I’m often asked what my favourite vegan dessert is, the dessert that is a dazzler, crowd pleaser, and would fool even the toughest vegan dessert skeptic.
I don’t know about you, but double chocolate pretty much always wins in my books, so my Chilled Double Chocolate Torte is at the top of the list. It’s also Eric’s favourite dessert.
![IMG_4993-3 IMG_4993-3](/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_4993-3.jpg)
I made this torte back in December, after visiting The Coup and being unsatisfied with the texture and taste of their tofu-based chocolate torte. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m not a big fan of tofu. Instead, I used avocado to create a creamy mousse on top of a wholesome chocolaty spelt crust. And don’t worry, you can’t taste the avocado at all. I’ve served this to many skeptics and no one can believe the ingredient list!
I’ve always secretly called this the PMS torte because Eric likes to mention it whenever I start feeling moody and hormonal. And he’s still alive. Now if I could just get him to make it for me, then I’d be set!
![IMG_4983-2 IMG_4983-2](/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_4983-2.jpg)
PMS aside, it’s chilled in the freezer so it makes a great warm weather dessert. The avocado mousse remains firm in the freezer, but not frozen solid, making this a great treat to pop out of the freezer whenever the craving strikes…which is pretty much the entire time it’s calling your name from the freezer.
Earlier this week when I saw Jenna make it, I realized there was just one thing missing: this recipe still requires that you turn on the oven! I pictured that California girl sweating over a piping hot stove and guilt set in. Turning the oven on during hot weather sometimes feels like turning on a space heater at your desk because your office cranks the A/C too much. It just doesn’t make sense. But I’ll save Eric’s office plights for another time. :)
![IMG_6966 IMG_6966](/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_6966.jpg)
Given our warm weather this week, I decided to make a nutty no-bake crust to really bring this torte into full Summer mode. No oven required.
And let’s be real, I really don’t want an oven getting in the way of my chocolate fix. It’s time to cut out the middle man.
![](https://ohsheglows.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Chilled_Double_Chocolate_Torte_No_Bake_IMG_6957-1440x960.jpg)
![Chilled Double Chocolate Torte: The No-Bake Version](https://ohsheglows.com/gs_images/2023/08/Chilled_Double_Chocolate_Torte_No_Bake_IMG_6957-768x768.jpg)
Chilled Double Chocolate Torte: The No-Bake Version
![](https://ohsheglows.com/wp-content/plugins/osg-recipes/images/ornament_long_artichoke.png)
Yield
8 pieces
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Chill time
2 hours
Total time
Crust from Healthy Hoggin. Chocolate avocado mousse from my Chilled Double Chocolate Torte.
Ingredients
For the No Bake Chocolate Crust
- 2 cups pecans
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (other light taste oil may work)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
For the Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- 2 cups avocado flesh (approx 3 small avocados), pitted and scooped out
- 1/3 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter (or other nut or sunflower seed butter)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp chocolate chips, melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy
Directions
- Crust: Oil a 7-10 inch springform pan and line it with a circle of parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the pecans until crumbly. Be careful not to over process them as you still want them a bit chunky. Now add in the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse until just mixed. Scoop mixture onto prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly with slightly wet fingers or a spatula. Pop into freezer to set while making the mousse.
- Chocolate mousse: Place all mousse ingredients (except chocolate chips) into food processor. Process until smooth. In a small bowl, melt your chocolate chips in the microwave and scoop melted chocolate into food processor mixture. Process until smooth.
- Remove crust from freezer and scoop this mousse on top of crust. Smooth out as much as possible and then place in the freezer for 2 hours to firm.
- Once firm, remove from freezer and allow to sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes before serving chilled. Place leftover torte in the freezer wrapped and placed in a seal container.
Tip:
This torte should be served chilled as it gets soft at room temperature.
Thanks to Healthy Hoggin’s chocolate crust this worked out beautifully. No flops, no trial #2, 3, or 4. Just perfection.
![IMG_6961-3 IMG_6961-3](/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_6961-3.jpg)
The chocolate pecan crust adds an irresistible nutty and slightly salty flavour which is a perfect contrast to the rich chocolaty mousse. The crust is quite thin when made in a 10-inch pan, so next time I might make this in a 7 or 8 inch cake pan for more height.
