Almond Schoko Coco Cake

I tried several new recipes for Thanksgiving 2010, and this was one of my faves. It's got a crust made with almonds and couscous (yes, really!) and then a layer of the chocolate cake, and topped with toasted coconut. It is almost like chocolate cheesecake, but it's made with extra-firm tofu instead of cream cheese. It might not fool the cheese lovers, but it was very good nevertheless. I recommend it, even if you think you don't like tofu. The recipe I used called for cashews for the crust, but since I couldn't find raw cashews when I needed them, I opted for almonds. I LOVE almonds for so many reasons, not to mention the lovely flavor and aroma, so this was not a problem for me at all.

I would try it again with even more chocolate chips or with cocoa powder to bring out that flavor. I recommend doing so if you prefer dark chocolate, since this ended up tasting more like milk-chocolate. The toasted coconut on top is a must, but you do have to watch closely so as to not burn it.

Tools you will need: a 9-inch springform pan, blender or food processor, measuring cups and spoons, a plate, a double boiler, a medium saucepan, a baking sheet, a spatula or bowl scraper.

Almond Schoko Coco Cake

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 cup raw, unsalted almonds

1 1/2 cups coconut-pineapple juice (can substitute with apple juice)

1 1/4 cups unrefined cane sugar

1 cup couscous

1 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract

10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 packages (12.3 oz each) firm or extra firm tofu

1/4 cup maple syrup

Pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully, as it will burn quickly. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

2. In a blender or food processor, puree the almonds with 1 cup water until very smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine the almond milk, the coconut-pineapple juice, sugar, and couscous. Mix well. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Spread into the springform pan. Let cool.

3. In a double-boiler, melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring until smooth. Scrape into a food processor. Add the tofu, maple syrup, and salt. Process until very smooth.

4. Pour the chocolate tofu over the couscous layer. Sprinkle the toasted coconut evenly over the top. Refrigerate until the cake is set, at least 2 hours or, ideally, overnight.

(Main source for this recipe is Ken Charney, The Bold Vegetarian Chef (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002). Thanks, Lisa, for giving me this book!