Halloween week without chocolate is simply a crime. We must fill our quota! Luckily, I have the perfect solution..
After teasing you with this dessert the other week (and seeing you lose your mind over it) I figured I better deliver the goods. I set a lofty goal of making this chocolate pie as friendly to as many different dietary needs as I could. I always love a good challenge in the kitchen; it keeps me on the brink of crazy town.
In addition to being vegan, this pie is also gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free. A Halloween miracle if you ask me!
It’s also free of self-control because it’s impossible to have any when this pie is near. Obviously.
Halloween chocolate quota fulfilled. Check, check, GULP.
After drowning myself in chocolate, I’m absolutely thrilled with the final result. Plus, now I have a freezer full of chocolate pie for a couple parties we’re hosting this week. [Eric said, “Well that’s if I don’t eat it all first!”]
And of course, let’s not forget HALLOWEEN. Adriana is going as a carrot to balance out the chocolate. I know…she’s going to hate me. But come on, a newborn carrot bunting costume? JUST STOP.
Tip: I had major trouble with the pie crust sticking to the dish in an early trial. Eric saved the day with his genius solution. It involves three strips of parchment paper placed on the base of the dish, and then you cover it with a piece of plastic wrap on top. This way you can pull out the entire pie using the parchment paper. It still takes some wiggling to pop it out, but this worked so much better than my other attempt. Thanks Eric for letting me sleep at night. Note: The pictures below don’t show the parchment strips because it was an earlier trial.
Ok enough chit chat. I’d say there’s still time to whip up a crazy decadent, show-stealing, rich chocolate pie. And it’s no-bake to boot. Thirty minutes of prep and a few hours in the freezer is all that stands in your way. Nothing scary about that!
PS- Don’t mind the long recipe – I learned a lot of tips as I made this pie so I wanted to be as helpful as I could when writing up the recipe.
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Double Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Tart
Yield
9-12 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Chill time
3 hours
Total time
Calling all chocolate macaroon lovers! That's everyone, right? This tart combines two of my favourite flavours - dark chocolate and coconut. The velvety filling is made up of 70% dark chocolate and rich coconut milk while the coconut, date, and cocoa crust tastes just like a chocolate macaroon. Be sure to read the entire recipe before you begin to pick up my helpful hints.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/4 cups packed pitted Medjool dates (see note)
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon water (if needed to bind the dough)
For the filling:
- 3 (70%) good-quality dark chocolate bars (300 grams total)
- 1 (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- small pinch fine grain sea salt
Coconut whipped cream (optional):
- 1 (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
For the garnish:
- 1/2 cup toasted large flake coconut, flaked sea salt, leftover coconut whipped cream (optional)
Directions
- Toast the coconut (optional step, but recommended): Preheat oven to 325°F. Place shredded coconut and large flake coconut (if using for garnish) on baking sheet. Keep separate on baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until lightly golden but not brown. Set aside to cool.
- Line a 9-inch glass pie dish with 3 (2-inch wide) strips of parchment paper, one going each direction, with overhang. Now place a large piece of plastic wrap on top and press down (see this photo for a visual). The parchment strips will allow you to lift the pie out after freezing. I highly recommend doing this or the crust will stick miserably to the dish.
- Prepare the crust: In a heavy duty food processor, add the pitted dates and process until finely chopped. A big ball will form. Add in the rest of the crust ingredients (including the toasted shredded coconut - but not the large flake coconut) and process until everything is combined. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it doesn’t, add optional water and process again.
- Spoon the crust mixture into the prepared pie dish. Spread out evenly. Starting at the centre, press down firmly moving outward and up the sides of the pie dish. Place dish in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the filling: Break up chocolate bars into chunks and place into a medium-sized pot. Melt the chocolate over the lowest heat setting (or use double boiler). When the chocolate is 2/3 of the way melted, remove from heat and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Shake the can of room temperature coconut milk. Open it and measure out 1/4 cup of milk. Save the 1/4 cup of milk for another use (such as a smoothie) and pour the rest into the pot with the melted chocolate. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth. Finally, whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
- For the whipped cream (optional): Open the can of chilled coconut milk and scoop off the cream portion only. Discard the water or save for a smoothie. Place the cream into a bowl along with one tablespoon of pure maple syrup. With electric beaters, whip the cream until smooth.
- With a spatula, scoop the chocolate filling into the pie crust until almost full (to avoid overfilling, you might want to refrain from using all the filling- see my note below).
- Drop a few tablespoons of whipped cream all over the chocolate filling and swirl it all around with a knife. Carefully transfer the pie dish into the freezer on a level surface for approx. 3 hours, or until firm throughout.
- Remove pie dish from freezer and let sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes. Grab the parchment paper and lift the pie out of the dish (I had to grab the strips of paper and wiggle it back and forth several times before it popped out).
- Slice and garnish with toasted coconut flakes, leftover coconut cream, and flaked sea salt, if desired. Serve immediately as pie will soften quickly.
Tip:
- If your dates are firm, soak dates in a bowl of water for 30 minutes prior to starting. Drain well.
- You can totally skip the coconut whipped cream if you prefer.
- The chocolate filling makes almost too much filling for the pie and it nearly overflows. If you prefer, you can leave out 1/4-1/2 cup of filling. You can place leftover filling in a small dish and freeze it, then cut into "freezer fudge" - just an idea!
