Guest Post on The Paleo Mom!! Chocolate Chestnut Chia Cake -

Whoop Whoop - could I BE any more excited?? Thrilled, ecstatic, over the moon and incredibly thankful to The Paleo Mom for featuring my first ever guest post. A sneak peek..

Chocolate Chestnut Chia Cake

Check out the full post over on:

Thepaleomom.com - guest post by imperfectly-paleo: Chestnut chocolate chia cake

 xx

Ingredients:

• 1 pack (200g) cooked and peeled chestnuts (I use vacuum packed but can be cooked and peeled from fresh)
• 100g unsweetened soft prunes, pitted
• 150g dark chocolate (I use Green and Black’s 85% cocoa), broken into pieces
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 ‘chia eggs’ (4 tbsp chia seeds + 3/4 cup water)
• pinch of salt
• Optional: 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Optional: cocoa powder or chocolate shavings to decorate

 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius, 340 degrees farenheit.
2. Line a round spring form cake tin (I use 22cm diameter) with baking parchment, bottom and sides.
3. Make ‘chia eggs’ by grinding the chia seeds (I use my Nutribullet but can be done in food processor or pestle and mortar), then mix with water. Set aside to absorb for 5-10mins until a viscous egg-like texture is formed.
4. Set aside 2 whole chestnuts from the pack. Slice each one into 6 slices, giving a total of 12 slices to decorate the cake top.
5. Combine remaining chestnuts, prunes, salt, cocoa powder, coconut milk, vanilla (and maple syrup if using) in a food processor.
6. In a separate heatproof bowl placed over a gently simmering saucepan of water (bowl not to touch water), melt the chocolate and coconut oil, stirring frequently, until melted and glossy. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
7. Add the ‘chia eggs’ to the food processor with the chestnut prune mix, and blend until well combined.
8. Add slightly cooled chocolate mixture to the food processor with the chestnut chia mix. Blend until well combined.
9. Pour mix into prepared tin and decorate with reserved chestnut slices, gently pressing them into the surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cake is mostly set with only a slight wobble when shaken (gently!). A skewer inserted will not come out clean.
10. Leave in tin to cool before transferring to a cooling rack. It will be very soft in texture. For easier slicing I pop the whole cooled cake in the fridge for half an hour before attempting to slice. Dust with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings, if using, before slicing.
11. Serve with berries and a dollop of whipped coconut cream.
12. Store in the fridge. Remove half an hour before serving as the cold will make it quite firm. Can also be frozen in individual slices.