Chocolate. Can I say one word? Because…..CHOCOLATE…….. says it all. You agree, right? Excellent, my writing for today is done. Well, maybe not, since I admit that wouldn’t be fair. As much as it would get me off the hook from typing this post, and back to eating my Decadent Dark Chocolate Dessert, I understand you need to know much more about this blissful treat. It’s just I find it hard to put in words how fabulously indulgent it tastes.
These heavenly little pots have a texture that melts in our mouth like buttery ganache. You know, that sweet, sensual center inside a dark chocolate truffle. Let yourself just linger with that thought for a bit.
Now that you have had a moment of rapture let’s talk about the type of chocolate. Premium dark chocolate is first and foremost in this recipe. Thus, it’s essential to choose chocolate with a percentage of 80-90%. Fortunately, any good chocolate will state the percentage right on the label. Here’s a little peek at the Endangered Species Chocolate I like. Feel free to use a different one as long as it’s at least 80% pure chocolate and vegan.
Do you want to know a secret? Although this recipe has none of the usual cream, egg yolks, or refined sugar found in a pot de creme, it’s every bit as rich and silky tasting. Instead, I have replaced the less healthy ingredients with creamy, fresh raw cashews and pure maple syrup.
So, I have to tell you how perfectly the raw cashews and maple syrup contribute. They carry the dark chocolate, mitigating its bitterness, and add a caramel-like smoothness. Plus, they make the chocolate soft enough to scoop onto your greedy little spoon. Most importantly, the beauty in both is what’s missing. There are none of the awful, fuzzy-headed, jittery feelings I get from indulging in rich chocolate desserts loaded with white sugar and denatured ingredients.
Once you taste your intense dark chocolate dessert, you can make a decision. I’ve given the suggestion of topping it with coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. It’s a marvelous combination and my favorite way of enjoying it. However, for those hedonists out there, free to eat it naked. Just type up your will before you eat it straight off the spoon. After all, the phrase died and gone to heaven, was made for this chocolate indulgence.
Decadent Dark Chocolate Dessert
Ingredients
Decadent Dark Chocolate Dessert
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 3 TB cornstarch
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 4 oz. 80-90% dark chocolate
Optional Topping
- 1 1/2 cups whipped coconut cream
- 1/4 cup toasted sweet and salty coconut chips
Instructions
- Break chocolate into squares or chop into chunks.
- Blend raw cashews and water until perfectly smooth. This usually takes about 2 minutes processed on high in a powerful blender.
- Add maple syrup, salt and vanilla to blender. Turn on to low speed. With motor running, add cornstarch. Mix briefly until blended.
- Pour mixture in sauce pan. Cook while whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened. Take care not to burn bottom of mixture. Turn heat off but keep the pan on burner.
- Add chopped chocolate all at once. Stir vigorously with a spatula. Scrape bottom of pan and mix until chocolate is smooth and completely melted.
- Pour into 6 one half cup ramekins. Smooth the top of each Decadent Dark Chocolate Dessert immediately after pouring into dish. Chill until set.
- Serve as is, or with whipped coconut cream and toasted coconut flakes.
