 |
To start the New Year out right, I made a gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free flourless chocolate torte that’s healthier than most. What’s a holiday without dessert? A few bites of this smooth, dense chocolatey tart won’t ruin your New Year’s Resolutions.
And for those of you who haven’t taken the plunge and bought gluten-free flours, don’t worry. You can still whip this up.
For the ‘powdered sugar’ I whirled coconut and a little erythritol in a clean coffee grinder. You get a powdered sugar-like effect. It’s gorgeous.
This Year at SS&GF: What Do You Want to See?
Last year, I told you my plans for the blog. This year, I’d like to know what you’d like to see here. I have some ideas rolling around in my head, but really this blog wouldn’t be here without you. So, share your thoughts in the comments section.
My Book: An Update
Today was supposed to be the big day. Well, we’re on a slight delay. Instead of rushing, my editor decided to take a little more time and make my book the best it can be. (I love her!) My book should be out mid-January.
I’ve received e-mails from many of you looking forward to starting your New Year with healthier recipes. Don’t fret – my book will be here before you know it. And, my blog is full of recipes that can help you get started. If you have a question please *leave it in the comments* - this lets others with the same question see my answer instead of me answering the same question in e-mails 10 times.
Other Healthier Recipes
- Coconut Chicken Soup from Elana’s Pantry
- Easy Oven Omelet (dairy-free) from The Spunky Coconut
- Vegetarian Veggie Burgers from Diet, Dessert, & Dogs
- Healing Quinoa Cabbage Soup from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
- Moist & Herb-y Turkey Burgers from Tasty Eats at Home
- Roasted Carrot Hummus from She Let Them Eat Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 (15 ounce) can low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid vanilla stevia
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons eythritol
- 1 (8-inch) paper doiley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.
- Put the applesauce and chocolate into a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until chocolate is melted. Set aside.
- Place the garbanzo beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse several times to combine then process until smooth. Scrape down bowl and add melted chocolate and applesauce, sift cocoa powder into the bowl, add palm sugar, espresso powder, and stevia. Pulse several times, then process until smooth scraping bowl several times to make sure everything’s mixed well.
- Turn batter into prepared pan. Set pan on a baking sheet and bake for 18 – 22 minutes just until the center is set. Be careful not to over bake or the edges will be dry. Run a thin, offset spatula between the cake and the pan then let cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Remove the outer rim and then let cool competely.
- Put the coconut and erythritol in a coffee or spice grinder. Grind until powdery. Don’t over grind or you’ll have a paste.
- Once cake is cool, center doiley on cake. Use a fine mesh strainer to sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake. Carefully remove the doiley. Slice and serve.
|
Cristina
posted on January 1, 2011 at 11:11 am
Yum! This looks so goos and grain-free1 i like that.
[Reply]
Ricki
posted on January 1, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Amy, it’s gorgeous! I love that you whirred coconut for the same effect as powdered sugar. And yes, we are all impatiently awaiting your book, but of course it’s more important that it’s done right! Hope you, Joe and the pack all had a fabulous New Year’s!
xo
[Reply]
Miz Helen
posted on January 1, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Miz Amy,
The Torte is beautiful. I love the doiley, I see you found one. Hope you are having a great New Year’s Day!
[Reply]
Linda
posted on January 1, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Looks too pretty to eat…almost.
Happy New Year!
[Reply]
Kathy
posted on January 1, 2011 at 1:42 pm
I have a few questions: #1 what are eythritol, Dutch-processed cocoa powder & palm sugar? #2 What is the effect of garbonzo beans? I’ve never heard of using them in a cake recipe b4, just in salads (& I’m not even that fond of them LOL). #3 What if you don’t have a coffee or spice grinder? Would a food processor work? I so appreciate you teaching me & so glad you don’t mine a “newbies” questions, even when there are a bunch of them
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:50 pm
@Kathy, These are great questions, Kathy. Eythritol is a sugar alcohol – it’s carb-free, doesn’t register on the glycemic index, and isn’t supposed to have a laxative effect like other sugar alcohols. I use it almost never, mostly because the taste isn’t natural but you can’t taste it in my sugarless powdered sugar.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is a cocoa powder that’s been treated with an alkaline substance and raises the pH to 7 or an alkaline 8 (from On Food & Cooking by Harold McGee). It has a better flavor than regular cocoa – but if you can’t find any use Hershey’s or Ghiradelli’s regular cocoa.
The garbanzo beans make a really moist, dense chocolate torte. It’s just yummy.
For the sugarless powdered sugar, I don’t think a food processor would work unless it was a mini one. A blender might work, too, but you might need to double or triple the recipe..
Hugs,
Amy
[Reply]
Bethany
posted on January 1, 2011 at 2:01 pm
Amy, you’ve outdone yourself! This is so brilliantly beautiful.
I’m not computer savvy, so I’m not sure if this is even possible… but if there is any way to make it so you can search recipes by ingredients, that would be helpful. That way, if I have cocoa powder and palm sugar to work with, I could search for those specifically and see what recipes pop up.
Does that make sense?
Even if that can’t happen, I absolutely adore your site and am so grateful for all you share with us. It sure does make it easier for those of us who are still in the beginnings of this lifestyle change.
Hugs and Happy New Year to you!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:41 pm
@Bethany, That’s a great suggestion, Bethany. I will check with my blog designer.
Hugs & Happy New Year to you!!
Amy
[Reply]
cheryl harris
posted on January 1, 2011 at 3:02 pm
congrats on the book. you must be beside yourself with glee!
