Confession time (again).

Sometimes I worry that my hands will permanently smell like garlic.

So on days when I’m feeling extra worried, I suddenly get “inspired” to lay off the savory and try my hand at something sweet (well glory!).

Confession number two.

I hate baking. Hate it. I married a sweets lover, and he married a person who loves to eat sweets but hates making sweets more than she hates doing laundry. And that’s saying a lot.

But because I love my husband, I will make something sweet every once in a while. I think my hatred for baking is centered around the precision that it requires. I’m more of a “little bit of this and little bit of that” type person who rarely measures anything at all.

Enter the triple chocolate vegan tarte. It’s a game changer. Especially for all the baking haters out there.

This tarte needs no time in the oven whatsoever, and it honestly doesn’t require the precise measuring that baking requires. And as an added bonus, it’s vegan! I’m not vegan, but this is delicious. Even my meat-and-potatoes husband loves it. This is the perfect summer time (or any time, really) treat!

The inspiration came from this Neapolitan no bake tarte that I made for the Mr. a couple of weeks ago. He loves Neapolitan ice cream, and that recipe was the perfect healthy alternative. It is made with cashew cream in lieu of dairy, and it’s absolutely delicious. I even bought the ingredients to make it again this weekend at my husband’s request.

Well. My strawberries went bad overnight. Literally, overnight. I bought them Saturday night, and by Sunday morning every single one of them was covered in mold. How this happened, I have no idea. I’ve never seen anything like it. But when life gives you moldy strawberries, you turn a Neapolitan tarte into a triple chocolate tarte, right?

Honestly, this recipe was not born from some kind of culinary inspiration. It was born from necessity and a bit of panic. I’d already soaked the cashews overnight (a necessary step in making cashew cream), and didn’t want to throw them away with the strawberries. So I made up plan B on the fly.

Thus, a star was born. Welcome to the world, triple chocolate vegan tarte. And guys, it’s really easier than it sounds. Don’t let the whole cashew cream thing scare you away from trying it.

A crunchy, chewy, nutty crust and a creamy, chocolatey filling topped with more chocolate? Sign me up. Oh by the way, it’s also gluten free, paleo, and vegan. I’ll go ahead and sign you up too. Trust me on this.

Bon appétit!

Triple Chocolate Vegan Tarte
Serves 6

For the crust:

1 cup raw cashews

2/3 cup dates

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp water

For the cashew cream:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 tbsp honey (or agave for vegan)

2 to 3 tbsp cocoa powder (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

Topping:

2-3 tbsp Dairy-free mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Place raw cashews and 2 tbsp cocoa powder in a food processor. Pulse until cashews are roughly chopped.
2. Add dates to food processor and pulse until ingredients are well combined and form a crumbly mixture. Stream in 1 tbsp water while food processor is on.
3. Scrape crust mixture into a greased 8 inch pie dish or tarte pan and press out very firmly, lining the bottom and sides of the pan evenly. Go about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the pan with the mixture.
4. Strain soaked cashews and add them to a small food processor with almond milk, honey, vanilla extract, cocoa powder and salt.
5. Process for 7-8 minutes or until completely smooth, scraping the sides down as needed.
6. Pour mixture into crust and spread evenly. Top with mini chocolate chips.
7. Place in freezer for 3-4 hours, or until cashew cream is set.
8. Allow the tarte to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.
9. Enjoy!