This Sweet, Dairy-Free Sunday is brought to you by Ani Phyo and her enticing new cookbook, Ani’s Raw Food Desserts: 85 Easy, Delectable, Sweets and Treats. If you have read or used Ani's first cookbook, Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, then you know that her recipes are amazingly simple - and the recipes in her new cookbook are no exception. Ani offers up a good dose of sweet flavor, while keeping the recipes very accessible. She recognizes that most people don't want to turn to raw food only to spend even more time in the kitchen. I love that about her. Plus, because the recipes are raw and vegan, they are by default dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and gluten-free! A bonus for many of you who live with food allergies and intolerances. Should you need just a bit more encouragement in the raw food arena, then try one of the following dessert recipes that Ani has so graciously shared from her cookbook ...

Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake
Makes about 6 servings

Recipe from Ani’s Raw Food Desserts

Hello to “home-style” frosting—fresh and not from a plastic tub. Goodness without guilt. I use carob in my cake to cut down on the caffeine, and because I love carob for its malty rich flavor. This cake is to live for, it’s one of my favorites.

FUDGE CAKE
3 cups dry walnuts
2⁄3 cup unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pitted Medjool dates

FROSTING
1⁄3 cup semi-soft pitted Medjool dates
1⁄4 cup agave syrup
1⁄2 cup ripe avocado flesh (from about 1 medium avocado)
1⁄3 cup cacao powder

FILLING
1⁄2 cup raspberries

To make the cake, combine the walnuts, cacao powder, and salt in the food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Avoid overprocessing. Add the dates and pulse until mixed well. Shape into 2 stackable cakes of desired shape and set aside.

To make the frosting, combine the dates and agave syrup in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado and process until smooth. Add the cacao powder and process until smooth.

To serve, frost the top of one of the cakes with half the frosting and top with the raspberries. Stack the second cake on top and frost the top and side. Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator for a couple hours to firm up.

The cake on its own will keep in the fridge for many weeks. The frosting will keep separately in the fridge for 1 week.

Carob Walnut Cookies
Makes 8 to 12 Cookies

Recipe from Ani’s Raw Food Desserts

Sweet raisins, malty carob, and rich walnuts are ground together to make a delicious, dark, sweet cookie. Packed with antioxidants, vitamin E, and EFAs, these cookies keep you trim and your skin radiant.

1 cup raisins
3/4 cup raw walnuts
1⁄4 cup raw carob powder
1 teaspoon mesquite powder (optional)
1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt

Combine the raisins, walnuts, carob powder, mesquite powder if using, and salt in the food processor. Process until the dough begins sticking together.

Press the dough into 2-inch cookie cutters placed on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Shoot for a thickness of 1⁄3- to 1⁄2-inch. Or, make 1- to 1 1⁄2-inch balls and flatten.

Place the cookies in the freezer to chill and firm up for 30 minutes or more before serving or transferring to the fridge for serving later.

Will keep for many weeks in the fridge or freezer. Thaw 5 minutes before eating.

photos © Seth Beck
From the book Ani’s Raw Food Desserts by Ani Phyo.  Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group.  Copyright © 2009.  Find out more at www.dacapopresscookbooks.com.