Writing has got to be the most sedentary of occupations, right? So riddle me this… why on earth do I end up so damned peckish during the day?
If I was a tradie or someone moving all day to make a living (how’s that for a good “catch-all” descriptor?) it’d make sense.
And sure, I go for a pretty damned vigourous bike ride most afternoons. But before that, my writer’s workday goes a little something like this:
Make coffee #1… sit down… write… stand up… go to bathroom… make coffee #2… sit back down… write some more… remember that coffee does not = water and I need to get in my 1.5 litre daily intake… stand up… walk to tap and fill water bottle… sit down… write some more… drink most of the bottle of water… stand up… go to bathroom and remind myself that pacing is all important when it comes to water consumption… sit down… write some more… stand up… make coffee # 3 because why stop now? etc etc.
Calories burnt? I reckon about 32. At the most. Yet I’m starving. Surely my brain doesn’t require that much energy? And yet, apparently it does. Who knew writing could be such a hungry job.
Solution as follows: my patented delicious (yes really) vegan and gluten free, never-fail chocolate tart. Surely that can’t be TOO bad for me… right?
MAGICALLY EASY AND QUICK CHOCOLATE TART THAT CAN BE VEGAN AND/OR GLUTEN FREE
Ingredients
For the base
- 350g digestive biscuits (substitute gluten free and/or vegan if going GF or V)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp plain flour (substitute GF flour if going GF)
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 125-175g butter, plus extra for the tin (use vegan butter if going vegan)
For the filling
- 2 x 400g cans coconut cream, chilled
- 200g dark chocolate (vegan, GF if required)
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
To serve (optional)
- dollop cream (vegan if required)
- raspberries
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C fan forced. Crush the biscuits by pulsing in a food processor. Mix in the cocoa powder, flour, syrup and enough vegan margarine or butter to create a crumbly dough that holds together in a clump when you squeeze a bit together between your fingers.
- Butter a 23cm loose bottom tart tin and press the mixture into the tin, up to the top of the tin.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 mins, then leave to cool in the tin.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Open the cans of coconut cream which will have separated with the thick coconut at the top, and the coconut water underneath. Scoop out the cream, and discard the water (or use it to make a smoothie or a laksa soup) and tip the thick coconut into a bowl.
- Break the dark chocolate into pieces and melt in the microwave on high in 10-second bursts, stirring in between, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until smooth.
- Add the coconut along with the golden syrup and whisk together, beating hard until there are no lumps of coconut left. May need to use the hand processor to make it super smooth – don’t want any little white flecks through the sauce. It should look lovely and chocolatey smooth!
- Pour the filling over the base of the tart and put in the fridge to set for 3-4 hrs, or overnight.
- Serve with raspberries and cream.
- Will keep in the fridge for three days – it actually tastes even better one or two days after baking.
