Raw Cacao Cookies

This is an adaptation of a recipe from Pure Food and Wine’s Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart (Raw Food, Real World). While I love the tart and have made it often, I really love these tiny cookies that are made by repurposing the almond crumb crust into small cookie shells and piping the ganache as a filling into their centers. I have been working on different ways to make a very thin cookie and have found a few molds. I am not done searching though. I really think these would be amazing with 1/8” of thinner shells. The trick on the ganache is to prepare it in the Cuisinart then place the bowl into the freezer for 5 minutes, whip, then back into the freezer for 5, then whip and repeat until the ganache has set enough to fit into a piping bag. I have been working on this recipe for a couple of months now and these images will be evolving as I continue to iron out various pieces of the production process. Of all the cacao treats I have been experimenting with – these are definitely our favorites, because the ganache is so rich and creamy you really only need a small bite, not an entire slice of the cake, which is what started me thinking about converting the cake into a cookie. The Recipe – original is on Page 231 of the book, buy it if you don’t already own it – these proportions and ratios are my own modifications. Almond Cookie Base

• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 3/4 cup raw almond flour
• 1/2 cup maple syrup powder
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (not butter) – melted – but not heated
• pinch sea salt

All ingredients are available online or at a Whole Foods. Blend ingredients in Cuisinart, it will be crumbly. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of mix into some mold, in the image above you can see that I used a mini silicone muffin pan, pressed the crumb mixture in, and tamped it down with a wood dowel. I then place them in the refrigerator for 20 min until the coconut oil firms, then pop them out. This takes a bit of time and I am working on ways to reduce this labor. While the cookies are chilling, make the Ganache filling Ganache filling

• 1 cup cacao powder
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup coconut oil (not butter) – melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Blend until smooth, it will be quite loose. Place the Cuisinart bowl in the freezer for 5 min, take out and pulse, do this for about 4-5 times until the consistency is like frosting (you remember that don’t you…). Then place it in a piping/pastry bag and place a dollop on each cookie shell, cover with another shell. Keep them cool. You may find that you have some Ganache left over. Pipe it onto a silicon sheet and press an almond into the middle of it, garnish with coconut sugar (last image on the bottom)