We had a pile of fresh rhubarb and fresh strawberries in front of us and we knew we wanted a dessert, but a crisp didn’t sound good. I looked at my husband and told him to figure out a compote style layer with the fruit and I would figure out the other layers. I right away grabbed my spring form pan, lined it with parchment paper and whipped up a almond flour (which was on sale this week at EarthFare) and coconut flour crust (it’s a common recipe that floats around in the paleo baking world). While that was baking, I started tossing chocolate and coconut milk in a pan to cook to make a chocolate cream layer. I tossed in Grassfed gelatin into the chocolate layer and into the compote layer to help it thicken up. We use grassfed gelatin for it’s gut healing properties, but any type gelatin would work (our favorite is Vital Proteins, but I also like Great Lakes Brand).
Our first time making this, I just threw some gelatin into the cooking fruit. I know better, but I did it anyway, resulting in clumps of gelatin. So we threw the whole mixture into our blender to fix that. What I envisioned as a “compote” layer of cooked fruit, became more of a smooth gelatin like layer, which ended up working perfectly. Our last minute, randomly thrown together dessert, ended up being a wonderful combination of flavors and has been made more than once this summer and was even made for Fathers Day to share with my family.
- For the Crust:
- 1.5 cups of almond flour
- 3/4 cup of shredded coconut
- 2 Tbsp. of melted coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp. of maple syrup or honey
- pinch of sea salt
- For the Chocolate Cream Layer:
- 1 can of full fat coconut milk
- 8 oz dark chocolate chips (for dairy free, make sure you check them)
- 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp. grassfed gelatin
- For the Strawberry Rhubarb Gelatin Layer:
- 4 cups strawberries, chopped
- 2 cups rhubarb, chopped
- 1 cup of water
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. grassfed gelatin
- Preheat oven to 350
- combine almond flour, coconut, coconut oil, maple syrup and sea salt in a food processor and pulse together until it begins to clump.
- press dough into a spring form pan that has the bottom lined with a piece of parchment paper.
- Bake for 12 -15 minutes until the crust is slightly browned.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- move on to making the chocolate layer, by warming the coconut milk up in a pan on medium heat.
- When the milk is warm, whisk in the cocoa powder, maple syrup and the chocolate chips.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle the surface with your gelatin, add it slowly and let it absorb in off the surface and whisk it in before adding more. *you do not want to just dump it in, or you will end up with clumps* **if you do get clumps, just run the chocolate mixer through your blender.**
- Once the gelatin is incorporated, pour the chocolate layer into the crust and place in the fridge.
- Then move on to the strawberry rhubarb layer.
- On medium- low heat, start cooking down the strawberries, rhubarb, water and maple syrup.
- I let it cook down for about 20 minutes, until the fruit was starting to break down.
- slowly add in the gelatin and then pour entire mix into your blender and gently blend until mixture is smooth. I let cool for a about 15 minutes in the blender.
- Pour fruit mixture on top of chocolate layer and place back into the fridge to set up. I let mine sit for at least 2 hours.
- When it is chilled, release the spring form pan and cut into slices.
