Raw Berry and Chocolate Torte

If you want to make new friends, this tantalising torte is a sure-fire way to do it.

Who could resist a rich, chocolate and berry dessert that is completely guilt-free?  You and your new best friends will be bursting with bliss after just one mouthful.

This is one dessert that continually gets the thumbs up from my Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian recipe book.   I’ve included cacao in this recipe to give it chocolaty oomph.  A hype-worthy quality of cacao is that it can be used to make chocolate, the most popular food craved by many due to its unique chemistry, taste and sensory properties.

The dark side (pun intended)of chocolate is the mass manufactured kinds that live in the supermarkets today, contain loads of health zapping ingredients like genetically-modified soy lecithin, refined sugar, powdered milk, and a whopping amount of pesticide and artificial hormone residues.  Ewk. That’s a thumbs down 🙁

Present day machines that manufacture chocolate scorch the cacao beans from anywhere between 120- 130 degrees Celsius; annihilating the vital nutrients and living energy of this promising health promoter. Unfortunately there’s an ugly side of our population’s highest craved treat.

On the flipside, real chocolate really is, and always has been full of remarkable health boosting qualities. It just hasn’t been created the most healthful way. The key to unlocking the potential of chocolate is to devour it in its raw, natural state; the way nature intended.  Just like any other food you choose to eat.

Make your own scrummy chocolaty treats at home using raw cacao products such as raw cacao powder, nibs, beans, and butter. These days you can pick these goodies up at just about every natural health food store, and they can all be used to make a host of delectable desserts and sumptuous smoothies, while also topping you up with mountains of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

If you want to get into the kitchen and whip up a raw delicacy then my decadent Berry and Chocolate Torte will deliver you a choccy fix whilst resting in the knowledge that it’s bringing health and healing to your body, rather than zapping energy and taxing your immune system with highly processed ingredients.  The science is behind it!

Note to you, the commercial chocolate treats that you’ve previously loved will taste like cardboard compared to the lively flavours of this homemade desert!  If the facts don’t convince you, the delectable, taste of cacao and the sweetness of the berries will!

Raw Berry and Chocolate Torte

WF  DF  GF  VEG

Makes 1

Ingredients:

Base

• 175 g (6 oz/11/2 cups) raw walnuts
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup dried berries
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) melted extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon stevia powder

Filling

• 155 g (51/2 oz/1 cup) raw, unsalted cashews
• 40 g (11/2 oz/1/3 cup) raw cacao powder
• 115 g (4 oz) cacao butter, grated and melted
• 2 tablespoons rice malt syrup, or 1 teaspoon stevia powder
• 2 tablespoons additive-free coconut milk
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups mixed berries, plus extra, for decorating (optional)

Method

• Place the cashews in a bowl, cover with filtered water and soak for 2 hours. Drain.
• To make the base, place the walnuts in a food processor and blend until they are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and add the lemon zest.
• Place the coconut oil and dried berries in the food processor and blend. Add to the walnut mixture and combine well.
• Press the mixture into a 20 cm (8 inch) spring form cake tin and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• To make the filling, place all the ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth.
• Remove the base from the freezer and spoon the filling over the top.
• Chill for 2 hours in the fridge, or 1 hour in the freezer, until set. Scatter over the extra berries before serving.
• This will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge, or 2 weeks in the freezer.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Lee x