It might also be fun to make this in a muffin tin (with muffin liners) for single servings treats! Or in a square pan and cut into bite-sized squares. It probably goes without saying, but when you make individual servings you get to eat one without your guests being the wiser. It’s a bit more difficult to hide the fact that you already enjoyed a slice of the pie before they came over. Or two. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything…
![IMG_6961-2 IMG_6961-2](/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_6961-2.jpg)
Have yourself a sweet Friday!
Oooh yum, I think I could just eat the crust on its own!! This sounds delicious and sooo creamy. You know that person that sits at their desk with the space heater on because the office cranks the AC? Yep, that’s me, right. this. second. ;)
YAY! I love this version, especially because it’s gluten-free and it would be great to take to a party. Love, love, love!
Thanks Angela, now there is drool on my keyboard! That looks amazing! I will have to make it! :)
I love anything that is chilled in the s ummer for dessert..and these certainly looks like no exception!
Perfect for a warm day! I could totally see myself making a lazy version of this In muffin liners :)
*Drool*
I need to hop on the avocado mousse bandwagon asap!
i was looking at making this a few days ago. thanks so much for the raw version yum!
Auntie Ange,
Can you make this for us when we visit?
Gigi and Lulu
(no actual trip guaranteed…)
I think I would eat the entire thing myself, yum!
Oh my. Oh my. This looks delicious! I hope I can try it this weekend :D
I saw that Jenna had made this and KNEW it would be perfect for a summer BBQ – it looks awesome & I can’t wait to try it for myself!
This looks incredible! I am seriously craving chocolate now.
This looks AMAZING! I’m having a girls’ night tonight, and this is definitely on the menu. I’m also super excited that the no-bake crust is gluten-free. Thanks!
I make this all the time! I first started it in an experiment with raw recipes about a year ago, and was amazed at how delicious raw cakes are. The great thing about these raw cakes is that: a. You can make them in less than 15 minutes b. they’re so much healthier than traditional desserts and c. you can change the ingredients and make variations all the time. I’ve made the crust with various things (almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, coconuts, dates), topped the mousse with anything from bananas to berries to coconut to cacao nibs, and made the mousse with both avocado, and cashews. I even made a mint chocolate grasshopper version too, where the crust was flavoured with cacoa powder and the mousse was made with cashew cream and spinach (to make it green), and some peppermint extract. My sister told her mother in law the other day “My sister makes amazing desserts out of SPINACH and CASHEWS! No really!”
wow this all sounds crazy good!!!
I love the looks of this, Angela!
I make raw vegan “chocolate mousse” (avocados, cocoa powder, vanilla, and enough agave to send you into a diabetic coma but it’s raw, vegan and no one guesses what’s in it!)
And i love the recipe for the crust. I love raw crusts…I think they are easy…you just blend nuts and a little agave/maple and/or coconut oil til you get a consistency you can smoosh (official word) into a pan. But I love it when someone figured it out omitting trials and a wild goose chase :)
And for the record, just arrived back in San Diego last night and it’s chilly here! I want to turn on my oven. lol
Angela, I baked your chocolate mousse torte a few months ago and loved it, but I think I might love this even more! I made a similar crust to use as the base of a “brownie sundae” recently, and it was awesome. I might have to make this tomorrow for a cookout I’m going to – I think the omnis will enjoy it, too.
Thanks for thinking about no-bake recipes as summer is coming!
PS – I also wanted to add that I’m not a big tofu fan either. And I love the fact that I already have all these ingredients at home! Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading your blog so long.. .my kitchen is starting to morph into yours :)
Hi!
I just had a question, I’m living in the Netherlands, where the maple syrup is crrrazy expensive and I was just wondering if there is anything you can use instead?
Hope you can help out, ‘ cause this looks yummy :)
Hey Valerie, Im not certain but I do think any liquid sweetener would work, such as agave or honey. :) Goodluck! Let me know if you try it out
..Oh i’m definitely trying this, agave is on the grocery list for today!
thanks!
Hey,
I made a few things over Christmas and substituted either honey or golden syrup for the maple syrup. Seemed to work a treat to me!
Valerie, for the crust part you can sub dates for the maple syrup, but it should be a 1:1 ratio with the nuts. (Probably not for the mousse part though.)
That actually sounds really good, then I’ll use agave for the mousse and dates for the crust.
Can’t wait to try :)
This looks beyond incredible. Can’t wait to try it!
DELICIOUS!!!!!
eric i think you should make your wonderful wife this sometime :-D
I might have to try making that this weekend!