Recipes > Triple Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut Frozen Torte
Chocolate. Espresso. Hazelnut. Torte. Need we say more? And believe it or not, this decadent torte's secret ingredient is avocados, but you'd never know it.
Susan Powers
- Serves: 8 to 14
- Active Time: 1 hr
- Total Time: 5 hrs
- Views: 15,704
- Success Rating: 63% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Making the Crust
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts*
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 4 dates, soaked until soft (reserve soaking liquid)
Method
To make the crust, place all ingredients in food processor, pulse until coarsely chopped.
Note: To get more flavor out of raw hazelnuts, place them into a dehydrator set to 115°F for two hours before using.
When done, the mixture should hold together when pinched between your fingers. If it does not, add the reserved soaking liquid, by the teaspoon, until it does.
Step 2: Making the Filling
- 1/2 cup hazelnut butter
- 2 avocados
- 1 cup hazelnut milk (or almond milk)
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/2 cup raw agave or liquid sweetener of choice*
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Method
To make the filling, start by making the hazelnut butter. Place 1 cup of hazelnuts into a food processor. Process until the fats release and you have a nice, soft butter. You will have to scrape down the sides of the food processor often.
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until well blended. There should be no chunks of avocado remaining. Pour the mixture over the crust and freeze for at least 3 hours, or until set.
Note: Maple syrup works well in this recipe; however, it is not considered raw. That being said, It is still often used in raw desserts.
Step 3: Making the Ganache
- 1/2 cup raw agave syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
Method
To make the ganache, whisk together agave, cacao, coconut oil and espresso powder. Stir in the hazelnuts.
Step 4: Finishing the Torte
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
Method
To finish, evenly spread the the ganache over the set filling and top with the remaining nuts.
Return the torte to the freezer until completely set.
To serve the torte, use a long slicing knife, warmed in hot and then dried, to get a nice clean slice.
27 Comments
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Can the oil be left out? -
Or is there a substitute for oil, butter or margarine?
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Lilia - thanks for your question. So you could substitute the coconut oil with a butter substitute but I worry about the smooth consistency of the ganache. You could use butter in the recipe but then it wouldn't be a true plant-based recipe. A third option is to omit the oil - which will make the gauche more of a frosting vs. a pourable ganache; but still delicious! Let me know how your results turn out! Thanks for learning with Rouxbe Lilia - Chef Kirk -
Why espresso powder? Why not a espresso? -
Rouxbe Staff
Espresso powder is called for for two reasons, 1) for consistency (versus asking people to make a 'strong' cup of coffee), and 2) to minimize liquid and concentrate flavor. -
What size pan is used in this recipe? -
Rouxbe Staff
This one looks to be 6" in diameter. Any feedback from you, Elaine, would be much appreciated! Thank you!
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I've made this torte last weekend. The instructions were very easy and it turned out wonderful. I did however notice that the filling nor the crust harden up, even after refrigerating. I also noticed that the addition of coconut oil to the ganache made it solidify better. Would you suggest substituting half the of the avocado with a table spoon of coconut oil? Or even butter (since I am not too concerned with the all plants part)? I am not sure how to solidify crust better.
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Hi Ed and thanks for your comments. Much appreciated. Your instincts are right now - if the butter isn't a concern, your suggestion would definitely do the trick. The coconut oil approach as well. I look forward to hearing about your results. All the best and thanks for engaging with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk
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Is there a non vegan version of this...?
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Hi Jordan - I was able to find this vegan version of a similar recipe - I hope you enjoy! Thanks so much for cooking and baking with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk http://rawmazing.com/recipe/chocolate-espresso-hazelnut-frozen-torte/
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What is espresso power? And WHO is it used here?
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Hi Abigail and thanks for your question. So espresso powder is essentially a concentrated instant coffee. It's pretty strong. And it's not just coffee beans ground fine, rather coffee crystals that dissolve quickly in liquid. It's used primarily for baking and not for drinking like coffee. As for it's uses, it definitely enhances the rich, chocolate flavor of many desserts such as certain cakes, brownies and cookies. We typically use a very small amount to draw out the natural flavors of chocolate desserts. If you use more, (perhaps greater than a teaspoon) you might achieve a stronger coffee or mocha flavor. I hope this helps Abigail and thanks for cooking/baking with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk
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First of all, the recipe looks incredible, I can’t wait to try it.. Question :-) .. how do I preserve the tart? In the fridge, freezer? And before to serve, do you suggest to keep it at room temperature, or can it be served cold (fridge or freezer best)? Thanks so much, -
Hello Yu jung C, Wonderful questions. You will preserve the tart in the freezer when not serving. I have found the best success for me in pulling the tart to the fridge for a bit so that you are serving the tart cold partially Frozen/chilled. This will allow for a wonderful chilled texture while still able to use your fork ;) Thank you -
hi there for how much time can we freeze this tart? -
HI Vineeta! You can store this in the freezer for a couple months but you want to make sure that is really well sealed. Thanks, Lauren -
Can there be a substitute for the expresso? The recipe sounds fantastic! I love chocolate, but I don't care for coffee or the taste like my husband does. Can caco be used or another substitute? Thank you for your support. -
Hi Tina. You can simply leave out the espresso powder here. It is used like a flavoring in this recipe. It will still be very chocolately without adding extra cocoa/ cacao. When cooking for folks who do not want coffee in their food, I use a product called Pero which is a caffeine-free, chicory based "coffee drink." ....But it still tastes a lot like coffee so I am not sure if you would like this product. Enjoy! Lauren
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Thank you, Lauren. This helps me a lot. I look forward to making the torte. Tina K.
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This is one of the most decadent deserts I have ever enjoyed - with all the things I love; hazelnut butter, chocolate, almonds, avacados! Delightfully, creamy, smooth, and flavourful. I didnt use as much oil but otherwise exact. I made them for my sisters birthday party and they were a big hit! I added a fresh element - cherrys - to the serving plates. Beautiful! Thank you so much for this recipe. Will be doing this often. -
It s a frozen tort. You need to freeze it. :-) -
Hello Can the nut butter be increased to allow omission of the coconut oil? FOK no oil. -
Rouxbe Staff
Hi Ellen, Yes, you can increase the nut butter to replace the coconut oil; however, the texture will be a little softer because coconut oil sets up relatively hard at cooler temperatures.
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This torte is wonderful! I was surprised at how rich and full of flavor this was. I had never made my own nut butter before and couldn't believe how easy it was to do. I had also never used avocado in a sweet application and was so impressed with how well it worked! My torte was made without the espresso powder - I simply couldn't find any at the store, but was still delightful. I will try and get my hands on some espresso powder before I make this again as I would like to see how it enhances the chocolate flavor even further. This torte was a chocolate lovers heaven - delicious and decadent (but also refreshing) on a hot day . I absolutely loved it and will certainly make again and again! -
Hello! This looks SO YUMMY! I am soaking the nuts, getting everything ready to make this beautiful torte! I was wondering if it was OK to reduce the quantity of sweetener if one has high diabetes? Thank you :)
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Hi Rhea Maria, I don't think it would be a problem to reduce the sweetener, you may just need to adjust the consistency a bit. Also, just keep in mind it will alter the final flavor profile, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing!
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