Sometimes only chocolate will do! This healthy vegan chocolate tart is a real crowd-pleaser and it tastes so good, no one will notice it is actually healthy.

It is incredibly easy to make (you can whip this up in well under 30 mins) and no baking is required (just freezer time), and it freezes well too.

This tart makes a lovely centrepiece for any occasion; just decorate accordingly. I love decorating this tart with fresh berries and cacao nibs (the sweet berries contrasting beautifully with the nutty and slightly bitter cacao nibs) or sweet and tart cacao-coated goldenberries and cacao nibs. By arranging the decorations into a heart-shape, you have a beautiful (and easy) Valentine’s day dessert!

I love the contrasting flavours and textures of this tart; crunch from the almond base and cacao nibs, sweet from the dark chocolate and fresh berries and tart if you use cacao-coated goldenberries, all brought together by a luxurious creamy chocolate topping.

But how can this be healthy I hear you say? The base for the topping is actually….wait for it…tofu! By mixing tofu with cacao and melted dark chocolate, you get a decadent creamy mousse-like topping (and you cannot taste the tofu!). What a fantastic way to get your anti-oxidants!

Makes: 1 tart (serves about 8-12)

Ingredients

Base:

• 140g ground almonds
• 20g cacao powder
• 50g melted coconut oil
• 25g sweetener of choice: eg. agave, date syrup or 8g stevia
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp protein powder (plant-based varieties like soya-bean, pea work well). (You may substitute for more ground almonds if you prefer).

 Topping:

• 150g dark chocolate (over 75% cocoa solids, vegan varieties are now readily available in the supermarket)
• 400g tofu cut into rough chunks, (silken and firm both work, if firm, no need to blot)
• 110ml milk of choice (almond, cashew milk work well)
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 2 tsp sweetener of choice (eg. agave, date syrup) or ¼ tsp stevia
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

To decorate:

Choose from fresh raspberries, blueberries, cacao nibs, cacao-coated goldenberries.

Method:

• Grease a 8” (21cm) springform tin with a little coconut oil
• In a bowl, mix together the base ingredients. Transfer this to the greased tin and using a spatula, squish this mixture down evenly to form the crust base. Chill in the freezer.
• Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl above a pan of boiling water.
• Meanwhile, blend the tofu, milk, cacao powder, sweetener, vanilla extract and salt in a food processor or blender to form a creamy dense mousse. Transfer into a bowl and fold in the melted chocolate.

• Spoon the chocolate topping on to the base and level using a spatula. Decorate as desired.
• Chill in the refrigerator for about 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Don’t forget you can find my favourite recipes in my FREE eBook here.