Thursday 18 February 2021

Cook With AGS - Vegan Sugar-free Chocolate & Berry Cake

This rich, healthy cake is absolute proof that delicious sweet treats can and do exist without butter and sugar! For our plant-based followers, consider this your definitive year-round dessert recipe. And for our dairy-loving friends, please do give this a try. It doesn’t get richer or more delicious than Christina Kotsileliou’s perfect chocolate cake.

Do be certain to tag us if you make this celebratory cake with #CookwithAGS @ancientgreeksandals

Vegan Sugar-Free Chocolate & Berry Cake

Ingredients are for a 25cm diameter springform cake tin

Crust ingredients:
100g oats (or 1 cup)
80g hazelnuts
50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp cocoa powder
4 tbsp coconut oil
130g pitted medjool dates (or about 2/3 of a cup)
3-4 tbsp water

Method:
1. Place the oats, hazelnuts, cocoa and chocolate into a food processor and blitz until they are the texture of rough sand.
2. Reserve this mixture in a bowl, and re-use your food processor to blend the dates, coconut oil, and as much water as you need to achieve the consistency of a thick paste (3-4 tbsp).
3. Add the wet paste to the dry ingredients in your bowl, and mix thoroughly with a spatula until it is sticky and can be easily formed with your hands.
4. Line the bottom of your cake tin with greaseproof paper.
5. Using your hands, press the mixture evenly into the tin to cover the bottom, and smooth the top so you have an even surface. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge.

Chocolate ganache ingredients:
1 can of coconut milk (400ml)
400g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Method:
1. Place the chocolate and the coconut milk into a bain-marie, and melt until you have a smooth, silky cream.
2. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of your cake base, smooth with a spatula and refrigerate.

Berry layer ingredients:
200g blackberries
20g lemon juice
200g raw cashews (soaked in water overnight and drained)
90g maple syrup
70g melted coconut oil

Method:
1. In the food processor, combine the cashews, blackberries, lemon juice and maple syrup and puree on high until smooth.
2. Slowly pour in the coconut oil to emulsify.
3. Pour over the prepared chocolate cake and freeze for two hours until set, then place it back in the fridge.

Remove the cake from the fridge 10 minutes before serving, then top with fresh berries and edible flowers, if you have them! Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries make perfect toppings.

Enjoy!