One of the things I enjoy the most in this life is witnessing random acts of kindness. Believe it or not, they happen all around us, all the time. All we need to do is shift our focus and pay a little attention. Quite challenging, I know, considering we are constantly bombarded with negativity and tales of tragic events happening all over the world.
A few weeks ago, as I was driving to work on a damp, bitterly cold morning, I saw a gentleman standing on a corner, holding a “store clearance sale” sign, waving at the cars driving by. While I was waiting for the light to turn green, I saw a woman come out of store near by, holding a cup of what looked like coffee and some kind of pastry, and hand it to him. How awesome is that? I couldn’t help but smile. Made my day.
A couple of days later, I was in the grocery store, ready to check out, when the customer behind me handed me a $5 off coupon for me to use. “Thank you so much, but don’t you want to use it for yourself?”, I asked. “Don’t worry, I have anther one. Go ahead, use it!”, he replied. I gracefully accepted it, thanked him and walked away again, with a smile on my face. I know it may sound silly, but I was really touched by it.
And that’s not all. The following day, after sitting pretty much all day in front of my laptop at my favorite coffee shop, one of the staff members came over and handed me a salad, noticing, I guess, that all I had for lunch was a gigantic mug of coffee. That little gesture, meant the world to me.
Best part of all of it for me is that experiencing kindness like this inspires me to “pay it forward”. To go ahead and do something nice for someone. Whether it’s a friend, family or a complete stranger. Because you never know how the smallest thing, can make the biggest difference in someone’s day…
… And if it involves chocolate, in my opinion, makes it even more special 😉
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz
ENJOY!
- CRUST
- ½ cup shelled pistachios (preferably salted)
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1-3 tbsp almond milk or water
- FILLING
- 21/2 cups sweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp ground pistachios (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Combine pistachios, coconut and walnuts in the food processor. Pulse 10-15 times until well combined. Add almond flour and cocoa powder and pulse a few more times
- Add honey and 1 tablespoon of almond milk or water. Keep pulsing to form a dough, adding more liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary
- Press dough evenly into a 11″x1.5″ tart pan with removable bottom, so it comes up the sides. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes, watching it carefully so it doesn't burn. Set aside to cool
- In the meantime, prepare the filling. Combine almond milk and sugar in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add chocolate chips and cocoa powder, stirring constantly until the chocolate is completely melted
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, potato starch and water until well combined. Add about 4 tablespoons of the hot chocolate mixture, one at a time, whisking constantly to temper the egg yolks
- Add egg mixture to chocolate and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly
- Pour evenly over cooled tart shell. Sprinkle with ground pistachios if using. Let the filling cool for about an hour and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours, until set
Ruth: Thank you for reminding us all of the importance of these small but meaningful acts of caring. In our crazy hectic world we overlook opportunities all the time. I think it would be really nice to bake this amazing dessert and show up at a friend’s and present it (with love and the recipe). You and Vicky are magical in the kitchen!
Thank you so much Cindy!! It’s amazing how things change just by changing our focus. Thank you for always being there to remind us. Hope your family enjoys this dessert (almost) as much as the cinnamon cookies 😉
Have a wonderful Pessaj!!
Small acts of kindness really did happen around you (and to you) this week, how beautiful. I bet you felt a deep sense of lingering gratitude all week 🙂
I’m grateful for this amazing flourless tart recipe you’ve posted, it looks simply divine. I’m a sucker for rich, dark chocolate. It’s just icing on the cake (or the crumbs on the tart in this case) that this recipe is so healthy as well!
Thank you!! I sure did, and it’s a wonderful feeling. So glad you liked the recipe. If you really enjoy rich, dark chocolate, you’re going to love this one!! 😉
Can I use cashews or pecans in place of the walnuts? People in my family have allergies to walnuts and peanuts.
Thanks,
Elaine
Yes you can use any nut you would like, or you could use all pistachios instead of the walnuts.
Some really marvellous work on behalf of the owner of this website,
absolutely outstanding written content.
Thank you!
Is it vegan and Passover serveable.
Hi! This tart is kosher for Passover. However, it contains eggs, so it’s not vegan.