čokoladni kolač s butternut tikvom

inspiracija: [ovaj] kolačo

što/

kora_
1 šalica badema
2/3 šalice sezama
2 jušne žlice lanenih sjemenki
oko 1/3-1/2 šalice vode
1/3 - 1/2 šalice paste od datulja, izblendanih datulja ili nešto manje datuljinog sirupa ili drugog zaslađivača po želji

krema_
1 mala butternut tikva (oko 0.5-0.7 kg)
1 limenka masnog kokosovog mlijeka*
2 jušne žlice psyllium ljuskica
3-4 jušne žlice kakaa* u prahu
3-4 jušne žlice paste od datulja
prstohvat vanilije u prahu ili malo ekstrakta vanilije
prstohvat cimeta u prahu

kako/

kora_
Sameljite bademe i sezam na što sitnije. Nemojte ih predugo usitnjavati kako se ne bi pretvorili u "maslac". Sameljite lanene sjemenke i dodajte im vodu. Pričekajte 5-10 minuta da puste sluz, pa im dodajte i pastu od datulja i dobro promiješajte. Dobivenu smjesu ubacite u zdjelu s mljevenim bademima i sezamom i sve skupa dobro promiješajte. Dobit ćete pomalo ljepljivu ali kompaktnu masu koja se lako oblikuje rukama. Oblikujte ju u nešto slično kugli, stavite na papir za pečenje i izvaljajte u tanku koru kružnog oblika, polumjera za 2-3 cm većeg nego što je polumjer kalupa koji ćete koristiti. Tako pripremljenu koru, zajedno s papirom za pečenje, stavite u kalup i poravnajte. Stavite u pećnicu zagrijanu na 175 °C i pecite dok ne postane donekle hrskava i lagano porumeni na rubovima (oko 20-25 minuta). Izvadite iz pećnice i ostavite da se malo ohladi.

krema_
Butternut tikvu ogulite, narežite na komade i skuhajte na pari da malo omekša, oko 10 minuta. Pričekajte da se malo ohladi pa ju stavite u blender zajedno s kokosovim mlijekom, kakaom, cimetom, vanilijom i psyllium ljuskicama i blendajte dok smjesa ne postane glatka i "pudingasta" (psyllium ljuskice će apsorbirati vodu). Ako imate jaki blender, nije loše dodati psyllium ljuskice tek nakon što ste ostale sastojke dobro izblendali, pa nastaviti blendati dok ne dobijete pudingastu teksturu. One će dosta brzo zgusnuti smjesu. Izlijte smjesu u kalup na pečenu koru od badema i sezama i stavite u hladnjak na nekoliko sati da se krema malo zgusne.

što ako/
Ako ne želite koristiti kokosovo mlijeko, možete napraviti kremu i od nešto veće količine tikve i malo više psyllium ljuskica. Možete dodati i malo domaćeg maslaca od badema. Neće biti tako kremasta kao s kokosom, ali će biti od lokalnih namirnica. Podržavam.
Datulje također možete zamijeniti suhim voćem/zaslađivačem po vašem ukusu. Umjesto kakaa može ići rogač, još bolje.

i još/
Ovaj kolač se može napraviti i u sirovoj varijanti. Koru napravite od namočenih badema i sezama, s nešto manje lana i vode, a kremu od sirove tikve. Butternut tikva je meni jako ukusna sirova, samo ju narežem na komade i grickam. Ovdje sam je kuhala kako bi sve skupa ispalo kremastije.

*kupite fair trade - vrijedi za svu hranu koja nije lokalna i dolazi iz zemalja gdje nemamo pojma u kakvim uvjetima ljudi rade da bismo mi mogli uživati u njoj

[ENGLISH]

chocolate cake with butternut squash

inspired by [this] cake

what/

crust_
1 cup almonds
2/3 cup sesame seeds
2 tbsp flaxseed
around 1/3-1/2 cup water
1/3 - 1/2 cup date paste, blended dates or a few tbsp date syrup or other sweetener of choice

cream/
1 small butternut squash (around 0.5-0.7 kg)
1 can of high-fat coconut milk*
2 tbsp psyllium husks
3-4 tbsp cacao* powder
3-4 tbsp date paste
a pinch of vanilla powder or some vanilla extract
a pinch of ground cinnamon

how/

crust_
Grind the almonds and sesame seeds. They should be finely ground but not turned into a nut butter. Grind the flax seeds and put them in a bowl with 1/3 cup water (later you can add more if needed). Let them sit for 5-10 minutes to absorb water. Add the date paste and mix it well with the soaked flax meal. Add ground almonds and sesame seeds and mix everything well. The mixture should be a bit sticky but easy to knead with hands. Shape it into a ball and put on a piece of parchment paper. Roll it into a thin, round crust, 4-6 cm wider than your cake mould in diameter. Now carefully place it into the mould, together with the parchment paper and straighten it up. Preheat the oven to 175 °C and place your crust inside for around 20-25 minutes, until it becomes somewhat crunchy and browns a bit on the edges. Take it out and leave to cool a bit

cream_
Peel the butternut squash, cut in pieces and steam cook until it gets a bit softer - around 10 minutes. Wait until it cools a bit and put it in a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until it gets smooth and pudding-like (psyllium husk will absorb water). If you use a high-speed blender, it is good to blend everything except psyllium husks first, and then add the husks and blend a bit more. Pour the cream into the mold with the crust and put the cake in a fridge for a few hours to thicken a bit.

what if/
If you don't want to use coconut milk, you can make the cream without it, just use some more squash and psyllium and add some homemade almond butter (optional). It will not get as creamy as it would with coconut milk, but it will most probably be more locally sourced. Depends where you live. 
You can also replace the dates with dried fruits or a sweetener of our choice. Instead of cacao, you can use carob powder, even better.
Here in Croatia, all kinds of squash are in season now, and local carob and almonds are also available.

also/
This cake can be made as a completely raw one, just make sure to use soaked almonds and sesame for the crust. In that case you can use less water and flax seeds. Butternut squash is perfectly yummy raw, i love to just chop it and eat it as a snack. In this cake I cooked it a bit to achieve the perfect creaminess. Up to you!

*buy it fair-trade - it's good to apply this habit for all the foods that are not local and you have no idea about the conditions in which people work in order to produce it