Feasting on Virtue

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shin, and bread to sustain his heart.

Psalm 104:14-15

Food celebrates life, cultivates community, and illuminates the glory of God. Pastor McDougall reminded me of this on Sunday when he expounded upon the virtues of food and its importance in scripture. I was hooked. Obviously food is connected to praise and to the virtues of the one who made it. No wonder I’m fixated on its splendor. Conclusion: I am a very holy individual. What a relief, I feared I was a common glutton, particularly after my holiday parade of dinners, brunches, and other food-focused gatherings. I’ve been so busy eating I’ve scarcely had time to blog. I’m fortunate to have a mother and a mother-in-law who love to cook. Both laid out impressive spreads this Christmas, leaving me to the fun extra pieces, like dessert, my favourite meal.

After a hearty meal, I like to serve a light sweet dessert. My standby for such occasions comes from the Rebar Cookbook: Chocolate Mousse Blackout. I’ve made changes to the dessert so if you want to see it in its original form you’ll have to consult the Rebar Book, (or, even better, go to the restaurant). My version contains significantly less chocolate so the term “blackout” no longer suffices. That said, there is still plenty of chocolate in the cake and you’ll find it sufficiently sweet and creamy. And, as the dessert is comprised of primarily, gasp, tofu, you can afford second, even third, helpings.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Crust

3 TBSP sugar
1 cup white or spelt flour
1/3 cup toasted cashews
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
3 TBSP oil
2 TBSP water
½ tsp vanilla

1. Grease a 9 inch pan (8 inch will work too) and set aside. Combine sugar, flour, cashews, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a food processor. Pulse until a fine texture. Add oil, water, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 10 min, then set aside to cool.

Filling

250 grams good quality dark chocolate
3 boxes silken tofu
¾ cup plus 2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 salt
2 tsp instant coffee powder

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
   Drain tofu and puree in food processor until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, salt, and coffee powder and blend. Add melted chocolate and blend.
2. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 35 min. Don’t worry about underbaking as the
   cake tastes best creamy and soft. If you leave it in far past the suggested time it will appear much firmer but will taste dry. (If you use an 8 inch pan leave the cake in for at least 5 min longer.
3. Cool completely on a wire rack and refrigerate overnight before serving.