No bake ganache tart infused with freshly brewed espresso and orange nestled overtop a seed and nut crust. This is a simple chocolate dessert that’s naturally sweetened, has no egg and no added sugars and it’s also vegan friendly!

If you’re looking for a quick dessert that’s simple to make, is somewhat healthy, doesn’t require extreme baking and layering, and of course has chocolate well this is the tart for you. The creamy and rich chocolate filling rests on a crust made from walnuts, sunflower seeds, orange zest and is held together with dates. Any chocolate lover will love this dessert. It’s rich, decadent and has a very subtle sweet and citrus taste from the orange that is well complimented by the chocolate. It reminds us a little of a Terry’s chocolate orange.

We’ve been testing out some healthier crust alternatives lately that don’t use any butter to bind it all together and have found this one to be the best. The crust comes together in a food processor which makes it easy to add all your ingredients and dates are a great natural substitute to help ensure everything sticks together. The best way to do this is to soak the dates in a bit of warm water and let them soften  for 10 minutes.  Add them to the food processor with a bit of water to form a paste like mixture which will act as the binder and finish by adding all the remaining ingredients. It’s as simple as that.

The dessert can be made in advance as it is served chilled and would be perfect for a holiday party. Be sure to melt the chocolate slowly so it melts evenly and doesn’t burn. Our tart is decorated with some candied orange slices and dehydrated citrus wheels. You could decorate with fruit pieces or even make a little bit extra of the ganache filling and dip some orange segments into it and let them dry and place overtop. Get creative!

To note: We used a 14 x 4.5 inch pan with a removable bottom, you can make this in an 9 inch round tart tin if you prefer.

Print Recipe

chocolate orange tart with walnut and sunflower crust

Indulgent chocolate ganache infused with the zest and juices of orange served with a sunflower seed and walnut crust ready in 20 minutes!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Additional Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: vegan

Servings: 10

Author: the communal feast

Ingredients

• For the crust
• 10 medjool dates pitted and soaked in water for 10 minutes
• 1 ½ cups walnut pieces
• ½ cup sunflower seeds unsalted
• Zest from half an orange
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground clove
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 TBS coconut oil
• For the filling
• 1 cup bulk dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup oat milk can do heavy cream as an alternative for non vegan
• 1 double espresso shot you can substitute for instant just dissolve in warm water like you would make an espresso shot or 2 oz drip coffee as another alternative
• juice from half an orange
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• 1. Preheat oven to 340 degrees F, lightly spray your tart tin with olive oil
• 2. To make the crust: Remove the dates from the water and add to a food processor. Pulse the dates to form a paste. Add a bit of water if needed and scrap down the sides. Add the remaining ingredients except the coconut oil and blend until finely ground. Add the coconut oil and blend until combined. The mixture should be sticky. Press into the tart tin going up about half way up the edges. Bake for 12 minutes and set aside.
• 3. To make the filling: Prepare a bain-marie to melt the chocolate. When the water is hot melt the chocolate and slowly add the milk to thicken and the espresso shot. Continue to stir the chocolate as to avoid hardening and burning. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour the filling into the tart tin and place in the refrigerator to set for a few hours.