This dish is a wonderful (and healthier) alternative to a traditional flourless chocolate cake dessert. The chocolate torte is adapted from the chocolate powerballs recipe and can also be rolled into little individual balls. I can say that there is rarely a day that my fridge doesn’t have some of those in it! They are the perfect way for me to get my chocolate fix when I need one.
This dessert would also be great with some homemade or all natural ice cream instead of whipped cream. And the chocolate sauce is not only good with this torte, but I have also put it on plain vanilla ice cream and used it to make hot chocolate for my girls. When you are doing the 100 Days of Real Food you must make do!
Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Sauce
Torte
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup dried pitted dates
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened powdered 100% cacao (I recommend Hershey’s brand “Special Dark” 100% Cacao as opposed to 100% cocoa)
- 1 – 2 teaspoons water, as needed
Using a frying pan, melt the butter on medium-low heat and then add the pecans. Pour in the honey and cook until the nuts are very slightly browned, 3 – 5 minutes. Be very careful not to overcook the nuts because they can go from perfect to burnt very quickly. Once the pecans are done blend them in a food processor with the dates and cacao. Add 1 – 2 teaspoons of water or just enough until it starts to stick together a little. Take the chocolate mixture into your hands and pat it out flat onto a cutting board or counter until it is about ½” thick. Using a round cookie cutter or drinking glass turned upside down cut out circular shapes for the tortes. Alternately you can roll the chocolate mixture into little ball shapes and keep them in your fridge for whenever you need something chocolate! (PS – For coconut lovers you can also roll the balls in unsweetened coconut for added flavor).
Whipped Cream
- ½ cup whipping or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon 100% pure maple syrup (optional)
Using an electric mixer whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Whip in the maple syrup if sweetness is desired. Yes, it is that easy.
Chocolate Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened powdered 100% cacao
- 2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
Simply blend the powdered cacao and maple syrup with a spoon until the mixture looks wet. It might take a few minutes to achieve the right consistency.
Yield: Makes about 4 tortes
[…] Combine all ingredients into a food processor and blend. Form into balls (makes about 10 – 12 depending on size) and serve immediately or keep refrigerated. For a slightly different variation without peanut butter check out the chocolate torte recipe. […]
I just used the choc sauce to make choc milk and the kids loved it! Delish! Every monday is choc milk night. I have been using the organic ah!laska syrup. It is made of evap cane juice, cocoa pwdr, xanthem gum to thicken vanilla and citric acid. What do you think of the cane juice? Also what abt agave syrup as a substitute?
I have made chocolate milk with that sauce too…my kids loved it! In regards to cane juice and other sweeteners check out this post (including the comments): https://thefoodillusion.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/sweeteners-101/
[…] and olives (from Earthfare), a partially eaten apple, and last, but certainly not least…the chocolate torte recipe which I like to turn into little chocolate powerballs. I can barely go a day or two without eating […]