Choc. Cashew Delights
Zach used to sell this dessert at 'Iwa cafe on the Big Island. It sold out right away whenever he made it and it is incredibly easy to create. You do need to leave it in the freezer for a few hours but otherwise, it is quick and will be an instant hit with your family or friends (trust us). Besides being vegan, it is also gluten-free and raw. Why not satisfy that sweet tooth while feeling good about the ingredients?
Ingredients for Crust
Ingredients for Filling
Cooking the Crust
Cooking the Filling
Things to Consider:
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 3-4 dates OR 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup ( I like to use half of each if you have both)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
Ingredients for Filling
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup cacao powder OR choc. protein powder (I like to use half of each if you have both)
Cooking the Crust
- Start soaking the cashews in water. Set this aside for now.
- Add all the crust ingredients to a food processor and blend.
- Scoop crust into a mini cheesecake pan, muffin tin, or any other container you want to use. Aim for making the crust about 1/2 inch thick.
Cooking the Filling
- By now, the cashews should have soaked for 10 minutes or so. Drain and rinse the cashews. Add them, the maple syrup, vanilla, and water to the food processor and blend. (You do not have to wash out the remnants from the crust. It only adds a little more chocolate to your filling)
- Once it is well blended, add in the cacao powder and coconut powder. Blend until it is creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times to make sure it is all blended.
- Grab your pan or tin and start scooping the filling onto the crust. Fill them to about the top and place them covered in the freezer for a few hours.
- Cut into slices, or push out of the muffin tin. For a final touch you can top this dessert with pecans or coconut shavings.
- Take them to a picnic, potluck, or family outing and enjoy the compliments!
Things to Consider:
- These are quite rich in taste. The picture above shows about the size you want your final creation to be. If you are using a cheesecake pan, I would cut them thinly. Kim and I have been using muffin tins or silicone tins that work great.
- If you are a peanut butter fan, I recently made this exact same recipe but switched out the cacao powder in the filling for PB Fit (a powdered peanut butter) and some say it is even better than the original. Give it a try!