Meyer Lemon Mint Cream Tarts (vegan, dairy-free).
Spring is the perfect time of year to experience citrus, and what better way to serve it up but in a fluffy cream within a delicate almond tart that tastes like a cookie!
Here it is, just what your spring brunch celebration needs, or Mother’s Day brunch, or just a fancy brunch for you alone.
And plant-based and healthy too! How healthy you ask?
In the crust alone we have almond flour, really just powdered almonds, with all the nutrition of almonds, which includes fiber, protein and a nutrient makeup powerful enough that just a handful of almonds a day can balance hormones!
Then add in gluten-free oat flour (I used finely-ground), which provides fiber, and cashews, with protein, coconut oil, and of course lemon juice and fresh mint, all players contributing immune boosts, hair and skin protection, heart healthy support and even cognitive contributions.
And it’s fairly easy to put together – mix up the tart ingredients and chill while you cream the filling ingredients, pour in the tarts and chill until serve.
You can toast the tarts a bit to brown the edges, but only if you want to be fancy. And if you can’t find meyer lemons, it’s fine to use traditional.
So easy! So healthy!
And all this from a pretty spring celebration tart – pretty good don’t you think? I hope you enjoy my cheerful fresh tarts!
Lemon Mint Cream Tarts (can be no bake, vegan, dairy-free)
Ingredients
Tart Shell
- 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
- 4 tbsp almond milk, warmed
- 1/4 cup fine oat flour
- 3/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp organic powdered sugar (I use this brand)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Lemon Cream Filling
- 1 3/4 cups raw cashews soaked overnight and rinsed
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 3/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp white chia seed, grind to powder with mortar or back of spoon (I use this brand)
- 1/2 tsp mint extract
- pinch of ground turmeric (optional for color)
- pinch of salt
Useful Equipment
- 4 tart pans, I used my mother's pans, but I make a suggestion here: (Similar 4-Inch Tart Pans)
Instructions
Prep
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Warm the coconut oil by setting jar in a pot of just-boiled water.
Rub the tart shells with coconut oil, and dust with almond flour.
Warm the milk by microwaving 30 seconds just prior to blending.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Tart Shells
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There are two steps that are important to achieve a delicate crust.
First, the warming of the coconut oil. You want it to melt and be warm when you are ready to add it to the mixture. You will be adding it last. And second, the warming of the milk just prior to blending.
Once both are warmed, in a high speed blender add the milk and almond flour, and blend until incorporated, not long, a few seconds. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, minus the coconut oil. Blend until full incorporated, a minute probably or more depending on your blender. I have the new Blendtec designer series. I love it so much. It talks to me, literally.
Once the mixture is full combined, drizzle in the warm coconut oil, blend briefly and immediately pour/press into tart pans. I greased my pointer finger and ran it gently along the inside, applying gentle pressure to smooth the inside and create ridges.
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Bake them briefly at 350 degrees F, just to brown the top edges and create a more pie-crust-like crumbly texture. I kept them in the oven only 5 minutes.
Watch them! You don't want them to burn. Once the edges seemed brownish, pull the tarts out and let them cool. Remove them from the molds ever so delicately and put them on a clean cookie sheet in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
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OPTIONAL: Don't bake them to brown them - they are perfectly delicious either way. Just press the tart mixture in, and put them directly into the freezer. The edges will be lighter, and the texture more raw-like.
Make the Filling
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Blend all ingredients for the cream. Add in the turmeric last to be able to adjust the color. I made them once without the turmeric so that is possible too, they just won't be yellow.
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Pour mixture into cooled prepared tart pans. Refrigerate tarts for at least 1 hour before eating.
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I garnished mine with whipped coconut cream, lemon triangles and dusting of sugar!
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