*A note before the blog: I have updated my cherry cordials recipe with notes on how to make sure the centers liquify and included a new picture from my latest batch with liquified centers.
Without realizing it, I scheduled a sandwich bread recipe to post today, Valentine’s Day, which included no mention of love or chocolate, or even an apology for giving a bread recipe on the international day of love. So I hurriedly snapped pictures of our dessert today so that I could atone for my sins. ;)
Usually I steer clear of desserts that don’t include real butter, sugar (preferably more than one kind), and white flour. But I’m discovering that not all sweet treats need to be loaded with fat and processed sugar and flour to taste good.
I made this chocolate torte for our Valentine’s Day dessert and we both loved it with a little whipped cream on top. It is soft, moist, and almost fudgy because of the dates. The recipe was born of a mistake, having used dates instead of the prunes it originally called for. I really liked the result, but will be trying it with prunes next time, which I think will give it more of a cake consistency. With the dates, it’s somewhere between and a brownie and a cake. It definitely tastes healthier than regular full-fat and full-sugar desserts, but not in an off-putting way. It is probably my favorite diet-friendly dessert to date! That it has natural, whole-food ingredients like dates and whole wheat flour is as an added bonus and makes me feel like I’m almost eating health-food.
Chocolate Torte
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture
1/3 cup cocoa powder, plus 1 tsp for dusting
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup strong, hot coffee
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp egg substitute or 1 egg white
2 tsp vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350˚. Coat a 9″ tart pan with cooking spray. Dust with 1 tsp cocoa. Set aside. Combine dates and coffee in a large bowl. Set aside to cool. Sift remaining 1/3 cup cocoa, flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a small bowl and stir. To the date mixture, add sugar, applesauce, egg substitute and vanilla and stir until combined. Pour dry mixture into the wet and stir until combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out mostly clean, about 25 minutes. Cool completely before removing and slicing. Serve with whipped cream.
Serves 8. Per slice: 153 calories; .7 fat; 43 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 3 g protein
Recipe source: adapted from Self
I give an A plus for effort! I just can’t seem to get a grasp on dessert this way. There is chocolate in it though.. and coffeee… hmmm
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Kim, don’t do it unless you have to! It takes some getting used to, but when you’re not eating dessert very often, things like this are a huge treat. I’m kind of in love with it right now.
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mmm….I love chocolate! That looks so good!! That is so crazy how we cook/bake the same things!!!! We are foodie twins!
I’m actually not as hard core as you think….I’m only running the half marathon. :)
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I love it–foodie twins! We totally are. Well, even a half is hard core in my book! You go, girl!
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Yum, yum, yummy!
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You’re right, this isn’t as unhealthy as it looks. I am NOT a coffee drinker so do you taste the coffee at all? I’ve always been scared to put it in desserts.
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No, couldn’t taste the coffee at all. Many chocolate desserts, esp lighter ones, have a bit of coffee in them b/c it intensifies the chocolate flavor. I chose to use strong coffee and even then, still couldn’t taste it. However, you could just use hot water if you don’t have any coffee.
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I also made a lighter dessert for Valentine’s Day, but yours really looks delicious and fudgey!
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this looks great! I usually see recipes with the dates pureed. Interesting that these arent
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I know, and it practically killed me not to puree them, but I didn’t for fear it might mess up the texture. I think it would have been OK, though, and maybe made these even fudgier.
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