more. If using a pie pan, simply lift tart out of the dish and slice to serve.

Optionally, decorate with extra raspberries and/or dusting of cocoa.

Keep chilled if not eating right away. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.