Vegan Chocolate Strawberry Tart

The following recipe is one of my most special ones. I have been preparing this chocolate tart for family and friends for several years now. It is actually a very easy recipe for a cake that may look professional and sophisticated. It is a perfect dessert to prepare for special occasions! Additionally, the tart is free of refined sugar, it is vegan and gluten-free, and requires no baking.

The tart consists of three layers: crust, homemade fruit (strawberry) jam and chocolate ganache. The crust contains proteins and good fats. The fruit jam adds tartness to the dessert that balances out the bitter sweetness of the chocolate. Through the years, I have prepared this tart using strawberry, raspberry and orange jams. You can experiment with your own tastes and flavors - this tart tolerates creativity.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 80 g almonds

• 80 g cashew nuts

• 50 g hazelnuts

• 10 Medjool dates

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

For the strawberry layer:

• 350 g strawberries (frozen)

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• juice from 1/4 lemon

For the chocolate layer:

• 200 g dark chocolate (70% or more cacao solids)

• 200 ml coconut milk

For the topping:

• raspberries

• blueberries

• cranberries

Preparation:

For the crust:

1. In a food processor, add all the nuts and process until fine.

2. Add the Medjool dates and the coconut oil and process again to incorporate them into the nut mixture. The mixture should be sticky and it should hold together well.

3. Place the mixture in a tin and press it with your fingers to form the crust.

4. Refrigerate the crust until you prepare the strawberry layer.

For the strawberry layer:

1. Place the frozen strawberries in a pan on the stove at medium-low heat.

2. Add the maple syrup and the lemon juice.

3. Once the strawberries thaw, start breaking them down gently.

4. In 15-20 minutes, the strawberry mixture starts thickening up and you can remove it from the stove. The consistency should resemble the consistency of a jam.

5. Let the homemade strawberry jam cool down before spreading it on top of the crust.

6. Place the tart back in the fridge.

For the chocolate layer:

1. The chocolate layer is in fact a chocolate ganache. First, break the chocolate into small pieces and put them in a heatproof bowl.

2. Next, pour the coconut milk in a pan and place it on the stove at medium heat. The goal is to heat the milk without letting it boil.

3. Once you notice tiny bubbles appear at the edges of the pan, remove it from the stove.

4. Pour the heated coconut milk on top of the chocolate and wait for 2 minutes before starting mixing. That way, you allow the heat to spread evenly to the chocolate.

5. Mix well until you obtain a smooth consistency.

6. Pour the chocolate ganache on top of the strawberry layer.

7. Allow the ganache to cool down at room temperature. The chocolate ganache on top will start to slowly firm up.

8. As a final step, get creative and decorate with fresh fruit. Your chocolate strawberry tart is ready to wow your guests!

Remarks:

1. You can prepare the chocolate tart using a different kind of fruit jam: raspberry, orange, clementine, and so on. The principle stays the same, you only need to replace the fruit layer in the recipe with your jam of choice!

2. Feel free to use any kinds of dates and nuts for the crust. Only remember to that Medjool dates are bigger than most types of dates and you need to adjust the recipe accordingly!

3. Personally, I like the bitterness of the dark chocolate and I believe it combines perfectly with the tartness of the jam. In case you have a strong sweet tooth, try adding a sweetener, such as maple syrup or honey, to the chocolate ganache.