This recipe is so decadent, so easy to make and such a crowd pleaser! It is not exactly low calorie since it is made with 4 slabs of dark chocolate but there is no added sugar, no added fat and is a gluten free dessert option. It is also so rich that you only need a small slice and you will be satisfied :)
A quick note on chocolate:
Don't be fooled that if you are having dark chocolate it is lower calories than milk chocolate because its not! When comparing the two, dark chocolate is lower in sugar than milk chocolate, however it is higher in fat.
Look at this comparison:
70% Lindt Dark chocolate per serving (4 squares):
250kcal
12g sugar (equivalent of 2 teaspoons)
19g total fat
12g saturated fat
Milk chocolate (41g serving):
219kcal
21.12g sugar (equivalent of 3.5 teaspoons sugar)
12g total fat
5.8g saturated fat
--> Remember that any chocolate is high in saturated fat and sugar so keep it as a treat and do not choose it as a snack option that forms part of your regular healthy eating pattern.
--> There is always room for treats or what i call "extras" within a healthy lifestyle. However, these foods do not offer nutritional benefit and are energy dense so must be eaten only in moderation.
Dark Chocolate Tart
Adapted from Discovery Healthy Cooking Course: Food for friends
Serves: 16
Preparation time: 20min, Cooking time: 35min
Ingredients
150g almonds, ground
150g dates (fresh or dried, pitted)
450g 70% Lindt dark chocolate
550ml low fat milk
3 eggs
1 small punnet seasonal berries to decorate
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Toast the ground almonds in the oven until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Chop up dates and remove the pips if they still have them.
Blend almonds and dates in a food processor until the mixture binds together in a smooth paste.
Spray a 20cm tart tin with cook & bake and line with the ground almond and date mixture by pressing it into a thin layer covering the base and sides (Tip: first press along the sides of the tin and then use the rest at the base. Don't go too far up the sides of the tin as it will burn).
Place the tin in the fridge until needed.
Heat the milk on the stove until it comes to the boil (tip: heat until you just see small bubbles coming through. Don't overboil as the milk will form a skin).
Pour the heated milk over the chocolate and whisk until all the chocolate has melted.
Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly before adding the eggs, which have been slightly hand whisked (tip: do not add eggs while the chocolate mixture is still hot as you will get scrambled eggs!)
Pour chocolate mixture into the tart shell. Place tart in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until set. The chocolate mixture should be set, but still have a slight wobble in the middle. Remove from the oven.
Allow to cool properly and then remove from the tin and decorate with fresh berries just before serving. (Tip: you can make this tart in advance and put it in the fridge or even the freezer if its ahead of time. However, I think it tastes best if made on the day and served without refrigerating as it is more of a mousse texture in comparison to a more solid tart if put in the fridge)
Enjoy! xxx