This tart is filled with all the rich chocolatey and coffee flavours you want in an espresso tart, but with a lovely light mousse-like texture that makes it feel a little less indulgent, due to the use of avocado. If you haven’t made an avocado based dessert before, you will be shocked at how well they work as the main body of a tart, ice cream or mousse.
I highly recommend you give this recipe a go at your next gathering, as chocolate and coffee-based desserts are always a crowd pleaser. Without gluten, dairy or refined cane sugar, this tart can be enjoyed by almost anyone. If you don’t have brazil nuts, you can substitute them for almost any other nut, such as hazel, macadamia or almond.
I have suggested to add sweetener to taste, as the amount needed will depend on the sweetener you use, and how sweet your sweet tooth is. The kind of coconut oil you use can also effect the flavour of your raw and dairy-free desserts. Choose a good quality raw organic one with a very mild, almost neutral coconut flavour. This will ensure that it won’t overpower the flavour of your desserts. This tart will keep in the fridge for around five days or in the freezer, well covered, for a few weeks.
For the base
| 1 ¼ cups | Pitted dates, I used the deglet noor from Ceres (Main) |
| 1 ¼ cups | Brazil nuts |
| ½ cup | Dried coconut |
| 4 Tbsp | Cacao powder |
| 1 ½ Tbsp | Ground coffee beans, I used Kokako Mahana blend |
| 1 pinch | Salt |
| 2 Tbsp | Cacao nibs (Main) |
| 2 Tbsp | Cacao butter, melted (Main) |
For the filling
| 1 ¾ cups | Avocados, flesh only (about 2 medium avocados) |
| ⅓ cup | Coffee, cold brew or espresso |
| ⅓ cup | Almond milk, or coconut milk |
| ½ cup | Cacao powder, plus 2 Tbsp |
| ¼ cup | Coffee, finely ground |
| ½ cup | Maple syrup, organic, or use coconut nectar, add more to taste |
| ½ tsp | Vanilla extract, or seeds of 1/2 a vanilla bean |
| ¼ cup | Cacao butter, melted |
| ⅓ cup | Coconut oil, melted |
To garnish
| 1 sprinkle | Cacao powder, to dust lightly |
Directions
- For the base, place the dates in a food processor, and blend until slightly sticky and broken into small pieces. Add the brazil nuts, coconut, cacao powder, ground coffee and salt. Blend until chunky with a couscous-like texture. Add the cacao nibs and cacao butter and pulse to combine. The mixture should be nice and sticky, and hold together well when pressed between your fingers. If it's not, add a tablespoon of maple syrup and pulse a few more times.
- Line a 20cm tart tin with plastic wrap. Press the mixture into the tin, making sure to press firmly and evenly, as you want the sides and the base to be the same thickness.
- If you want to create an extra special experience, try adding a layer of chocolate shell onto the inside of the base. To do this, freeze the base for 10 minutes then pour in ⅓ cup of liquid chocolate (you can make your own using raw cacao powder and coconut oil– check out the recipe for that in mysalted caramel chocolate cups). Tilt the tart tin to quickly spread the chocolate across the base and up the sides a little. Place back in the freezer while you make the filling.
- Place all filling ingredients, except cacao butter and coconut oil, in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. With the machine still running, slowly add in the oils until fully incorporated. Pour over the base and place in the fridge to set overnight, or in the freezer for a few hours.