Chocolate Avocado Mousse Tartlets (gf)

This is one of my favourite desserts for dinner parties, and is the perfect match for fresh summer berries. The tarts have a big, rich chocolate flavour. BASE ¾ cup dried dates, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes then drained well

¾ cup raw pecans

1 cup ground almonds (almond meal)

1 tablespoon flaxseeds ½ cup dark cocoa powder pinch sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract MOUSSE 2 ripe avocados ⅓ cup dark cocoa powder 5 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch sea salt ¼ cup coconut milk TO SERVE fresh raspberries edible flowers Preheat the oven to 160°C. Generously grease 8 holes of a 12-hole standard muffin tin. BASE:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well mixed and relatively even in consistency. The mixture should stick together when pressed between 2 fingers. Blitz with 1 tablespoon of water if it isn’t sticky enough.

Use your hands to press into the muffin tin and create tart cases that are even in thickness. Take a little time with this step; it will make a big difference to the end product. I like to leave the top edges a little bit uneven and rustic but you can cut clean edges with a knife if you prefer. Prick the bottom of each case twice with a fork.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Leave for 5-10 minutes before removing from the tin and placing on a rack to cool. It’s important to do this step while the tin is still warm as it makes the bases much easier to remove. MOUSSE:

Scoop all the flesh out of the avocados. Place in a blender with the other mousse ingredients. Blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill and let the flavours settle.

Fill the tart cases 30 minutes before serving. Store in the fridge until 10 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with raspberries and edible flowers to serve.

The tarts can be stored in the fridge for 2 days in an airtight container. MAKES 8 TARTS