{Recipe} Chocolate, Coconut and Pecan ‘Ice Cream’ Cake

Yes, more chocolate. :) I make no apologies for that.

Today’s recipe is a nearly raw, gluten-free, no-bake, ice cream cake-style dessert. It is perfectly suited for an Aussie Christmas.

This recipe is inspired by a raw chocolate ‘gelato’ recipe that was distributed at a raw food preparation course I attended in Brisbane about 6 years ago.

This recipe consists of water and flesh from a young coconut. I live in a rural area, but I have no trouble sourcing young coconuts at the supermarket, in the fruit and vegetable section. They may also be labelled as drinking coconuts or Thai coconuts.

The thought of cracking open a young coconut (or an ‘old’ one for that matter!), may seem a little intimidating at first.  Just take your time, and focus on the task. Do not assign this job to a child. And if they want to watch – and they will– make sure they stand clear.

You actually only need to remove a tiny amount of the husk – just enough to release the water and accommodate a spoon. I pour the water into a jug, then I use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.

Click here to watch an interesting instructional video on how to open a young coconut easily and safely (it will only take a couple of minutes of your time). If you haven’t opened a young coconut before – and want to make this recipe – I suggest that you view the video.

The opening of the coconut is the only [slightly] complicated part of this recipe. The rest is easy! The coconut flesh is delicious. I usually eat (and share) the leftover flesh as I prepare the recipe. It is very moreish.

Ingredients

(requires overnight freezing; Serves: 12-14 slices)

1.5 cups raw macadamia nuts, soaked in water for 4 hours

1/2 cup raw cacao powder (ie. raw chocolate powder)

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

generous 1/4 cup of coconut flesh

1 cup coconut water

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or agave syrup, if you want a raw ‘cake’.)

1 – 2 Tbsp cacao nibs (or choc chips)

2-3 Tbsp chopped pecans

1/2 of a vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Drain and rinse the macadamia nuts in a colander. Set aside.

2. Safely open your coconut. Pour the water into a metric jug until you have 1 cup. Store the remaining water in a separate container in the fridge (for a smoothie) or drink it now. Scoop the flesh out, measuring out a generous 1/4 cup. Store the remainder in the fridge for a smoothie, or eat it now. :) If your young coconut has less than one cup of water (unlikely, but possible), make up the remainder with filtered water.

3. Line a loaf tin with baking paper. Ensure that the paper hangs over the sides of the tin – this will assist you to remove the dessert from the tin once it is frozen. The folds of the paper may leave imprints on your dessert (as you can see in my photos) so if this concerns you, make an effort to smooth the paper.

3. To a [high-speed] blender, add the coconut water, coconut oil, maple syrup, macadamia nuts, coconut flesh, and cacao powder. Cut your vanilla bean in half, then cut open one of the halves, lengthwise. Scrape the seeds into the blender.

4. Blend until smooth. [On my Blendtec, I use the XL smoothie setting.] Once the mixture is smooth, pour the cacao nibs and pecans into the blender – do not blend! Use a spatula to fold the nibs and pecans into the mixture.

5. Once the cacao nibs and pecans are incorporated, pour the chocolate mix into the loaf tin. Smooth the top with the spatula. Cover the tin, and place it in the freezer overnight (or until frozen).

6. Once frozen, remove the cake from the tin. If the paper sticks to the tin, run a knife along the edge of the tin to separate the paper from the edge. Invert the cake onto a serving plate (so that the base now becomes the top), and decorate with pecan halves and additional cacao nibs (or choc chips).

7. If the cake is too hard to slice immediately, allow it to soften a little. Slice, then serve immediately.

Store leftovers in the freezer.

The tiny vegans’ verdicts

7-year-old tiny vegan informed me that he prefers my ‘banana ice cream'(the one that involves whizzing frozen banana in a food processor). I can’t complain about that. :) He commented that he didn’t like the chocolate that I had used. The flavour of the cacao powder was too strong for him. Perhaps cocoa powder would be more suitable in this recipe for some children’s palates.

My daughter ate half of her slice and commented that it was delicious but very rich. Obviously, smaller slices are the way to go for kids. Some kids…

4-year-old tiny vegan was happy to eat his slice, and his sister’s leftover half-slice. He was the most enthusiastic fan of this recipe – apart from me, that is. I adore it!

Every Monday, I feature a delicious vegan recipe that is enjoyed by my own family – I hope your family enjoys it too!

Ally  :)