Chocolate Orange Mousse Tart (V,GF)

It’s no mystery that chocolate and orange are a match made in heaven! So I thought it was about time to bring them together in a healthy raw treat.

Ever since the start of the citrus season I’ve been stuffing my face with all kinds of different citrus fruits. Oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit, sweet lemon, tangerine, lime, lemon, you name it 😀 My fridge is filled with at least 3 varieties at all times and I incorporate them into meals in different ways. I enjoy eating them on their own and in salads, but best of all I love using the zest in desserts! The zing and pop of flavor it adds to dishes is just unbeatable!

I added orange zest to both the crust and the chocolate mousse filling to further enhance and brighten up the flavors, and topped it with some orange slices mostly for the visual appeal 😉

Oranges are one of the most common fruits out there, but very few people consume the peel, which is arguably the healthiest part of the fruit. Orange peels are rich in phytochemicals and flavonoids, that help fight free-radical damage in the body and prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. They also contain higher amounts of vitamin C than the flesh and are rich in nutrients like calcium, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, folate, other B vitamins, and fiber (1).

When you’re using the zest of citrus fruits it’s always best to go organic. Oranges have been found to contain 12 pesticide residues according to the USDA Pesticide Data Program (2) and these will be concentrated on the outer peel.

Chocolate Orange Mousse Tart Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup dates, pitted
Zest from 1/2 orange
Pinch of unrefined sea salt

Filling

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for minimum of 2 hours
1 cup coconut cream
4 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Zest from 1/2 orange
Pinch of unrefined sea salt

Directions

Line an 8″ tart pan with parchment paper
FOR THE CRUST: Pulse all crust ingredients in a food processor until it breaks down into a crumbly sticky dough. Firmly press mixture into tart pan and place in the fridge or freezer to harden
FOR THE FILLING: Meanwhile, prepare the filling by adding all ingredients to the food processor or blender and blend for 1 minute or longer until super smooth
ASSEMBLE: Pour the filling over the crust and return to the fridge. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until filling has set and become firm. Garnish with orange slices or shaved dark chocolate and enjoy!