Ingredients

Method

Put the nuts, oats, coconut, sea salt and cocoa in a food processor and blend until it is a breadcrumb texture. Add dates, water and syrup, blend again. If you do not have a food processor use pre-ground nuts and simply mix the nuts, oats, coconut, sea salt and cocoa in a bowl. Finely chop the dates as small as you can, add them to the bowl, with the water and syrup, mix well.
Put this into an 8 inch cake tin, press flat with the back of a spoon.
Blend the chocolate, tofu and peppermint essence. Pour into the cake tin then top with crushed hazelnuts. Put the torte into the fridge.
Put the coconut milk into a saucepan. Add a couple of tablespoons of coconut milk into a small jug or cup. Add the icing sugar or syrup and cornflour. Mix well then add back to the saucepan. Stir in, put the pan on a medium heat.
Allow the coconut milk to cook for around 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly. It will thicken gradually, continue cooking it until it is as thick as you like your custard to be.
Remove the torte from the fridge, add a few mint leaves, crushed hazelnuts and a scattering of icing sugar.
Serve the torte with lashings of coconut custard.

The custard can be made in advance and then reheated. A skin will form so this can either be simply removed or avoided by putting cling film directly on the top of the custard.
If the custard goes lumpy simply blend it with a hand blender.
For a nut free alternative substitute the nuts with more oats.

Recipe by Claire Buxton student at theveganchefschool