Chocolate tart with peppermint avocado cream

Last week the lovely Sarah and I ran a couple of cooking classes at The Chef’s Shop. We did a detox edition, with recipes designed to support the body’s innate detox pathways. Everything was plant-based and really easy to make with enough flavour to knock your socks off. When I say we, what I really mean is that Sarah did all the work and I stood next to her, sharing inappropriate jokes with our audience and taste testing to make sure she didn’t poison anyone. Not only did we all survive, but the feedback was great. Of everything she made, Sarah’s peppermint avocado cream was my favourite. It’s perfectly naturally sweet and creamy and it completely rocked my world.

Using avocado as a base for dessert is a really great way to reduce animal-based saturated fats and replace them with plant-based fats instead.

You’ll still have a high-calorie result, (so watch your portion size), but the fats can go to good use, actively nourishing your body instead of the opposite. Plant-based fats tend to be easier to digest — which is why you may be able to eat guacamole no problem, but get indigestion when you eat steak. Even better, avocados are rich in glutathione-producing nutrients, which support both phase one and phase two of liver detox. The fresh mint helps to soothe digestion too.

On the night, we served the peppermint cream with a chocolate chia blossom which had an amazing flavour but divided the room in terms of texture.

Desserts made with chia have an unmistakable texture, a bit like frogspawn really! Some people can get past that and other people can’t. Since then, we decided to test out the peppermint avocado cream with a sure thing instead — our raw chocolate tart. This is such a decadent recipe, and incredibly rich. The base is made with a medjool date and pecan dough and the ganache with maple syrup, coconut oil and cocoa. You just need a little as it’s dense, but because of that, it pairs amazingly with the cream. Chocolate and mint are a match made in dessert heaven, test it out this weekend and see if you agree!

Raw chocolate tart

Ingredients: (makes 1 small cheesecake mould)

Crust

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted

¾ cup medjool dates, pitted

¼ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

Large pinch sea salt

Ganache

1/3 c maple syrup

¼ c coconut oil, unrefined (extra virgin)

½ c unsweetened cocoa (or cacao)

Large pinch sea salt

Method:

1. Grease a tart or cheesecake pan with coconut oil and set aside.

2. In a food processor, pulse the dates, coconut, salt and pecans until broken down and you can pinch together the dough and it holds together.

3. Press dough into the mould, evenly on the bottom and short sides.

4. In a bowl or food processor, whisk ganache ingredients together. Adjust sweetness.

5. Pour into mould and set in the fridge or freezer. If freezer, take out 30 minutes before serving.

Peppermint avocado cream

Ingredients:

1 avocado

Liquid of choice (cashew milk, peppermint tea, water)

¼ c peppermint/mint leaves

3 tbs maple syrup or raw honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp lime juice

Method:

Start with a tablespoon or so of liquid. Blend all ingredients until completely smooth and there are no peppermint bits. Taste and add extra peppermint/liquid as necessary. Keeps for an hour or so in advance (before turning brown), or just whip it up on the spot!

•The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ nutrifitandnatural nutritionbermuda