{Recipe} Raw Chocolate Tarts
February 4, 2013 32 Comments
A few years ago, a dear friend loaned me a book called Naked Chocolate. That’s all I needed to know. Naked chocolate…. Naked. Chocolate…
A ‘special note’ on the back cover states:
‘The recipes in these pages allow you to find that perfect alchemical potion that causes all heaven to break loose’.
I knew that tantalising, chocolaty delights awaited me. I actually still have the book! Sienna, if you are reading this, let me know if you want your book back. 
The book, written by David Wolfe and Shazzie, basically pays homage to the wonders and magic of raw chocolate, otherwise known as cacao (pronounced ka-cow). It includes such delightful recipes as: chocolate pizza, chocolate cheezecake, chocolate banana bread, chocovanilla shake, mint and choc chip ice cream……chocolate, chocolate, chocolate….All of the recipes are raw, and all of them contain cacao.
In all honesty, it is enormously beneficial to have possession of a dehydrator if you want to experience the great heights of chocolate ecstacy that this book offers.
Shazzie and David clearly love and respect cacao. The introduction to the book announces:
‘There is nothing in the world like chocolate. It is luxurious, sensuous, delightful, passionate, inspirational, sexual and exciting to all senses’.
Naked Chocolate discusses comprehensively the history, uses, and properties of chocolate, before launching into the sensuous recipes. The book comes with a warning:
‘Reading this book may cause you to have The Best Day Ever!’
Ah, their enthusiasm is infectious.
A recipe that has become a personal favourite is Chocolate Tarts.
The recipe requires a dehydrator. I am fortunate to have a dehydrator in my kitchen, so I use it whenever I make these tarts. However, I experimented with preparing the tart shells in a low oven, instead of a dehydrator, and I achieved a good result . I have included the oven option below, in case it appeals to you.
I varied the chocolate sauce by adding macadamia nuts, coconut water and vanilla. This tempers the bitterness of the cacao, without the need to add more sweetener. The shells are reminiscent of a chewy, apricot muesli bar.
These tarts are luxurious, delightful, and sexual…ah, I mean sensuous!
Sienna will definitely want the book back now.
CHOCOLATE TARTS
Recipe from: Naked Chocolate by David Wolfe and Shazzie
(quantity – a dozen)
You Will Need:
1 cup dry oat groats OR rolled oats*
1 cup raw almonds (do not soak)
1 tsp flax seed
15 dried apricots, soaked for 4-6 hours (whole dried apricots, not halves)
1 serving of dark chocolate sauce (recipe to follow)
12 almonds (for decoration)
Method for tart shells:
1. Add the flax seed, almond and oats to a food processor, coffee grinder or high speed blender, and grind until a fine flour consistency is achieved.
2. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour, and set aside to assist with rolling the dough (step 4).
3. In a food processor, process the flour while dropping the soaked apricots down the chute. As the apricots are processed, a dough-like consistency will form. If the mixture appears dry rather than doughy, add a tiny amount of the apricot soak water. Once a ball of dough has formed, turn off the food processor and remove the dough.
4. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour onto a wooden board, and place the dough on the board. Sprinkle the remaining flour on the ball of dough. Flatten and roll the dough with a rolling pin, until it is about 4mm thick.
5. Cut 12 circles with a cookie cutter.
6. Place a sheet of cling wrap over a tart (or shallow muffin) tray.
7. Place the circles of dough into the sections of the tray, moulding the pieces with your fingers (see photos below).
8. Set the dehydrator to 105-115 degrees F or 40-46 deg C.
9. Place the tart tray into the dehydrator for 2 hours. The tart shells will harden. Remove the shells from the tray and turn them upside down on a dehydrator tray, and leave for one hour.
***
Oven option for tart shells:
‘Oven-hardened’ shell
If you do not have access to a dehydrator, you can use a low oven heat to harden the shells. Once you have used the tart tray to mould the shells, remove the shells from the tray and place them on a baking tray.
In my pre-heated, fan-forced oven the shells harden in about 15 minutes. I set my oven for the lowest temp that is achievable on the dial (80 deg C), placing the shells cup side up for 10 minutes, then turning them upside down for 5 minutes.
***
Dark Chocolate Sauce
Adapted from: Naked Chocolate
You Will Need:
4 heaped tbsp of cacao powder
4 tbsp liquid sweetener (eg. agave syrup, maple syrup,** etc. )
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp coconut water OR water
2/3 cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked for 4-6 hours
Seeds of 1/2 a vanilla pod OR 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tsp additional liquid sweetener (optional)
2 tsp additional coconut oil (optional)
Method for chocolate sauce:
1. Add all ingredients (except additional liquid sweetener and additional coconut oil) to a small food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion (hand-held) blender.
2. Taste the sauce. If it requires more sweetener, add an additional 1-2 tsp of sweetener and blend until combined. If a smoother consistency is desired, add an additional 2 tsp of coconut oil, and blend again.
To assemble the tarts:
1. Scoop the chocolate sauce into the tart shells, and top each one with an almond. Serve.
2. Store leftovers in an air tight container.
3. Leftover chocolate sauce can be added to smoothies.
Notes:
* Use certified gluten-free oats if you want to ensure that the tarts are gluten-free.
** Maple syrup is not a raw product, but it works well in this recipe if you do not have agave syrup available.
What is your favourite raw dessert? Do you enjoy cacao?
Every Monday I post a delicious vegan recipe – one that is enjoyed by my own family – I hope your family enjoys it too!
