Raspberry Chocolate Pie (with Almond Crust) for One

You'll be glad that this recipe makes a little more than a single serving. I shared the raspberry version (made in a small casserole) with two friends and ate one of the cherry versions yesterday and the other today. It's just right for a post-rehearsal treat! 

Makes a small single-serving casserole-sized tart or two ramekins.

For the Crust:

1/3 cup raw almonds

½ cup pitted dates

Pinch of salt

For the Raspberry Sauce:

¼ cup fresh raspberries

2 teaspoons powdered sugar

For the Chocolate Filling

½ cup raw cashews, soaked for 15 minutes in water

1 TBLSP maple syrup

2 TBLSP water

2 pitted dates

2 TBLSP coconut oil

1 TBLSP unsweetened cocoa powder

                A dozen or so fresh raspberries for decoration

Line a single-serving-sized casserole or two ramekins with parchment paper. This may be a nice art project for you, as parchment paper doesn’t come in little ramekin shapes. You might try only lining the bottom and thoroughly spraying the sides with cooking spray. It won’t come unstuck quite as well, though, and you'll have to go around the edges with a paring knife.

Set the cashews to soaking before you begin anything else, and they’ll be ready when you need them.

To Make the Crust:

1. Place almonds, dates, and salt in a blender or food processor and pulse until it’s a sticky mass.
2. Press the dough into the ramekin bottom and up the sides. The sides don’t need to be completely covered, but make sure that the bottom is.

For the Raspberry Sauce:

1.  Put raspberries and powdered sugar in the blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth, although there will still be seeds.

To Make the Filling:

1. Place cashews, maple syrup, water, dates, coconut oil, and cocoa powder in the blender or food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.

To Assemble the Pie:

1. Pour the Raspberry Sauce into the bottom of the nut/date crust. Completely coat the bottom.
2. Pour the chocolate filling into the ramekin, making sure that it goes all the way to the sides but doesn’t climb above the top of the sides of the crust. The Raspberry sauce will try to escape, so keep a stern eye on it.
3.  Top the chocolate filling with fresh raspberries.
4. Refrigerate for four hours or overnight, until the filling is firm.

Variation:

·         Replace raspberries with fresh cherries. In the filling, increase the chocolate by a teaspoon and add a slosh of vanilla extract. 

Replace raspberries with fresh strawberries (and a modeling chocolate flower)