Love chocolate?

If you love chocolate and you have someone to love then you could do alot worse than making this chocolate torte on Valentines day.  If you haven't got someone to love then love yourself for a while ;-)  Here is the recipe for the torte that I made for the last raw dinner party so I can assure you that you'll make an impression with it!

Cut yourself a slice, curl up on the sofa for a while...

A giant brown slab of chocolatey goodness

Prep time 30 mins       How easy is this recipe? ** (2 stars)

Recipe Scale:

*(1 star) Your gran could make this if she had a Vitamix!

**(2 stars) You need a brain and a little bit of common sense.

***(3 stars) Some knowledge needed but don't worry, I'll show you how:-)

****(4 stars) You've done this before haven't you?

*****(5 stars) You use your Cuisinart more often than your toothbrush!

Ingredients - many of the more unusual ingredients can be bought from The Fresh Network

Crust

3 cups pecans

1 cup raisins, roughly chopped

1/2 cup rapadura (optional)

4 tablespoons (60ml) coconut butter, liquidised

2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract or 1/2 a vanilla pod

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Filling

2 cups (1 16oz jar) cashew butter

2 cups water

2 cups cacao powder or 1 1/2c  milled  cacao nibs + 1/2c carob powder if no cacao powder available

1 1/2 cups grated cacao butter

2 avocados

2 tablespoons vanilla extract or 2 vanilla pods

If using a Vita Mix you can use the whole pod.  If using a different blender use only the soft insides of the pod, removed with a spoon.

1 cup agave nectar

Method

-The first thing we need to do is liquidise the cacao butter and coco butter so put them in separate containers and place in a warm dehydrator.  If you don't have a dehydrator then you can do this on a stove (if you haven't sold it yet!) but you have to be really careful not to let it get too warm.  You can also do it in a glass bowl over another bowl of hot water, you know, like your Mum used to do when she made a cake with chocolate!

-Next make sure your cashew butter is out of the fridge as it will be easier to work with at room temp.

Crust

- Process all the dry ingredients in a processor (funnily enough!), then add coco butter and vanilla extract.  Be sure not to over-process nuts as they will release their oil and become 'sludge'!

- Press all the ingredients into a 9" springform pan.  If you have a different size springform, don't worry, just use what you have and see how thick the base becomes.  For example an 8" will produce a thicker base, it's really no problem! :-)

Filling

- Mix the water, cacao powder and avocados in a blender.  In a large bowl add this mixture to the cashew butter and stir well by hand.

If you have a Vita Mix you don't need to mix by hand, you can do this first step and the next step in the VM but do remember to add the cacao butter last, after everything has been blended.

- Add remaining ingredients - melted cacao butter, vanilla extract and agave to the bowl and mix again.

-When thoroughly mixed, pour the heavenly chocolate mixture on to the base in the springform and then use a spatula to even out the top.

-Lick the bowl.

- Place torte in the fridge over night to set.  It tends to get better every night it's in the fridge, if it lasts that long without you eating it all!  Seriously though, this will make a very big torte so there'll be plenty to go round :-)  You can put it in the freezer for a couple of hours to set if you're short of time as well.

- Before removing the springform, run a knife around the edge of the torte to separate it from the pan.

- Serve, eat, love.

In my next post I'll show you some really simple sauces that go amazingly with this.

Comments

[Barefoot Elaina]

I made this cake, and the ginger cashew and strawberry sauces, and BLIMEY This is the most amazing combination, and the most perfect chocolate torte ever! I made it for a dinner party for non-raw friends, and they adored it. I had a friend to stay and we had two pieces each every day until it was finished, and then she wanted the recipe. It has the most perfect balance between rich bitter chocolate and sweetness, a wonderful velvet texture and a satisfying delicious base. Thank you so much Russell, for the finest dessert ever.

[Russell James]

Hi Elaina,

Guess you liked the torte then? :)

Thanks for taking the time to write. I especially love to hear that these recipes turn on the 'cooked foodies' out there. That's what it's all about; getting new people in and helping people who most need it.

Thanks again.

[Jen]

When I scrolled down that page and saw the piece of raw cake my mouth opened wide LOL. Ive never seen such a pretty lookin slice of raw cake heaven!! I want to make it!!

[Russell James]

Thanks Jen! Everyone seems to love that torte!

[Melissa]

Wow! I made this chocolate torte and I must say - it is to LIVE for! It was a perfect combination of flavours! I've been looking through your photo albulm on flickr and have to ask.. How did you make those blueberry pancakes? They look divine!