Photo: Chef Cynthia Louise
Vegan Chocolate Orange truffle tart by Chef Cynthia Louise
I declare that this cake, tort, tart — whatever pastry chefs call it — is the best I have ever made!
Rich and decadent. Smooth and lush. Tasty and kind to the body. I hereby declare this beauty one of my top three desserts in my cookbook.
All my non-vegan friends would have made up an excuse to not have a slice if I told them what it was made from. The secret is the silken tofu. It has an incredible texture but none of that plastic tofu taste. Once your taste buds hit the contrast between the smooth filling and the crunchy biscuit base you’ll be sold.
Speaking of tofu, there are some people you can never please, like my brother BJ.
No matter what I cook — even if it’s spaghetti or cheese on toast — he’ll take a spoonful and say: “Is that tofu I can taste? Because it doesn’t need it, Cyn.”
Once at a barbecue he threw some tofu on the grill and served it to me with a wicked smile and said “I found your sandals, Cyn”. Me, my brother and tofu have been a running joke for years. But I reckon this cake will finally shut him up. This one's for you BJ!
Makes: 16-18 slices
Prep time: 5-8 mins
Baking time: 25 mins
Freezer-friendly: Yes
Ingredients
For the chocolate crust
200g white spelt flour
100g coconut sugar
30g cacao powder
A pinch of salt
160ml coconut oil
For the chocolate orange filling
350g silken or soft tofu, drained
350g 70% chocolate, melted
5-6 drops orange essential oil
Method
To prepare the crust
Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F.
Add all the ingredients to your food processor and pulse to combine.
Pause to scrape the sides and then process again until the ingredients come together into a wet dough.
Transfer the dough into a round 24cm x 3.5cm loose bottom tart tin lined with baking paper.
Press and spread evenly and smooth it out to cover the base of your tart tin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Rotate the tart once during baking.
Once done, allow to rest in the tin for 10 minutes.
To prepare the filling
Melt the chocolate in a microwave. Place the chocolate in a bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds. This might take several rounds but be sure to stir the chocolate after each round.
Add the tofu to the blender and blend until it turns into a thick smooth mixture.
Add the melted chocolate and remaining filling ingredients and blend until creamy and well combined.
Pour the filling over the crust and spread it evenly.
Keep the tart in the fridge until the filling firms up.
