Eat Recipes

COMO Shambhala Cuisine At Home – Cacao, Coconut, Raisin and Almond Tart

We share a delicious recipe for Cacao, Coconut, Raisin and Almond Tart from the COMO hotels and resorts first cookbook – The Pleasures of Eating Well: Nourishing Favourites from the COMO Shambhala Kitchen

Most people consider eating chocolate a guilty pleasure. Think of it instead as just pure pleasure by using chocolate or cacao in its raw unadulterated state, which is rich in nutrients and highly beneficial to health. The cacao is packed with antioxidants, as are the grapes, which make this dessert a winner on every level.

Ingredients (serves 16)

ALMOND CACAO TART SHELL

160g/5½oz (2 cups) Flaked Almonds

75g/3oz (½ cup) Raisins

2  Tbsp Agave Nectar (G)

40g/1½oz (¼ cup) Cacao Butter (G)

1  tbsp Organic Palm Sugar (G)

1  tbsp  Raw Cacao Powder

1  Pinch sea salt

CACAO AND COCONUT FILLING

125ml (½ cup) Young Coconut Water

2  tbsp Agar Agar

2 Vanilla Beans (Pods), Split Lengthways and Seeds Scraped Out

435g/15oz (3 cups) Young Coconut Meat

225g/8oz (1 cup) Sliced Bananas

90g/3oz (⅓ cup) Agave Nectar (G)

70g/2½oz (⅓ cup) Organic Palm Sugar (G)

70g/2½oz (½ cup) Raw Organic Cacao Powder

120g/4½oz (¾ cup) Cacao Butter (G)

125ml (½ cup) Coconut Oil

Semi-Dried Grape Syrup

1kg/2¼LB  (6 cups) Seedless Red Grapes

150g/5oz (½ cup) Agave Nectar (G)

TO SERVE

165g/6oz (1 cup) Fresh Red or Black Seedless Grapes

160g/5½oz (1 cup) Semi-dried Grapes or Raisins Cacao Beans, Roughly Chopped

Method

1.To make the almond cacao tart shell, line a 28cm/11 inch tart tin(with a removable base) with clingfilm. Place the almonds in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 1 hour. 

2. Drain the almonds and process with the remaining ingredients in a food processor, using the pulse button until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up slightly.

3. Press the mixture into the base and sides of the prepared tart tin until 4mm/¼ inch thick. Dehydrate for 3 hours on 48°C/118°F. Alternatively, dry in an oven heated on its lowest setting.

4. To make the cacao and coconut filling, combine the young coconut water and agar agar and in a small saucepan and bring to the boil,whisking well. Then transfer to a blender, adding the scraped seeds of vanilla beans. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Fill the tart shell, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, or until set.

5. To make the semi-dried grape syrup, wash the grapes and remove from the stems. Place the grapes on a dehydrator and dry at 48ºC/118ºF for 18 to 20 hours, or until semi-dried. Combine 160g/5¼oz (1 cup) of semi-dried grapes with the nectar and store in a glass jar. Reserve the extra semi-dried grapes.

6. To serve, place a slice of the tart on a serving plate, slice the black grapes into rounds and scatter over the tart. Spoon over the semi-dried grape syrup, then top with crushed cacao beans and the extra semi-dried grapes.

The Pleasures of Eating Well

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