Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

Jessie takes credit for this - I'm just posting it for her x

This is what I imagine a ‘Death by Chocolate’ pudding would be made from – just add chocolate ice cream! It was adapted from a raw recipe book, which talked about how bad unhealthy foods are, which means DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!! This is totally healthy and good for you! (Just like that Banana Cake). Unlike the banana cake though, this is really rich and so somewhat self-moderating – and when I say something is rich, you should trust me on that.

INGREDIENTS

Tart Crust

3/4 C Cocoa
3/4 C Ground Almonds (or almond flour, if preferred)
1/2 C Maple Syrup
1/4 C Coconut Oil
Pinch of Salt

Ganache Filling

2 1/4 C Cocoa
2 1/4 C Maple Syrup
1 C Coconut Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Tart Crust

Blend all ingredients in a food processor and press into base. Chill until set.

Ganache Filling

Blend all ingredients. Pour onto base. Chill or freeze until firm (approx 3 hours). Lick spatula. Get overtaken in a frenzy.

When cutting, be sure to do so with a hot knife, then clean and heat it between cuts. It’s sticky.

Chocolate Crackles

Wiki says that these are great for kids to make, as they don’t require baking. What Wiki doesn’t tell you though, is that these are amazing! Probably because of all the sugar. Sugar being something you probably don’t want to feed your children too much of (hyperactive kids stuck indoors on a rainy winter day? No thanks!) – I propose that you get your kids to make these, and then eat them yourself.

INGREDIENTS

250g Vegetable Shortening
1/2 C Icing Sugar
1/2 C Coconut
5 Tblsp Cocoa
4 C Rice bubbles

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt the vege shortening in a pot over medium heat. While it’s melting, sieve the cocoa and icing sugar into a bowl. Mix in the coconut and rice bubbles. Once the vege shortening has melted, pout into the mixture and stir it up.

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases, and refrigerate for 5 – 10 minutes.

 

Edit: I have since been informed you should add 1 tsp Raspberry essence and a small pack of dried cranberries to make these even better!

Rich Mud Cake

I made this cake for Jess’ birthday. She wanted a plain chocolate cake with chocolate icing and coconut sprinkled on top; but that wasn’t what I wanted to make. Personally, I love mud cakes for birthdays and so (perhaps somewhat selfishly) I made Jess a mud cake instead. Fortunately, it was amazing and she liked it so much I don’t think she minded.

INGREDIENTS

125g Margarine
1/2 C Sugar
2 Tblsp Golden Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
80g Chocolate
2 C Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 C Cocoa
3/4 C Water

METHOD

Soften the Margarine, then beat in the sugar and finally the golden syrup and vanilla essence. In a pot over low heat, melt the chocolate. Mix this into the marge mixture. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa and mix until combined. Add in the water and mix one more time.

Pour into a lined/greased tin, and bake at 180°C for 1 hour.

The icing for this cake was plain chocolate icing (cocoa, icing sugar and water) with dessicated coconut sprinkled on top.

If you aren’t bound by a sugar sensitive person like I am, you may want to make the cake even richer. Add more melted chocolate to the batter, and think about putting chocolate in the icing as well (melt some chocolate, mix in a bit of coconut milk then stir in icing sugar).

Hot Chocolate

You don’t need lots of sugar to make a delicious, quick, hot chocolate. This is cheaper than buying pre-mixed, sugary hot chocolate.

There’s also a secret to soy milk. I was never a fan until this year, when I discovered that when it comes to soy milk, brand is everything. Everyone has their favourite but  I personally recommend Soy Milky. It’s the only kind I want. It’s perfect.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon cocoa
1/2 teaspoon sugar or agave
1/3 cup soy milk
Boiling water

INSTRUCTIONS

There is a little knack to getting this right, which is why I decided to share something so simple. Plus it’s a good way of getting a little sweetness, without self-harm. To be totally healthy, use agave, but if you don’t want to spend the money, just a small, small amount of sugar will do.

Put cocoa and sugar in cup. Mix together with teaspoon until lumps disappear. Add a dash of soy milk. Blend into a smooth paste. Add the rest of the soy milk, fill with boiling water. Stir, serve.

Sultana-sweetened Chocolate

Fuck carob. Yeah, I said it. I want chocolate. 

I don’t, however, want refined sugar.

You can throw almost anything in the mix and this will work. Better still it’s actually healthy. It doesn’t contain any junk and when nut-based it delivers an optimal amount of omegas into your diet.

To make this mixture blend the following ingredients until doughy, taste as you go along; 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 3 handfuls sultanas, 3 handfuls nuts, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 handful coconut and 2 tablespoons cocoa. To finish, roll balls in coconut and refrigerate. If the mixture is too dry, you can add in a little water to make it rollable. If too wet, add more nuts or coconut.

You can also substitute or add any of the following ingredients as desired; dates, oats, seeds, carob, agave, peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, ground almonds or any kind of dried fruit or nut at all. ♥

Luscious Ice Cream

Children adore this. They have no idea it’s healthy. Muahahahaharrr!

It’s a great alternative to expensive store-bought vegan ice creams which are loaded with sugar and fat and costs up to $10 a tub.

Most importantly, it looks super cute. I put this in fancy wine glasses, in cute pink teacups, I put it on warm cake and I use it as a base for parfait. If you add more water or milk it turns into a smoothie, and if you make too much, just freeze it, then blend it up with more soy milk or water later.

To make raw ice cream:

Blend chopped frozen banana, vanilla and cocoa. Slowly drizzle in water, while blending, to reach desired consistency.

To make vegan ice cream:

Blend chopped frozen banana, vanilla and cocoa. Slowly drizzle in soy milk, while blending, to reach desired consistency. ♥

Banana Pancakes

These gooey, inexpensive, quick pancakes will make everyone happy.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
a dash of cinnamon
2/3 cup soy milk (or water to save $)
1 & ½ bananas, very ripe, mashed (use a potato masher)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 or 2 handfuls sultanas
1 handful chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Mix ingredients, cook at medium heat with no oil in non-stick pan, serve with fresh fruit ♥