Ally
This recipe was submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays. Check out the other delicious recipes.
About Ally
Yum! Yum! Yum! These would make a lovely treat for Valentine’s Day! Maybe I’ll try shaping the shells in a heart-shaped pan!? Right now, my favourite raw treat recipe is for “Congo Bars” from Sarma Melngallis. I have tried several of her raw desserts and they are all wonderful.
Haha! I like your style! Heart-shaped sounds perfect for Valentine’s Day. If you make them, I’d love to see a photo.
I just looked up Congo Bars- they sound amazing! I haven’t seen maple syrup powder locally though. You, on the other hand, must have it dropping from the sky in your neck of the woods!
I would love to send you a bag of maple syrup powder. We can find it quite easily in our “neck of the woods”. Just this morning I called a neighbour for some more maple syrup. She’s dropping off a 4L jug this weekend. Yay!
4L!!! Wow! I have a half-full 250ml bottle in my fridge, haha!
If we are feeling particularly flushed with cash or there is a sale, we may buy 2 x 250ml bottles at the store! We ration it out here – like liquid gold!
How is maple syrup powder made?
Maple syrup powder, or maple syrup sugar, is made from boiling the maple syrup longer so that all the water evaporates. What is left are sugar crystals. You can try it at home, but I don’t recommend it as your kitchen may become very sticky.
I have sugar crystals at the bottom of my empty maple syrup jug right now. I can chop them up for a dessert topping or throw them in our next smoothie as a treat.
These look wonderful!!!
I’ll make them for you next time you visit. As far as dehydrated, raw food goes these are super fast to make!
Your tarts look so yummy!… I’ve really enjoyed many of the raw desserts I’ve sampled, but by far my favorite so far is raw cheesecake. I haven’t had one I didn’t love
Oh yes Starr, I agree! I love raw cheesecake too. I made a blueberry one for Mat’s birthday recently- it was scrumptious.
Ooh… and will we be seeing a recipe post for that?
Hehehe, yes! The photos aren’t fabulous unfortunately. But, people will get the idea.
They look so nice. Thanks for sharing! I got a dehydrator for christmas so I might try this
Thanks
A dehydrator is a great Xmas gift!
Yum! I remember when Naked Chocolate first came out. I really wanted the book and still have never read it. I love cacao. So many yummy raw recipes
If you love cacao, you will love this book! There are so many recipes I still want to make.
These look absolutely delicious!., seem so simple too!! How much is a dehydrator?
Hi Brandi! They are pretty simple to make despite there being a few steps to the process. We have an Excalibur 9-tray dehydrator. It was pretty expensive when we bought it 5 years ago, but it has served us well. It would probably be a lot cheaper for you because it isn’t an imported product (as it is for us). We use it predominantly to make pizza bases and flax seed crackers. It makes yummy kale chips too!
Hi Ally these look very. I bet these were eaten pretty quickly
Haha! Yeah, they don’t last long. They are very moreish! I hope you are well
Its so rewarding cooking, baking etc
I bet there were.. I am well.. we are having some rain here which is great… lovely to hear the rainbow lorikeets roosting and spreading their wings to catch the rain… Hope you are well too 
We had some rain too. I become very enthusiastic about baking during Winter. In Summer, I prefer raw desserts because it is so unpleasant with the oven on during a heat wave.
We are all well here, thanks.
I really want to go raw. It’s hard during the winter because I have crazy cravings for carbs. Im gonna try in the hotter months
Hi!
Yes, I know what you mean. I crave warm food in Winter- baked veggies, stews, soups. I’m book marking all the soups and winter foods that I am reading on ‘Northern Hemisphere’ blogs.
I hope you are well.
This looks great! Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to reading more of your posts!
Thank you! I appreciate your kind comment.
Oh, I love these! I just found you through Healthy Vegan Fridays. This raw experience would be great to share at Raw Foods Thursdays. Love the step by step pictures you shared! Come on over and link up!
http://www.glutenfreecat.com/2013/04/raw-foods-thursdays-41013/
Heather
Hi Heather!
Thank you for telling me about Raw Food Thursdays. I will check it out.
I’m glad you like the recipe. They are very yummy and moreish.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I keep telling myself I’m going to get a dehydrator, but… These look delish Ally! How were the chocolate cherry cupcakes? Celeste:)
Yeah, they are expensive and they do take up a lot of space. I’m glad we have it but we don’t use it as often as we did in the first couple of years of owning it.
I ended up making a choc cherry cake. Two actually! I was experimenting. I figured that the cake would be quicker, and less fiddly than cupcakes. Thanks for asking! Your comment about the candy that you used to like inspired me to make a choc, coconut and cherry cake. I used to like a choc bar that contained coconut and cherry (when I was a kid). I’m still working on the recipe. If it works, I’ll put it on the blog. I got my fix though
Yum, your cakes sound wonderful!! I love coconut too. And I know it’s early, but happy Mother’s Day Ally!! Celeste:)
Oh thank you Celeste, that is very sweet of you. I have come down with a bit of a cold and have a ‘husky’ voice, and this morning my 4-year old son said: ‘I think we will have to cancel mother’s day because your voice is sore, but not for the other people’. haha! I figure I have an even more legitimate reason to sleep in tomorrow morning.:)
The cakes were delicious. I hope to have a recipe up on the blog soon.
See you at the potluck!
Sorry to hear that you’re sick Ally. Your son sounds adorable.
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