Chilled Vegan Chocolate Torte - Raw

I looove a good chocolatey torte.  I used to work at a high-end restaurant that served the most decadent chocolate and raspberry dessert you could ever dream of!  I had my share...believe me.   Would I ever think in a million years that I would enjoy one just as much and...RAW!?   Not so much.  But this little baby changed my mind (and my world) completely. 

Once again, Oh She Glows, knocks it outta the park with this easy recipe:

 

No Bake Chilled Chocolate Torte 

 

No Bake Crust: 

 2 cups Pecans
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

Chocolate Avocado Mousse: 

 2 cups Avocado Flesh (roughly 3 small avocados) pitted and scooped out
1/3 cup Almond Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
2/3 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Smooth Peanut Butter (or other nut or sunflower seed butter)
1 tbsp Arrowroot Powder
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup + 2 tbsp Vegan Chocolate Chips, melted
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder, sifted if clumpy

Directions:

1. Crust: *Oil a 7-10 inch springform pan and line it with a circle of parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the pecans until crumbly. Be careful not to over process them as you still want them a bit chunky. Now add in the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse until just mixed. Scoop mixture onto prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly with slightly wet fingers or a spatula. Pop into freezer to set while making the mousse.

2. Chocolate mousse: Place all mousse ingredients (except chocolate chips) into food processor. Process until smooth. In a small bowl, melt your chocolate chips in the microwave and scoop melted chocolate into food processor mixture. Process until smooth.

3. Remove crust from freezer and scoop this mousse on top of crust. Smooth out as much as possible and then place in the freezer for 2 hours to firm.

4. Once firm, remove from freezer and allow to sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes before serving chilled. Add fruit or other toppings while allowing to sit.  **Place leftover torte in the freezer wrapped and placed in a seal container.

Note that this torte should be served chilled as it gets soft at room temperature.

*I didn't have a springform pan on hand, so I just lightly oiled a pie dish.  It came out perfectly.  
**I put leftovers in the fridge...it was softer, of course, but I enjoyed the texture more.  

Fun with Lasers

 I took an amazing class this evening through the Women Design Build organization.  They partnered with Kristen & Eve from MakeATX to introduce the laser-cut technique on food...chocolate no less!  MakeATX is known for their laser-cut paper and wood crafts and jewelry.  They have this huge laser named, Patty Princess of Power, in their studio space in East Austin.  By looking at it, you can see that it could laser through anything.  But to be so powerful and yet so delicate as to not blow our bars into smithereens was a sight to behold!  Most definitely a Princess!

Grrrr...sexy beast!  ha!

We first met with Eve and picked out an image or text and font.  Then Kristen took us over to another computer and uploaded our creation.  We took our Theo bars and placed them in the laser face down...Kristen pushed a button...and voila!  Easy peazy!

While we waited for our turn, the girls had all sorts of fun crafts for us to do.  They had a table overflowing with crafty goodness - glitter, pom poms, cute wood & paper cut-out hearts, colored pens and pencils, glue, felt hearts, colored hard-stock paper and envelopes...and my favorite....laser cut-outs to make our Love Monsters with.  I could have stayed at that table all night!

Monster Cowboy of Love

I highly recommend taking a class with Women Design Build.  Everyone and everything was lovely.

AND I highly recommend taking a class, becoming a member or buying some of the goods that MakeATX has to offer.  They are so creative and talented!  Go girls go!