Jessica Turner Like many special occasions, Easter is punctuated by chocolate overdose. But why should children have all the fun? You probably deserve a (*cough*chocolately) treat more than anyone.
After all, you’ve likely been flat out busy since the Christmas/New Year silly season so the double-ended long weekend couldn’t come at a better time.
Thankfully, there’s no need to undo the hard work of your post-silly season kilo shred either.
Sydney nutritionist Lee Holmes’ recipe Raw Berry and Chocolate Torte is as nutritious as it is delectable.
Indeed, this crowd-pleasing (not to mention pretty) cake is guaranteed to disappear as quickly as any bunny trail of eggs. So paws off, kids – this one’s for the grown-ups!
“If you want to make friends this Easter, this tantalising torte is a sure-fire way to do it,” says Lee Holmes, who’s just turned 49.
“Who can resist a rich, chocolatey dessert that is completely guilt-free? You and your new best friends will be bursting with bliss after just one bite.”
Raw Berry and Chocolate Torte
Base
175 g (6 oz/11/2 cups) raw walnuts
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup dried berries
60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) melted extra virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon stevia powder
Filling
155 g (51/2 oz/1 cup) raw, unsalted cashews
40 g (11/2 oz/1/3 cup) raw cacao powder
115 g (4 oz) cacao butter, grated and melted
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup, or 1 teaspoon stevia powder
2 tablespoons additive-free coconut milk
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups mixed berries, plus extra, for decorating (optional)
Method
1. Place the cashews in a bowl, cover with filtered water and soak for 2 hours. Drain.
2. To make the base, place the walnuts in a food processor and blend until they are finely chopped.
3. Transfer to a bowl and add the lemon zest.
4. Place the coconut oil and dried berries in the food processor and blend.
5. Add to the walnut mixture and stevia and combine well.
6. Press the mixture into a 20 cm (8 inch) springform cake tin and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
7. To make the filling, place all the ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth.
8. Remove the base from the freezer and spoon the filling over the top.
9. Chill for 2 hours in the fridge, or 1 hour in the freezer, until set. Scatter over the extra berries before serving.
10. This will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge, or 2 weeks in the freezer.
Recipe extracted from Supercharged Food – Eat Clean Green and Vegetarian, published by Murdoch Books.
Lee Holmes holds an Advanced Certificate in Food and Nutrition and is a certified holistic health coach (IIN), yoga teacher, wholefoods chef and bestselling author of the Supercharged Food series, which includes Eat Your Way To Good Health; Eat Yourself Beautiful; Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian; Heal Your Gut; and Supercharged Food for Kids. She is a columnist for Wellbeing Magazine and Lifestyle Food Channel’s Healthy Eating Expert, and her articles have appeared in leading Australian newspapers and journals, as well as The Times and The Daily Express in the UK and The Huffington Post in the US. Find Lee at her award-winning blog, SUPERCHARGEDFOOD.COM
