This simple but delicious dessert recipe is ideal if you want to impress friends or family. A sweet ‘flapjack’ casing with a rich, creamy, chocolate and caramel filling, you’d never guess the secret ingredients – sweet potato and butternut squash! Blended with cacao and Beloved date nectar, these work a treat and the result is a wonderfully indulgent (but clean, of course) treat to satisfy even the most hardcore sweet tooth!
Before I continue with the recipe, let me just tell you a bit more about Beloved Date nectar. Made from hand-picked dates sourced in Oman, these are a rich source of natural minerals and antioxidants, making this a nutritious alternative to honey and agave syrup.
With a delicate but distinct flavour, the date nectar tastes absolutely delicious poured over things like protein pancakes or porridge, or added to hot drinks. Plus of course, it works wonderfully in healthy baking as a natural sweetener for recipes! Versatile, suitable for vegetarians, 100% natural and no added sugar (contains naturally occurring sugar from dates) – what more could you want from a product?
Ingredients
Oat base:
- 75g rolled oats (I used Mornflake)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (I used Lucy Bee)
- 2 tbsp Beloved date nectar
- 2 tbsp prunes
- ½ tsp caramel extract
Melt the coconut oil and date nectar on a low heat. Blitz the prunes in a high power blender so you have an almost-smooth paste, then add this to the oats, caramel extract and melted liquids. Mix together until you have a sticky consistency and it holds together, then press into 4 large loose-bottomed tartlet cases – make sure the base is covered and all around the sides. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Filling:
- 200g mixture of sweet potato and butternut squash chunks (peeled)
- 2 tbsp raw cacao powder (I used Kaizen Living, of course!)
- 50g silken tofu (I used Mori-Nu)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp Beloved date nectar
- ½ tsp caramel extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Meanwhile make the ‘mousse’: Steam the sweet potato and butternut squash chunks until soft, then drain and leave to cool. Add to blender and whizz up until smooth. Melt the coconut oil and date nectar on a low heat, leave to cool a little, then add to the blender along with the tofu, caramel and vanilla extract and cacao powder. Whizz again until you have a smooth, creamy consistency. Leave to chill in the fridge.
Ready to serve?
Remove the oat cases from the tin and arrange on a plate. Spoon some of the mousse into the middle of each (be generous!) then sprinkle with cacao nibs and goji berries – add whatever you want, dessicated coconut, nuts and other fruits work well too. Now get digging in!
Be sure to follow these guys on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more #datelicious news and updates!