No-Bake Dark Chocolate Biscoff Tart

I am loving my Panasonic Bread Maker (SD-PD104) which is on loan to me for the month of July, from Panasonic SG as part of the Singapore Blog Awards Advertiser’s Choice competition. Voting ends on 31 July so please vote for me to show your support 🙂

So far, I’ve made a Pandan Milk Loaf paired with good ol’ block ice cream, and a Challah Bread with a hidden surprise! This time round, I wanted to show you guys yet another fun aspect of this Panasonic Bread Maker. It can make…*drumroll please* CHOCOLATE! 

But I decided to go a step beyond chocolate, and make a No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Tart with a Lotus Cookie Base. 

This is crazy huh? Who would have thought that you could make a Chocolate Tart using a Bread Maker? 

Let me get you a little bit more excited first…
Lotus cookies, otherwise known as Biscoff Cookies, are these sweet little cookies which smell cinnamony and taste like caramel. Let me show you a picture, in case you can’t picture these delicious cookies.

In fact, they have even gone a step further to make it into a spread (which tastes exactly like the cookie). 

Since these cookies have brought me so much happiness, I decided to make them into a cookie crust rather than using plain old digestive biscuits.

As with my other recipes, I have a story to tell. So… gather round, children, it’s story time 😀

This recipe, the first recipe that I have ever created from scratch, was inspired mainly by my sweet mother. 

She’s the one who taught me the importance of taking a break during the day, always taking the time for tea break, no matter how busy she was. My mother’s favorite tea break would be sitting down with a hot cup of Milo or Hot Chocolate, with a couple of biscuits for dipping.

My siblings, on the other hand, have more expensive tastes, and would prefer a slice of cake or a freshly made tart from one of the new avant-garde bakeries, rather than just biscuits and a hot drink.

In a bid to combine both old and new tastes, so that everyone can enjoy a communal dining experience, I decide to make a Dark Chocolate Mousse Tart, which incorporates my mother’s favorite items (chocolate and biscuits) with a presentation that would live up to my sibling’s expectations. 

So, this No-Bake Dark Chocolate Mousse Tart with a Lotus/Biscoff Cookie Crust was born! That’s quite a mouthful, quite a tasty mouthful I must add 😛

RECIPE:

Ingredients:
Filling:
150g Dark Chocolate
80ml Whipping Cream + 220ml Whipping Cream
1 tbsp Honey

Base:
250g Lotus Cookies
100g Butter

Procedure:
1) To form the base, crush the Lotus Cookies into fine crumbs or process them in a food processor.

2) Stir melted butter into the crushed cookies and flatten into the base of round cake tin. I used a 9 inch tin, with removable sides.

3) Leave in the fridge to set while you prepare the filling.

4) Add the ingredients for the filling, only add 80ml of the whipping cream, into the bread machine.

5) Select Menu 13. (It will take 17 minutes to make the chocolate mixture)

6) Meanwhile, whip the remaining 220ml of whipping cream.

7) When the machine beeps, press STOP. 

You should get a smooth chocolate mixture like this!8) Add the hot chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Leave to cool for a bit before pouring over the cookie crust. Leave the tart in the freezer for 20 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to set overnight. 

9) When the tart is set, slice up some of your favorite fruits for decorating the tart. Serve chilled!

I even sprinkled some icing sugar on top before serving for a sweet snowy effect.

I chose to use Dark Chocolate so that the bitterness of the dark chocolate would offset the sweetness from the caramel Lotus cookies. The smoothness of the chocolate mousse also contrasts nicely with the delicate crunch of the cookie base. 

Ahh, everything melded perfectly together. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of my little experiment! I have more confidence in creating my own recipes now. But most importantly, when I saw how happy my whole family was, eating the tart together to afternoon tea, I felt so satisfied and pleased. Just seeing them enjoying my little creation was a gift in itself.

When I was first told that I had to make 3 recipes using the Panasonic Bread Machine, I was rather nervous as I have never baked bread before, or ever used a bread machine before. But now, at the end of this challenge, I’m glad to say that I have no regrets, and I am proud of how far I’ve come. I’ve made things I never thought I would be able to, and unleashed my creativity in incorporating a personal touch in my recipes. 

I’m so thankful to Panasonic and SPH for the opportunity to use this breadmaker and blog about my cooking experiences.

Even though this was a tiring experience, especially since I had to rush out 3 recipes in a week before heading off for my back-to-back camps, I’ve learnt a lot, and I’m looking forward to making more recipes in the years to come.

It’s my first time using any special kitchen equipment for that matter, and I would say that Panasonic has given me a good experience with the user-friendliness and neatness of their breadmaker. What I love most is the versatility of their bread maker… How often are you able to find a breadmaker that can churn out bread, cakes and even dumplings?

I mean, really, a chocolate tart using a bread maker… that’s really out of this world, if i may say so myself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my posts, and do seize this last chance to show your love by voting for me here! Voting ends on 31 July, so every vote really counts. 

Thank you all so much and I hope you enjoy this recipe!

The Living Cafe: RAW-some dessert

I’ve passed this simple, sleek cafe nestled in the corner of 5th/6th avenue countless times, but never stopped by to try it. On the last day of my A levels, I headed down with my classmate to celebrate! After much deliberation, we finally settle on a Raw Lemon Tart and a Raw Chocolate Tart.

Raw Lemon Tart ($8.50)

The lemon tart was actually pretty yummy. The tart base was rather chewy, possibly due to the use of dates. There was coconut, pistachios and cranberries added to it as well, all of which added a nice variety of textures. Not much crunch, but a whole lot of chewiness. The lemon curd itself was smooth and tart.

They sprinkled the top of the tart with more cranberries and pistachios too, probably just to add colour since the pistachios were rather soggy, and the cranberries became hard after being exposed for too long. All in all, this was not bad for a raw dessert!

Raw Chocolate Tart ($8.50)

This didn’t fare very well, compared to the Raw Lemon Tart. The base was very crumbly, and could barely hold itself together…it resembled sawdust! I think it was made of shredded coconut. As for the filling, it was very rich, and intense. However, it was let down by the grittiness and overpowering sweetness which made us sick of it after a few bites. Skip this dessert, and go for the Lemon Tart instead.

 

I must have had rather high expectations of this eatery, since I felt rather let down by the tarts that I tried. I always imagined it to be really yummy, given the rave reviews by the healthy foodies around. Maybe their tastebuds have been accustomed to the sweetness of stevia or the usage of dates, coconut and cacao in their desserts.

Nonetheless, it was interesting trying out raw desserts, although they are rather pricey. I reckon you pay for the extra time and effort that goes into making and purchasing quality ingredients for these raw desserts. I’m not a raw food convert though… and I wouldn’t be back again for their tarts. With their lovely clean eatery, chill ambience and helpful staff, I’ll probably return to try their savouries. These raw treats aren’t the same as indulging in a proper slice of cake. Yes, that means eggs, sugar, butter, flour… the works. If you’re going to indulge, might as well go all out and satisfy your craving eh?

Rating: 6/10