Raw Vegan desserts often make for the most tantalisingly delectable sweet treats out there.

Without having to contend with baking temperatures, oven times and scientific measurements, raw treats also happen to be some of the easiest recipes to make. They might look complex, but once you get into the swing of making raw desserts you’ll find that they are ridiculously easy.

A food processor does help when making this type of recipe.

You basically need dried fruit and nuts or seeds for a base to form the foundation (into which other superfoods and things can be added).

This recipe benefits from a frosting made with lucuma powder and coconut butter on the top. Note: if you haven’t got coconut butter, then just use creamed coconut instead (which is just as aromatic, creamy and delicious… and is often quite a bit less expensive than coconut butter).

Let’s talk about cacao!

If you’ve spent more than two minutes around me, you will quickly realise that I am a massive cacao fan! Love, love, love the stuff!

It contains heaps of phenylethylamine (not even sure I can pronounce it lol! also called PEA for short), which is known for elevating our mood and giving us that feel good factor we all love so much. Cacao is delightfully rich in flavonoids and antioxidants which are said to have healthy heart benefits (e.g. lowering blood pressure and improving good cholesterol).

Cacao is one of the best food sources of magnesium. Magnesium is essential for brain health, the nervous system health and strong bones & teeth. Cacao is good for iron. A big YES from me for cacao.

Walnuts!

I am using walnuts in this superfood brownie recipe for three reasons.

Walnuts blend REALLY easily. Walnuts have a gorgeous nutty flavour. They are jam-packed with superfood goodness.

Walnuts are omega 3 superheroes. Omega 3 is excellent for heart health, brain function, managing cholesterol levels, and digestive health; and is often lacking in the human diet (whether conventional or plant-based).

Walnuts contain loads of beneficial nutrients, including rare antioxidants and phytonutrients, that aren’t normally found in other foods. They contain phytonutrients such as the tannin tellimagrandin or the flavonol morin (very rare, with invaluable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties). Good stuff my friends!

Lucuma is a magical ingredient.

Lucuma is a fruit, typically found in South America and has a maple/caramel sort of flavour. It works like a dream in desserts, bringing its delectable, gentle, natural sweetness.

In this recipe, I am adding lucuma in its powdered form to bring in a little je ne sais quoi. Nutritionally speaking, this low GI natural sweetener is a powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamins & minerals. If you don’t have it, just leave it out (no substitution required) and you’ll get a lovely tasting regular raw chocolate instead. If you want to see how I add it to chocolate recipes then check out this page here: Homemade Raw Cacao & Lucuma Chocolate

We start off by making the main part.

I’ve taken a snapshot to show how to do this above. Once we’ve blended up the ingredients, we line a container with baking paper and then compact it down really firmly. ‘Really firmly’ is the trick here, to get it all to hold together. So be sure to spend a little bit of time with this, pressing down until it is packed tightly.

And when they are made, we let them firm up in the fridge and then slice…

I served it to guests on retreat at the Chalice Well and friends in Glastonbury this week and they loved it!

This is a BIG batch for 20 people. Ideal for a party or when you have lots of guests. They also freeze really well, so you might want to make a big batch and then freeze for later. If you want a smaller batch then just half the mixture.

Whatever you do, enjoy!