Mini Chocolate Ganache Torte

EASY decadent dessert alert!!

This recipe is a mix of 3 different recipes.

Againstallgrains.com real chocolate chip cookie 

www.thewannabechef.com  salted caramel chocolate pecan torte (raw)

Elanaspantry.com vegan caramel sauce

Mini Chocolate Ganache Torte without Caramel garnish

It looks like you spent all day in the kitchen but WE know different. This dessert can be prepared in less than an hour. OK a little more than an hour. I had the optional vegan caramel sauce in the fridge already. I drizzled it over the finished torte as a garnish, however it isn't necessary for this dessert to totally impress!!

So here goes.....

Torte Crust

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 Tbls maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
• 2 Tbls coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

  

  Mini Chocolate Ganache Torte with optional caramel

Instructions for crust

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Cream butter, sugar, maple syrup, egg and vanilla together using a hand mixer.
3. Add almond flour, coconut flour, soda and salt and mix thoroughly with a hand mixer.
4. Put a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough in the bottom of the mini-cupcake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray of choice. I used silicone mini cupcake pan that doesn't require spray.
5. Wet your fingers with water and press the cookie dough into the bottom and up the sides of the cupcake cup.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookie dough is fully baked. 
7. The cookie dough will raise and fill in most of the cupcake cup but still leaves a slight indentation for the chocolate ganache.
8. Let cool for about 10 minutes and remove from the pan. I used a knife to score around the cookie/crust and loosen the edge and it popped right out.
9. Cool completely prior to adding the chocolate ganache, recipe below.
10. Store covered in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl using a hand mixer.
2. Let cool in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
3. Add a small amount of ganache to the top of the cooled cookie crust.
4. Drizzle with the vegan caramel sauce(optional).

ENJOY!!
Tell me how you will serve this awesome dessert.

Taco Seasoning

Do you buy taco seasoning packages? I used to. It is packed with lots of sugar, preservatives and worst of all MSG or one of those aliases it goes by such as "natural flavoring".  It should be illegal to call a so called "flavor enhancer" NATURAL!

Here is a great combinations that is easy to mix up and store for every time you want to make tacos. This isn't my original recipe but I've been using it for so long I don't remember where I first found it.

Taco Seasoning

Enough for 4 to 5 lbs of hamburger

Ingredients

• 3 Tbls chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/8 tsp cayenne pepper or 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 4 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp sea salt
• 3 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

Measure everything into a 1/2 pint mason jar or bpa free container with a secure lid.

Secure the lid and shake the container to blend completely.

To use in tacos or taco salad:

Measure approximately 2 to 3 tablespoon of the taco spice mixture over about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs, browned and drained ground bison or beef. Simmer on low with the spices for 5 minutes. 

Serve over lettuce, chopped tomatoes and goat cheese yogurt and whatever toppings you like.

For taco shells use this recipe for Flax Seed Tortilla Wraps

It is fast and easy to do just a little prep to make a meal of tacos or taco salad special and super delicious.

What do you like on your tacos?

ENJOY!!

Cinnamon Pecan Scones, Paleo

Coffee please! I take it with a Tbls unsalted Kerry Gold butter and a Tbls coconut oil, a splash of vanilla extract and a squirt of stevia. I whir it in the vita-mix for a few seconds. Alright so that's alot of stuff in my coffee. One of the best additions to my coffee is a rich cinnamon pecan scone. My husband often calls these stones. Not because they are hard as a rock but because he doesn't hear so good and thought I said I was making stones. Well it stuck. These scones are full of rich flavor that begs for a second cup of coffee.

I found this recipe at Gluten Free Fix. Check out Michelle's blog. She has tons of amazing recipes!!

Here is my adaptation of her recipe.

Cinnamon Pecan Scones

Makes 12 scones

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oi/ghee
• 3 Tbls maple syrup
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 Tbls coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
3. Whisk together eggs, maple syrup and oil/ghee.
4. Add flours, soda and cinnamon and mix well.
5. Stir in the chopped pecans.
6. Using tablespoon scoop on to parchment paper.
7. Wet your fingers and pat the scooped batter into a little triangle.
8. Bake 20 minutes
9. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes and serve with that cup of coffee.
10. Or you can cool and enjoy also.

It's fast and easy to make a delicious treat from scratch. You deserve good wholesome food and the recipes I share are fast and easy to make and GOOD FOR YOU!!!

Enjoy!! What do you like to have with your coffee?

Orange Cheesecake Brownie Bites

I just love orange and chocolate in the same bite! BAM! I got this recipe from Simply Living Healthy blog. She adapted her recipe from All Day I Dream About Food, recipe Raspberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies.

This is my adaptation. I don't often use Xylitol in my baking but I used it for the cheesecake part of the recipe and subbed in maple syrup for the brownie part of this recipe. Was really simple to sub in the ingredients I have on hand.

Orange Cheesecake Brownie 

Bites

Makes 24 Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

Cheesecake Layer

• 1 Tbls orange zest
• 8 oz goat cheese, whipped chevre
• 1/4 cup powdered Xylitol (measure granulated xylitol into blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to make powdered xylitol)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp orange extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cupcake tin with cupcake papers or silicone cups. I used both.
3. Mix all ingredients in small bowl with hand mixer. Set aside.

Brownie layer

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil/ghee
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 eggs

Instructions

1. Melt butter and coconut oil/ghee over low heat in a medium saucepan.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in cocoa until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into mixing bowl and add maple syrup, vanilla and eggs, use a hand mixer, blending completely.

Assembly

1. Spoon 2 Tbls brownie mixture in the bottom of each cupcake cup. 
2. Spoon 1 Tbls cheesecake mixture over brownie layer.
3. Using a fork, gently swirl the brownie layer up into the cheesecake layer.
4. Place in preheated oven and bake 20 minutes.Middle should be a little squishy.
5. Let cool and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

There brownie bites are a souffle type texture and has a delicious subtle orange taste with a rich dark chocolate flavor.

Hope you like these brownie bites as much as we did. How do you enjoy chocolate? With coffee, raspberry, orange, or some other flavor.

ENJOY!!