Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut Frozen Torte
Did I really say that? Chocolate espresso hazelnut frozen torte? Yes, I did. And you are going to love this one. It is pretty easy to put together if you make the hazelnut butter in advance. And since there are avocados in the filling in stead of coconut oil and cashews, you are going to get a little lighter tort that has a healthier nutrition profile.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a dessert and should be treated as such. It does contain fat. But at least you can gain some comfort that you are not eating empty calories. Cacao is full of fiber, magnesium and antioxidants. Avocados are full of healthy fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals and they have protein! A little goes a long way with this torte so keep those slices small if you are worried about your waistline.
Enjoy this chocolate torte. It’s a tasty one!
Espresso Powder
I am using some espresso powder in this recipe. It is optional. If you are a purist, you can eliminate it, But it adds a beautiful depth of flavor to the tort. So depending on your preferences, you make the call. I love healthy recipes but I also love what a little bit of flavor can do to a recipe.
Triple Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut Frozen Torte
Serves 8-10
Crust
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 4 dates, soaked until soft
- Place all ingredients in food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Press into 7-inch spring form pan. Set aside. (I love this one: 7″ Spring Form Pan )
Filling
- 2 avocados
- 1/2 cup hazelnut butter (You will find a great tutorial here: Making Nut Butters)
- 1 cup hazelnut milk (you can use almond milk)
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/2 cup raw, organic agave syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder* (This is what you are looking for: Instant Espresso)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon himalayan sea salt (I use freshly ground)
- Place all ingredients in food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Pour over crust and freeze until set.
Ganache
- 1/2 cup organic raw agave syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder*
- Whisk together agave, cacao, and coconut oil.
- Stir in 1/2 cup hazelnuts and pour over partially frozen cake and top with remaining hazelnuts.
- Freeze until set.
- Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
*The espresso powder is there for flavor only. It can be easily omitted without affecting anything but the flavor.
Katie wrote on November 19, 2015
I need to sub out the avocado due to a food allergy, do you have any recommendations?
Kristin wrote on February 9, 2016
I would try bananas in place of avacados.
Gloria wrote on October 14, 2015
Hi Susan,
How long will this torte take to set? I’m planning on making it today for a birthday celebration. 🙂
Gloria
Susan wrote on October 14, 2015
Hi, Gloria, It is a frozen tort so needs to be frozen through. I would suggest at least 8 hours. Cheers!
Eva wrote on September 15, 2015
Hey, I’ll sure be making this for the upcoming birthday! 🙂 One question though: after freezing the cake, does it hold well if kept in a fridge? Or is it very soft and falls apart? The thing is I have to transport it to the party. Maybe I should add some cacao butter to the filling, what do you think? Thanks a lot!
Bron wrote on September 10, 2015
Hi, this recipe looks and sounds truly divine, can’t wait to try it. Thanks sooo much for your passion and talent and willingness to share. If I wanted to brew some really beautiful espresso and use that instead of the powder, what do you recommend I alter in the rest of the recipe to achieve the correct consistency? Congrats on your inspiring, healthy and yummy work too! Cheers 🙂
Susan wrote on September 12, 2015
Hi, Bron, Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. You would be introducing water to the recipe in a way that could cause crystals to form. If you have an espresso bean you love, just grind that very fine and use it. Cheers!
Marianne wrote on August 29, 2015
This looks delicious. Can I use maple syrup or honey? My research tells me agave is very unhealthy. And what are cacao nibs? Will the avocado go all brown and ruin the colour?
Susan wrote on August 29, 2015
Hi, Marianne, Thanks for asking! In the recipe, it says, “or liquid sweetener of choice”, which means that yes, you can use maple syrup. I am not sure honey would work well in this. But you could try. Cacao nibs are bits of the whole coco bean. They can be found on-line or at whole foods, etc. And you don’t have to worry about the avocado color. The torte is brown. How it looks in the picture is how it looks. Cheers!
Lura wrote on June 16, 2015
Hi Susan! Hands down this is the mist delicious dessert
I have ever eaten or made in my life. Thanks so much for all of these great
Recipes.
Seraina wrote on June 10, 2015
This recipe looks amazing!
Unfortunately my husband is allergic to avocados. What would you substitute the avocado with?
Thanks!
Seraina
Inge wrote on May 13, 2015
Wow! I want this right now!
And the photo’s are so mouthwatering great!!!
You have a big fan in Holland! 🙂
Susan wrote on May 14, 2015
Thank you, Inge! 🙂