Dessert Recipe: Vegan Summer Berry Tart with Sweet Cashew Cream and Buckwheat Crust
This refreshing spin on a summer berry tart challenges the norm of dessert indulgence. By utilizing whole grain flour for a crust (gluten-free, or GF) and a rich cashew cream (dairy-free, or DF), this dessert is a light way to enjoy the flavors of summer and expand your healthy baking skills.
Cashew cream as a stand alone is a fantastic recipe in any healthy kitchen. In this recipe we share our standard sweet version and highly recommend soaking the cashews overnight for an extra creamy result. Once you get the hang of making cashew cream, you can experiment with other sweet and savory versions.
The crust is made with naturally gluten-free buckwheat flour and coconut oil, making it a great recipe for those with food allergies. This crust recipe can be added to your healthy baking tool kit.
INGREDIENTS:
For the buckwheat crust:
½ cup sweet rice flour (mochiko)
½ cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon chia seeds
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons chilled coconut oil
Medium bowl of water and ice cubes
For the cashew cream:
2 cups raw, unsalted cashews
3 Medjool date, pitted
4 cups of water, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ pint blueberries
½ pint raspberries
INSTRUCTIONS:
Soak cashews and dates in two cups of water overnight.
To prepare the crust, combine rice flour, buckwheat flour, chia seeds, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine. Add chilled coconut oil to the dry mixture. Using your hands, combine the coconut oil into the flour, breaking it up into small pieces approximately the size of almonds.
Then, 1 tablespoon at a time, add water to the mixture until the flour begins to turn to a dough consistency, just holding together in a ball. Once in a ball, wrap in plastic and place in the fridge overnight.
To make the cashew cream, drain the cashews and dates and then add to a high speed blender along with an additional 2 cups of water and vanilla extract. Blend on high for approximately 3 minutes, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Once creamy, set aside in a refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the tart.
To prepare the crust for baking, preheat your oven to 425. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and let it warm on the counter for 5 to10 minutes. Meanwhile, create a clear space on your counter or large cutting board to roll out the dough and sprinkle with buckwheat flour.
Get a rolling pin and also coat in flour. Set up a small bowl of ice water to assist with crumbly dough.
Unwrap the dough and roll out to approximately 9” in diameter (or to fit your pie dish). If the dough is too crumbly, add small amounts of ice water to help it stick together. GF pie dough tends to be more crumbly, so do your best to roll it out into one large piece, and transfer to your pie dish.
Once there you may need to mold together using extra pieces and a small amount of ice water. Once the dough is in the pie dish, place it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or when the crust has just turned golden brown. Once cooked, remove from the oven and let cool.
When your pie crust has cooled to room temperature, add the cashew cream to the tart in an even and smooth layer. Finally, top the cashew cream with seasonal berries showcasing your own creative design.
Chill until serving.
Makes 10 servings.
NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING):
Calories 308
Protein 6 g
Total fat 20 g
Saturated fat 8 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Carbs 26 g
Fiber 5 g
Total sugars 6.8 g
Added sugars 0.5 g
Sodium 64 mg
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.