banana-nah!

 

This ain’t no cheap tart! It’s ingredients are mostly from the health shops and, where possible, organic. Neither is it low fat. It is in fact… CALORIFIC! But that said, it is incredibly delicious, packed with an insane amount of anti-oxidants (mostly from oodles of raw cacao) and is completely vegan, raw and free of anything that didn’t once grow on a tree. The other upside is - it doesn’t require any cooking… just a few flicks of most of your kitchen appliances' switches!

Give it a whirl, it won’t disappoint, I think it may in fact, amaze.


Raw chocolate, coconut and banana tart

Crust:
100g pitted dates, soaked in a little warm water
150g nuts (50g each) cashews, pecans & almonds
50g coconut flakes
50g melted raw cacao butter
5ml cinnamon
5ml vanilla powder

Filling:
100g dates, soaked
6 medium bananas
75g cacao butter
100g coconut oil
½ c raw cacao powder
1 t vanilla powder or essence

creamy topping:
1 can coconut cream
1 t vanilla powder

makes one 28cm tart


To make the crust. Soak the dates in a little warm water to soften them and then squeeze to remove any excess water. Place the dates, nuts, coconut, vanilla and cinnamon in a food processor with an “S” blade and pulse until it reaches a crumb-like consistency. Pour in the melted cacao butter while the motor is running, so that it blends in. It is important to line the bottom of a loose bottom quiche tin with baking paper. Grease it first, because this helps the paper to stick. Once lined, spoon in the crumbs and gently coax them into a tart-shell shape with the back of a spoon. It should be just under ½ cm thick all over. Place it in the freezer to let it set fast.

The filling:
Once again squeeze the dates to remove excess water and place in a liquidizer. Add 3 bananas and whiz until smooth. Add the melted coconut oil and cacao butter and continue to whiz. It should be super-smooth and silky. Add the vanilla and the cacao powder. Taste. Add more cacao if you like it really strong. Spoon half the mixture over the base and spread.

Top with sliced bananas. Gently spoon and spread the remaining filling over the bananas. Pop it in the fridge to set for 20-30 minutes or until it feels firm to the finger.

Topping: Place the can of coconut cream in the fridge to set the cream. Once it’s chilled, carefully scoop off the cream and place it in a large bowl. You can chuck the coconut water or save it to add to a curry, or something like that. Add a little vanilla powder and whisk the cream with an electric beater or, if you are lucky enough, a Kitchen Aid like whisk until it looks fluffy. Swirl it over the top of your tart and voila!

You have a magnificent raw tart, raging with anti-oxidants, and a million other things that are good for you! 

 

For great raw products such as raw cacao and cacao butter I love to use Trace the Taste from Harrewyn Organics available from the online organic shop faithful to nature and selected health shops and supermarkets like PnP.