Cooking With Joy
JOY… is the secret ingredient in my cooking! It’s the little extra touch that’s so important when I’m creating a dish.
It’s not only the recipe ingredients that matter it’s how I feel and the excitement I bring to the recipe that makes it special and delicious. I feel joy is something that we could all use a little or a bunch more of…
It adds to the experience of making something and sharing it with others.
Vegan Lemon Peel & Caviar Lime Tart
This tangy tart is wonderful served for dessert or is perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up with tea or coffee.
They are vegan raw and full of healthy delicious ingredients. We’ve included a raw tart-base recipe, but to save time you can also use a store-bought tart-bases or frozen pastry and bake the crust before filling.
TIP: We suggest using caviar limes in this recipe for the little lime pearls to add into the filling once it is blended and use regular limes for juicing as they have a lot more juice.(if caviar limes are available in your area use them fresh or they can be sourced online and frozen).
You can use a drop or two of natural green food colouring (found in health food stores or online) if you’d like the tarts to be a brighter shade or lime green.
NOTE You’ll need to soak the cashews for at least 4 hours and drain well before blending. Soaking them gives a very creamy consistency to the tart filling when blended. You can soak them for less time; however, there will be little pieces of cashews in the filling which just adds texture.
If you have any tart base leftover it’s great rolled into balls for a little treat. For the photo we used a round spring-form non-stick cake tin approx. 22.86cm (9 inches).
You can use any shape you like and also make mini tarts using a muffin tin (makes approx. 12) or mini muffin tins (make approx. 24).
MAKES 1 tart (or 12 small tarts/24 mini tarts)
PREP TIME 25 – 30 minutes
CHILLING TIME approx. 2 hours to overnight (must cover with cling wrap while chilling)
Ingredients for the Tart Base
- 2½ cups raw walnuts
- 1 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
- 10 pitted medjool dates
- 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- A generous pinch of salt
Ingredients for the Filling
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours, rinsed and drained well
- 1 cup organic coconut cream
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- A pinch of sea salt (to taste)
- 2/3 cup maple syrup or agave syrup (to taste)
- 2 drops culinary grade lime and/or lemon oil (optional, to taste)
- 2 – 3 caviar limes (seeds removed and pearls collected) (optional)
Topping Suggestions
- Fresh flowers
- Sliced lemon, lime or orange
- Caviar lime pearls
- Rind of 1 lemon and/or lime
- Hemp seeds
- Shredded coconut flakes
- Fresh mint leaves
Method
1. To make the tart base place the walnuts and shredded coconut in a food processor and process, turning on and off a few times until well chopped – and pour into a bowl. Then in the same food processor (no need to clean in between) process the chopped dates and coconut oil until nearly smooth.
2. Then add back in the processed walnuts, shredded coconut oil and sea salt and pulse a few times until well combined.
3. To make 1 large tart: Line a spring-form cake tin with baking paper. (Crumpling up the baking paper before trying to line the tin relaxes the paper and it’s much easier to use).
4. Place the finely mixed tart base onto the baking paper. Then starting with the middle press, the base mixture into the bottom and up along the side of the lined cake tin. (Go up the sides approx. a little over 2.5cm (a little over 1 inch) not to the top). Try using a sterilized glass jar to press the tart base into the sides for a clean and smooth finish along the sides.
5. To make small or mini tart bases: Prepare a muffin tin by generously rubbing the holes with coconut oil. Then using a dessert spoon or your hands scoop up approx. 1 heaping tablespoon (or less for mini tart bases) of tart base and press into the muffing base. Evenly cover the bottom and up the sides to the top forming the tart base. Repeat until all 12 bases (or 24 mini bases) are formed and place in the fridge while you make the filling.
6. To make the filling: Place all the filling ingredients (except for the caviar limes pearls, if using) in a high-speed blender and blend until silky smooth. Taste the mixture and add a little more maple syrup, if desired and blend again.
7. Stir in the caviar limes pearls, if using into the filling and then fill tart to the top.
8. Cover the cake tin or muffin tray loosely with cling wrap (not touching the tart filling, if possible) and then place in the freezer to set for at least 1 – 2 hours. Decorate the tart once you have set it in the freezer using any or all of the topping suggestion in the recipe. Have fun making your tart beautiful!
9. Store any left-over tart in the freezer in a covered container and thaw a few minutes before serving.
With joy,
Chef Kate
Stunning images by Holly Kent
You may love Chef Kate’s cookbook, The Flavour of Joy. Containing stories to inspire, amuse and uplift as well as delicious, healthy recipes you’ll love.
Kate uses local organic and sustainable ingredients in her tasty and nutritious recipes, also including superfoods and medicinal herbs in her dishes to create healthy and nourishing food for the body, mind, and spirit.