- For how to make coconut whipped cream, see this tutorial.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
PS – Looking for other Halloween recipes? You’re in luck – I have 3 pages of recipes
PPS – Don’t forget there is still time to enter The Oh She Glows Tea Shoppe giveaway!
Made this today for an ortodox Christmas eve party and it was a huge hit. I personally found it a bit too rich, but everyone else loved it. I was wondering what would happen if I put a little less chocolate and some more coconut milk instead next time? I guess it would be even more creamy but Im afaid of ice chrystals forming in the filling. Any thoughts?
Hey there! I just discovered your blog and am obsessed (and I’m not even vegan)!
When your recipes call for dates I’m wondering if you mean fresh or dried? Thanks so much!
I can see why this recipe was SO popular!! Looks and sounds amazing!
I am ready to make this but don’t have chocolate bars! However I have plenty of dark cocoa powder. How would you suggest substituting? I need to make this! :)
I was looking for a nut-free recipe! This calls for coconut which is a NUT!
Looks delightful! This is food porn at its best. Must try this one for my husband’s birthday this weekend. I think he will appreciate it!! Thank you.
Dear Angela,
after having looked at the stunning pictures for ages I finally came around to making this yesterday and 4 out of 5 very much non-vegan friends absolutely loved it. It’s not very sweet so you can really taste the rich chocolate and the smell of the toasted coconut is devine! Well done!
This was our Christmas dessert this year and it was as tasty as it looks! We all loved it, I thought it might be too rich for our 3 year old, but nope, he scarfed it down! The only problem was it didn’t soften quickly like you mentioned. In fact it was still rock hard after 20 minutes and I had to chop pieces off and then individually zap the pieces in the microwave slowly in 20 second increments. But I will definitely still make it again, just need to take it out of the freezer like an hour before we want to eat instead…or enjoy it a little frozen still during the summer time. Still a superb recipe!
Angela, this cake is amazing!!!
I made it for my dad who is not only only the greatest meat appreciator I know of, but he also has profound aversion against whole foods. But he LOVED this decadent pie, and asked for second and third helpings, and so did everyone else I’ve served it for. The crust is to die for!
Im trying not to exaggarate, but I think this is the best vegan dessert I’ve ever tried! Thank you!!
Incredible recipe, adored by everyone at the table. The sweetness of the crust perfectly balanced the rich, not-too-sweet bitter chocolate filling. Don’t leave out the toasted coconut garnish – it adds the perfect texture. I’m not vegan but I can still say this is one of the very best desserts I’ve made! However Angela, I have no idea how yours was so pretty, mine didn’t swirl nearly as beautifully as yours (but what do I expect, you’re the pro)!
Hi,
Looks great!!
So, does that mean you can’t cut the pie in the pie tin? Do you pull the pie out of the tin and cut it on another dish? Does the plastic wrap slid off easily?
For left overs, would you put the pie back in the freezer?
Thanks!!!
This was by far one of the best (and easiest) dessert recipes I have ever used. I made a few modifications of my own, used 85% Theo’s dark chocolate, and substituted a raspberry sauce for the whipped cream. It is a new favorite. Thank you!
Ah! You put chocolate bars in pie! You are incredible, Angela!!!! I am absolutely going to make this- might have to use some leftover Double Chocolate Macaroon dough for the crust, though ;-) (one less step for me!). Thank you so much for such a beautiful recipe- the photos are as aways, also incredible.
Wow!!! great recipe.. Thanks!!!!
I wondered if you could recommend a vegan organic brand of chocolate without soy? I used Green and Black’s 85% dark chocolate. It was great.. I went to purchase more and now found that it is no longer vegan. The chocolate bar is processed in the same facility as the chocolate with milk. Their web site mentioned that traces of dairy was found :( I’ve not been able to find dark vegan chocolate without soy. (Alot of chocolate uses soy lecithin.)
Perhaps, could cocoa be used somehow?
Thanks
Hi Angela, just want to say how much I love this dessert! It’s my second time making it today, it’s just gone into my freezer ready for tonight. Once it has set I will be cutting it into thin wedges to store back in the freezer so my partner and I can have a slice whenever we fancy something deliciously indulgent! We love it with fresh raspberries and coconut whipped cream.
Amazing!
This looks amazing! I just have one question since I’m not very good at baking. I want to make it in advance, should I leave it in the freezer overnight?
What kind of cocoa powder do you recommend? I am slowly trying to transition to eating more raw foods, and having trouble starting.
Oh my goodness Angela, I made this last night for our Valentine’s day dessert and it was to die for!
Amazing !! Looks amazing and tasts delicious…Everyone in the family loved it…Perfect dessert for when we have guests over for dinner ! Thank you for a great recipe !
I made this recipe this weekend for Valentine’s Day and it was fantastic!!! The chocolate cream base didn’t taste too coconuty and it was rich and delicious. I would recommend dropping the dates into your food processor and few at a time (I put them all in at once to make the crust and it was a bit more than mine could handle).
Also, toasting the coconut adds a really great taste to the crust. I would also recommend breaking up the prep and cleanup. I made and froze the crust the night before and made the filling the next day.