Chocolate and raspberry panna cotta Valentine’s tarts

My husband and I don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day…. it’s such a commercialised occasion although it does have historic origins that I find quite interesting. So why the Valentine’s Tart then? Because I am a complete and utter sucker! The advertising and the fuss gets to me Every. Single. Year! 🙄

On Valentine’s eve, I start feeling a bit sad that I have nothing planned for the love of my life after being bombarded with heart-shaped everythings for weeks, so I rush around the next morning to whip up some chocolates and a delicious dinner causing myself all manner of last-minute panic. He often feels the same and offers to take me on a lovely outing somewhere the Tuesday before or after the actual day because he doesn’t like dining crowds, he doesn’t like being seen to be doing something so mushy as dining on Valentine’s Day and we both agree menus are excessively priced on that day. The romance after so many years together! 😬

There will be no more feelings of guilt this year, however, as I have prepared for my self-imposed Valentine’s Day kitchen frenzy by creating a gorgeous and nourishing little Valentine’s tart for him. You may like to make it for that special someone in your life too, or yourself because quite frankly you’re awesome and you deserve it! 😉

I say one tart will serve two people, my husband says ‘NO WAY!’…. he likes his dessert a little too much to split it. So with that…. this will serve 4 – 8, depending on whether your partner would like to share or not. I guess that’s a no from my hubby! 😏

Whilst this is a sweet treat it is still packed with nutrition, which is just the way we like our dessert. The gelatine in the filling in particular, can help reduce inflammation, aid in the restoration and improvement of gut integrity, improve sleep quality along with improving joint health.

As to our dinner out…. I wonder what day it will be this year because Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday 😂

I will be trying out some ingredient swaps over the next couple of days to cover a few more intolerances. I’ll come back here and update the recipe once I know what substitutions will work.

Chocolate and raspberry panna cotta Valentine’s tarts

Chocolate Valentine's Tarts 1
Serves 4 – 8 (depending on whether you’d like to share or have it to yourself ☺️)

Ingredients for the base

  • 200g roasted almonds (activated will work too, I just like the roast almond flavour)
  • 8 dates (or 120g), seeds removed
  • 1.5 Tbsp raw cacao
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
  • 1/4 tsp coarse salt

Chocolate Tart bases

Ingredients for the filling

  • 2 tsp gelatin (I used Great Lakes – orange canister)
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 x 400ml can coconut milk (I used Honest to Goodness)
  • 1.5 cups of fresh organic raspberries
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (you can use less if you’d like)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder

This is a slight variation on my raspberry and coconut panna cotta recipe, which was more suited to this base. More raspberries for stronger flavour 😊

Ingredients for the topping

  • 30g dark, fair-trade chocolate (you really just want enough to drizzle over the top)
  • 1/2 punnet fresh organic raspberries
  • 1 Tbsp desiccated coconut

Directions

  1. Place 4 x 10cm (4 inch) heart-shaped, removable-base tins on a baking tray (makes them easier to get in and out of the fridge)
  2. Combine the almonds, dates, cacao, vanilla and salt from the base ingredients in a blender and blend until a sticky crumb forms. You want the mix to stick together when pressed into the tins. If it’s too crumbly for you just add another date and blend until you have the right consistency (speed 7 for 30 seconds in the Thermomix)
  3. Press the base into the tart tins then put them in the fridge while you prepare the panna cotta (steps 4 to 7 below)
  4. Put the warm water in a medium-sized saucepan then sprinkle the gelatin over the top and leave for 5 minutes to bloom
  5. Combine the coconut milk, raspberries, maple syrup and vanilla in a blender and blend to a smoothie consistency (speed 7 for 10 seconds in the Thermomix)
  6. Strain the smoothie mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a jug or bowl to remove the raspberry seeds
  7. Add the strained liquid to the bloomed gelatin then place the saucepan over a low heat and gently warm the mixture, whisking slowly for 4 – 5 minutes so it is warmed through but not boiling, then remove from the heat
  8. Take the bases out of the fridge and pour the panna cotta liquid in, right to the top of each base. If you have any panna cotta left, pour it into extra moulds (like small glasses) to have as a snack
  9. Put the tarts back in the fridge to firm up, which should take roughly 2 – 3 hours
  10. When you’re ready to serve, melt the dark chocolate then take one teaspoon’s worth and drizzle over one tart, then repeat the process for the others. Decorate with fresh raspberries and desiccated coconut. Be sure to serve these straight from the fridge because the bases will soften up at room temperature. Enjoy ❤️

 Chocolate Valentine's Tarts 3

4 Comments

  1. Such a cute and delicious dessert Gabrielle! Totally in love with the new website, awesome!

  2. They look absolutely amazing! <3 I bet that they are delicious too!

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