[Reply]
Christine
posted on January 1, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to your book as well!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:32 pm
@Christine, Thanks, Christine! I so appreciate your support. It’ll be wonderful to actually have it in print.
Hugs,
Amy
[Reply]
Maggie
posted on January 1, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Amy, this looks incredible. Great pics. You’re so creative – coconut powdered sugar! I love it. Thank you for linking to my hummus! You’re lovely. I would be so happy if you’d keep doing what you’re doing. You’ve been such a good influence on me and my baking. I love learning from you – and I love it when we learn about your culinary experiences.
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:27 pm
@Maggie, The feeling is mutual, my friend. We need to schedule a Skype call.
Much love,
Amy
[Reply]
Linda
posted on January 1, 2011 at 9:33 pm
Happy New Year Amy! I always eagerly await your daily updates. The day wouldn’t be complete without them!
I am curious about, with a little trial and error myself, ideas on having recipes sweetener free perhaps except stevia? (carrots, raisins, and gs apples are decent options so far, but slow goings!)
Enjoy the beautiful new year and all of its blessings!
Linda
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:26 pm
@Linda, I’ve been rolling that idea around in my head for weeks. The problem I typically have with solely stevia-sweetened baked goods are that the texture is off and sometimes the flavor is off, too. When I eat dessert, I want to enjoy it. Lately I’ve been using less added sweetener with some stevia. I like how they work together. But, I’m sure I’ll surprise myself and come up with something wonderful.
I do have a sweetener free recipe for you later this week, though.
The cookies are totally yummy.
Happy New Year!
Amy
[Reply]
Nisrine | Dinners & Dreams
posted on January 2, 2011 at 11:23 am
Amy, I make a flourless cake similar to this one but I like the additon of applesauce, garbanzo beans and espresso here. This is a healthy and gorgeous dessert to start the year with.
[Reply]
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
posted on January 2, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Happy New Year, Amy! Looking forward to what you have to show us in 2011!
Your last coupla recipes have been AWESOME!
[Reply]
Selina@CreativeJuicesDecor
posted on January 3, 2011 at 10:35 am
Ah – this looks so dense! I really am not a “cakey” cake eater (wow, some type of sweet that I don’t like!) But this definately looks delish.
Hope your New Year was fun and relaxing!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@Selina@CreativeJuicesDecor, It was definitely relaxing. I was asleep before 10 pm. Gone are the days when seeing the New Year in is important.
Happy New Year to you, too!
[Reply]
The Teenie Foodie
posted on January 3, 2011 at 11:34 am
This looks incredible… what an indulgent start to the year! I would love to serve this with some soy cream and rasberries… mmm!
Happy new year
Teenie Foodie
[Reply]
Erin Elberson Lyon
posted on January 4, 2011 at 8:57 am
Amy, this looks awesome, and I happen to have a birthday this weekend…this may have to be my birthday cake!
So incredible on the book. Can’t wait to see it in my grubby little paws!
Happy New Year my friend!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 6:38 pm
@Erin Elberson Lyon, Happy birthday, Erin!! We’re both January babies…I have one coming up soon, too.
I might even make myself a cake, but I might be so busy that I will be happy with a decent meal. (You know how that goes…)
Happy New Year to you, too!
Hugs,
Amy
[Reply]
Alta
posted on January 4, 2011 at 6:49 pm
This looks so pretty! Do you think one could substitute the chickpeas with cooked white beans?
Happy New Year!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
@Alta, I don’t see why not. Chickpeas might be a little more fibrous so the batter could be thinner with white beans. It would just take a little longer to bake.
Hugs,
Amy
[Reply]
JT Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 8:53 am
@Amy,
My wife made something similar for Christmas and used chickpea flour. It could have fooled anyone.
[Reply]
Lily
posted on March 12, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Is there anything I could use to substitute for the eggs and still have it come out with the right consistency?
I am allergic to casein. THANK YOU!
Lily
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
March 14th, 2011 at 9:13 am
@Lily, There are a lot of eggs in this…the eggs help leaven the cake so I’d be hesitant to say use a flax/applesauce combo unless you add extra baking powder. What might work is Ener-g Egg Replacer because it leavens and acts like an egg. What egg substitutes do you usually use?
Hugs,
Amy
[Reply]
Hannah
posted on August 28, 2011 at 9:39 am
I made this for my birthday cake last night, and everyone loved it! It isn’t a very big cake, but a tiny sliver is all you need because it’s so rich and delicious. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you so much for your delicious recipes!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
August 29th, 2011 at 9:53 am
@Hannah, So glad you enjoyed the cake! It’s an 8-inch round and since it’s a torte it’s not a big cake at all. It’s not meant to be. I agree – once slice is enough.
Hugs,
Amy
[Reply]
Jennifer E.
posted on April 8, 2012 at 2:29 pm
I love this recipie, I do not need to eat gluten or cane sugar free but love to play with recipies and make them healthier. Made 4 of these tortes, making 2 double layer tortes seperated by a layer of raspberry filling (fresh raspberry puree, stivia and cornstach) and topped both tortes with fresh chocolate whipped cream frosting (whipping cream, liquid vanilla stivia and cocoa) and a few fresh raspberries… This dessert was so pretty and went well with Easter dinner, and though the cakes are small, a little goes a long way, the torte is so dense a sliver of a slice is satisfying. Thank you for this great site!!
[Reply]
bethanna
posted on June 14, 2012 at 4:01 pm
This recipe looks delicious. i will definitely try it when I am finished studying for my exams.
[Reply]
Rhonda Webb
posted on May 17, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Made it, it’s fabulous! And very quick and easy! Good enough to take to a potluck or to serve to company.
[Reply]