Raw cacao reishi cake recipe

To celebrate the wonder that is chocolate 🍫 and our love of medicinal mushrooms🍄, we asked Ana (Sweet Nourishments) to create a delicious cake incorporating both of these wonderful ingredients… she didn’t let us down.

Utensils

• Food processor
• 8’’ square baking dish (ideally with a removable bottom)
• Baking paper
• 2 Pots and bowls (for bain-maries – a bowl over a gently simmering pot)
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Measuring cups
• Spoons

Ingredients

A day ahead of making the cake…

• Place 2 tins of full-fat organic coconut milk in the fridge so the cream can separate.
  It is essential to leave about 12 hrs for this process to happen.

Chocolate-almond base

• 165g almonds
• 6 Medjool dates
• 25g 70% dark chocolate (use dairy-free for vegan alternative)
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (at room temperature)
• Pinch of salt

Chocolate mousse layer

• 110g cacao butter
• 5 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 5 tbsp maple syrup
• 1⁄2 cup coconut milk (separated liquid part from the tin)
• Pinch of salt

Reishi-coconut layer

• 240g coconut cream (more solid separated part from the tin)
• 40g creamed coconut
• 40g cacao butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1⁄2 tbsp coffee  (espresso)
• 1 tsp reishi powder extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Decoration

• 4 – 5 tbsp cacao nibs

Method

Preparation

• Remove 240g of coconut cream (the more solid part) from the resting, refrigerated tins.  Place in a bowl – set aside.
• Melt together 40g of cacao butter and 40g of creamed coconut in a bain-marie and leave on the side to get to room temp – these two steps are for the coconut reishi layer and it is best to do this first to save waiting time.

Chocolate-almond base

• Line a baking dish with baking paper.
• Soak the dates in hot water.
• While they soak, pulse the almonds into small, coarse pieces in a food processor  (neither chunks nor fine powder, somewhere in the middle).
• Strain the dates, add to the food processor with the almonds and remaining base layer ingredients.
• Blend just until a sticky mass forms (check by pressing some of it between your fingers, if it sticks together – you’re grand!)
• Press the mixture evenly into the lined baking dish, refrigerate while you crack on with the rest…

Chocolate mousse layer

• Rinse the bowl and the blade of a food processor.
• Set up another bain-marie: first melt the cacao butter.
• When melted add in the rest of the chocolate mousse ingredients and whisk until also melted and incorporated.
• Pour the chocolate mixture over the base and leave it in the fridge to set for just under 1hr. Super easy! Don’t rush 🏃

Reishi-coconut layer

• When your coconut cream and cacao butter mixture has reached room temperature add the coconut cream, coffee, maple syrup, vanilla and reishi into a food processor and blend just until incorporated, then start adding the cacao butter mixture tablespoon by tablespoon (very important! Don’t rush 🏃) while blending on a slow speed.
• When incorporated pour the mixture on top of the chocolate layer (make sure it’s set first).

Decoration

• Sprinkle with cacao nibs and leave in the freezer overnight.

 

• For serving it is best to remove the cake from the freezer about an hour before it’s needed.
• Slice up and indulge the flavours!

Oh, and the leftover coconut cream and liquid from tins… don’t forget to minimise waste, you can use this in smoothies or curry 😊