When I first expressed interest in improving my health, my best friend gave me the Oh She Glows cookbook for inspiration. Honestly, it sat on the shelf for over a year. The recipes were so intimidating! However, after experimenting with soaked cashews in my Corn Chowder Recipe, I was finally ready to try the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte. I hadn’t tried it yet because it seemed so complicated. And with some of the epic fails I have had with other “healthy” desserts, this recipe sounded too good to be true. Combining chocolate, hazelnuts, and cashews? Yes, please!

Since completing my Whole30, my tastebuds are different than everyone else’s. Without dairy or a lot of added sugar, foods that I think are amazing make others a little nervous. In other words, sweets don’t taste as sweet to them. With this in mind, I was really concerned about serving this to my non allergy family. How would they feel about a rich, silky dessert made without any processed sugar or dairy? They loved it! Of course, this recipe was a hit with vegans and meat eaters alike!

Despite how easy the recipe actually was to make, it does take a couple of days to complete. First you have to soak the cashews for at least 4 hours, if not overnight. Next you create your crust and the filling. Finally, you have to wait for it to set. Another night of waiting? Now that’s the hard part! Consequently, patience is actually the most important ingredient!

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
From The Oh She Glows Cookbook
Ingredients:
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte Crust
3/4 cup raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte Filling
1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked at least 4 hours
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Instructions – Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Coat a pie plate lightly in coconut oil / non-stick spray.
3. Blend hazelnuts into a fine crumb / sand texture.
4. Add oil, maple syrup, salt and oat flour and process until the dough comes together.
5. Next add rolled oats and pulse until they are chopped but still have texture. (Mixture should stick together slightly when pressed between your fingers, but shouldn’t be super-sticky.)
6. Pour mixture into pie dish.
7. Starting from the middle, press the crust firmly and evenly into the dish, including up the sides. The harder you press the crumbs, the better the crust will hold together.
8. Poke some holes into the bottom to let steam escape.
9. Bake the crust, uncovered, for 10 – 13 minutes, until lightly golden.
10. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Instructions – Filling

1. Drain and rinse the cashews.
2. Blend the soaked cashews, maple syrup, oil, cocoa powder, melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt on high until the filling is completely smooth. If the blender needs more liquid to get it going, add a tablespoon of almond milk (or a bit more) to help it along.
3. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
4. Smooth the top evenly.
5. Place the pie dish on an even surface in the freezer, uncovered.
6. Freeze for a couple of hours.
7. Cover the dish and freeze overnight, or for a minimum of 4-6 hours.
8. Remove pie from the freezer and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Pro tips:
*Before you freeze, you can garnish your pie with oats, coconut, or chopped hazelnuts.
*Serve with homemade coconut whipped cream, chopped hazelnuts, or shaved chocolate.
*Wrap leftover slices individually and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for 1 to 1 1/2 weeks.
*Turn the pie into freezer fudge by only making the filling!

XOXO,
Tiffany