PEAR AND ALMOND TART
INGREDIENTS
Crust
- 1 flax egg (10g flaxseed meal + 45mL water)
- ½ cup (80g) Niulife Coconut Oil, softened
- 1½ cups (210g) plain flour
- 4 tablespoons (60g) Niulife Coconut Sugar
- 4-5 tablespoons ice cold water
Almond Filling
- 2 flax eggs (20g flaxseed meal + 90mL water)
- ½ cup (80g) Niulife Coconut Oil, softened
- ½ cup (100g) Niulife Coconut Sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (140g) almond meal
- 2 tablespoons (30g) blanched almonds, roughly chopped.
Pear Topping
- 4 bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 390°F fan forced. Line and grease a 24.5 cm tart tin.
Make the crust. Begin by making the flax egg by mixing the water and flaxseed meal together in a small bowl. Leave to sit in the fridge for 5 minutes to set.
Using your fingertips (or a food processor) rub the coconut oil into the flour and coconut sugar until it's evenly distributed. Mix in the flax egg. Slowly mix the water in one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.
Shape the dough into a ball and using a rolling pin, roll out to 3mm thick. Transfer to the greased tart tin, leaving ½ inch excess hang over the sides.* Pierce the tart all over with a fork to prevent any air bubbles forming. Par-bake dough in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove and leave to cool slightly. Lower the oven temperature to 160°/320°F.
Meanwhile make the filling. Make the flax eggs using the same method as above. Cream together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the set flax egg and vanilla extract. Fold through the almond meal. Evenly spread mixture into the par-baked crust. Sprinkle with the roughly chopped blanched almonds.
Make the pears. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Arrange the pears over the filling.
Bake in the reduced oven temperature for 45 minutes. Remove and leave to cool completely. Serve with whipped coconut cream or your favourite vegan ice cream.
NOTES
*TIP: You need to leave ½ inch excess of the pastry to hang around the rim of the tart tin before you bake it. This will allow room for the shrinkage that happens when you par-bake it. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
