Cashew ice cream bites with crispy chocolate coating

Most times when I make “raw desserts” like these ones I use buckwheat in the base as I think it can get quite “heavy” and almost too filling if there is nuts and seeds in the whole thing. PLUS the toasted buckwheat gives a great crispy texture!

This goodies takes a bit of preparation or - more accurately - that you have time to do the cake the day before you’d want to serve/enjoy it. Mostly because the cake needs a good 8 hours or too so set in the freezer. The steps before though doesn’t take much time at all and aren’t tricky. So - let’s get baking right this second so that you could enjoy a bite or two (or 5) tomorrow!

Cashew ice cream bites with crispy chocolate coating

Makes 12

Chocolate layer

4 dl / 1.6 cups whole buckwheat groats

24 fresh dates, pitted

1 dl / 0.4 cups cacao, preferably raw

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tbsp light tahini *

Ice cream filling

3 dl / 1.2 cups cashew nuts, soaked for 2-4 hours

2 dl / 0.8 cups coconut milk or oat cream

10 fresh dates, pitted

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

1 pinch sea salt

100 grams frozen (or fresh if in season and locally grown) blueberries, thawed

25 grams freeze-dried berries, for example raspberries and strawberries

How to

Soak the cashews for 2-4 hours.

Pre heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F.

Put the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Bring about 5 dl of water to a boil. Pour over the buckwheat, then rinse with cold water. Put the buckwheat on a baking tray, toast in the oven until dry and crisp - takes about 10-15 minutes. Stirr every now and then.

Mix the toasted buckwheat for a minute in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to a dough. You might want to add a bit more water if the dough feels too dry. Divide the dough in half. Roll the doughs, one at a time, in to thin “sheets” between two baking papers using a rolling pin. You want the sheets to be the same size as the bottom of a small baking tin which you’ll use to freeze the ice cream bites in. Put one sheet in the bottom of the baking tin (with a baking paper underneath). Put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Rinse and drain the cashews. Mix with the rest of the ingredients - except the blueberries - until completely smooth using a blender. Pour 2/3 of the mix on top of the chocolate base. Add the blueberries to the blender and mix until completely smooth once more. Pour over the cashew base. Sprinkle over the freeze-dried berries. Put in the fridge for 2 hour. Take out, and finish by adding the second crispy chocolate layer on top, lightly press in down. Put back in the fridge and let sit over night.

Remove from the fridge and cut in to small pieces, to get the prettiest pieces it’s easiest to cut them straight out of the freezer - however I prefer to wait 5-10 minutes before serving. It’s THE BEST, trust me! Even though it’s reallyyyyy heard not to start eating them straight away…

HOPE YOU LIKE THEM!

*If you cannot find light one I’d suggest you’d use cashew butter instead, as a dark tahini will give to much flavour here - we want to get the “humble” flavour/quality wihich both light tahini and cashew butter have - unlike other nut/seed butters (which I LOVE too, but just not here).

Recipe was first published in The Gothenburg-Post/Två dagar

Berry smoothie and coconut chia bowl with granola

This is not only breakfast art, but also a great flavour and texture combination. The smooth berry smoothie together with the creamy chia pudding plus the crunchy granola! During weekends when a have a bit more time I love to make this for breakfast or brunch, sometimes I even serve it as a dessert! Also, one last thing before I'll let you run off to the kitchen to start mixing, try using other berries than raspberries for variation - any berry works just as fine! 

Smoothie and coconut chia bowl with granola

Makes 2 bowls

Smoothie

1 ripe avocado 

1 green banana, cut in pieces and frozen 

2 dl frozen raspberries 

2 tbsp nut milk

1 fresh date, pitted 

Coconut chia pudding

1 dl coconut milk

1 dl water 

2 tbsp chia seeds 

A good pinch of pure vanilla powder 

Granola

4 dl seeds/nuts/grains (rolled oats/pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds/hazelnuts)

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp cardamom 

1 tsp pure vanilla powder

1 good pinch Himalayan salt

1 dl water

2 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

3 fresh dates, pitted

1 dl toasted coconut flakes

2 tbsp cacao nibs 

1 dl dried berries/fruits (raisins/blueberries/goji berries)

How to

Whisk together all the ingredients for the coconut chia pudding. Let sit for about 30 minutes until creamy. Stir half way through to avoid clumps. 

Mix all the ingredients for the smoothie in a mixer until smooth. 

Divide smoothie and chia pudding in to two bowls. Top with granola and freeze dried berries 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Mix your choice of seeds/nuts/grains (I used a mix of chopped hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, rolled oats), cinnamon, cardamom, pure vanilla powder and a good pinch of Himalayan salt in a mixing bowl.

Bring water, oil and dates to a boil. Let simmer for 1 minute. Mix until completely smooth using a hand blender. Add to the mixing bowl and mix everything together using a wooden spoon until every bit gets covered. Spread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crispy and golden, stirring every now and then, for about 30 minutes.

Let cool. Add 1 dl toasted coconut flakes + cacao nibs + your choice of dried berries/fruits (I used goji berries + raisins).