Dark Berries Tart with Basil
for those of us who can't gluten
DAIRY-FREE
GLUTEN-FREE
VEGAN
FOR THE CAKE BASe:
10 stoned Medjool dates
150 g almonds
60 g hazelnuts
60 g sunflower seeds
3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
FOR THE TOPPING:
300 g blackberries
300 g blueberries
3 stems basil
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lime juice
150 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp starch
1 tsp agar-agar
150 g blackberries to garnish
Fresh Berry Mascarpone Tart
For the base
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons very cold or frozen unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
For the filling
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
⅓ cup well-chilled heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
1½ cups strawberries, hulled and halved or quatered
1½ cups blueberries
1½ cups blackberries
2 tablespoons strawberry (or other berry) jam
2 tablespoons dark berry liqueur, like crème de cassis
Fresh mint leaves for garnish, optional
directions
Start by making the crust. Put the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse again until the butter is mixed in with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Whisk the yolk in a small bowl. Drizzle it into the food processor, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Continue processing in long pulses until the dough forms clumps and then comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Grease a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 375º. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and place, oil side down, firmly onto the crust. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and use the back of a spoon to gently press down the crust if it has puffed. Continue baking another 8 minutes, until the crust is firm and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the filling, combine the mascarpone, cream and sugar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Transfer the mixture to the cooled shell and use a spatula to smooth it evenly. Refrigerate while preparing the berries.
In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Combine the jam and berry liqueur in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Pour the mixture over the berries and gently toss to coat evenly. Mound the berries over the top of the mascarpone cream. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.
The tart can be made a couple hours ahead of time and chilled. It’s best the day it’s made, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the last remaining slice the next day.
Fresh Fig & lemon cream tart
Special Equipment:
a medium oven safe bowl (I used a Pyrex bowl from this set)
an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom
a quick-read digital thermometer
an immersion blender (or a regular blender works too!)
For the Brown Butter Tart Shell:
(makes one 8-inch tart)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
a pinch of kosher salt
6 ounces all-purpose flour
For the Lemon Cream Filling and Fig Topping:
(makes enough for one 8-inch tart)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 fl. ounces) freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
a pinch of kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks // 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint ripe figs
late summer tart
for the base
100g wholegrain flour
100g desiccated coconut
100g unsalted butter, melted
60g coconut sugar or 40g unrefined cane sugar
for the filling
300ml double cream(cold) + 2-4 tablespoons
250g mascarpone cheese
icing sugar/maple syrup or any of your favourite sweetener to taste
top with
fig slices, blueberries, blackberries
cinnamon
maple syrup
directions
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Mix the ingredients for the base and line the bottom of the 35cmx12cm tart tin using your fingertips.
Bake for around 20 minutes. The tart will ‚swell’ a little bit so take it out and press the pastry back to it’s shape with the back of the spoon and put back it the oven for extra 5 minutes.
Take it out the oven and let it cool down.
In the meantime, whip the cream until it’s thick and creamy, add mascarpone cream and icing sugar to taste (you can also leave it unsweetened or add couple of spoonfuls maple syrup or any of your favorite sweetener). Add extra double cream in case it’s to thick and might feel difficult to spread.
Spread the mascarpone mixture over the base and decorate with fruit. Pour over the maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon just before serving.
Lemon Berry mascarpone tart
For the Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
1 pound mascarpone cheese (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (plus more for garnish)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh berries, washed, hulled, and sliced as desired
DIRECTIONS:
To prepare the crust, whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, using a standing mixer or electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture on low speed until just incorporated, being careful to not over mix. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Once the dough has chilled, press the dough into the tart pan and up the sides. Use a knife to score the edges and make them even at the top. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to lightly brown. If it has puffed up a little during baking, just gently press it down when you remove from oven. Cool completely in pan.
To prepare the filling, combine the mascarpone, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Spread mixture evenly in cooled tart shell, then top with berries. Garnish with lemon zest.
Orange and chocolate tart
