Annie Southam
Our next set of recipes are scene stealers at any holiday or informal gathering. Making tarts is quite simple and they are a fun way to incorporate the fruits and veggies of the season. Put in a little effort to give them decorative flair or take it easy and enjoy their natural rustic beauty. They’re easier than pie to make and are crowd-pleasers for sure.
Pear Almond Tarts
Once you get the hang of making tart dough, you’ll find yourself 80% of the way there. Tarts should be light and flaky, with a hint of saltiness. This compliments the sweetness of the fruit and is the foundation of each recipe. Bosc pears are in season through the fall and winter. They have a firm, dense flesh which makes them most suitable for this type of dessert.
Tart Dough
1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (113 grams) butter, cold
1 large egg, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling
3 tablespoons (50 grams) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups (160 grams) almond flour
3 ripe bosc pears, peeled, halved, and cored
Click here for the full recipe and instructions. The filling calls for almond flour which gives it an extra toasty flavor. Almond flour adds an extra dose of protein as well, so this is the perfect dessert for the holidays.
Winter Persimmons
Persimmons tend to be more of a winter delicacy and have a warm, spicy flavor. We love winter tarts that can also go vegan with hearty flour choices and alternative butters. Use fuyu persimmons for your tarts since they lack a core, seeds, and tannins. Their flavors hint of pear, dates and brown sugar, and they are fine to eat while firm.
Crust
100 g / 1 cup buckwheat flour
95 g / 1 cup almond meal
25 g / 1/4 cup sweet rice flour*
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
Filling
75 g / 1/3 cup vegan butter, I use nuttelex buttery (or mild olive oil)
115 g / 1/2 cup raw caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
35 g / 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ cup + 1 tbsp chickpea liquid (aquafaba)**
1 tbsp spiced rum
240 g / 2 1/2 cups almond meal
4 non-astringent (fuyu) persimmon cut into thin half moon slices
handful sliced almonds scattered on top
icing sugar to dust
Click here for full recipe and instructions. This recipe highlights the flavor of the fruit with almonds and a hint of rum. A welcome treat at any holiday party!
Asparagus + Radish
If you’ve got a little puff pastry on hand, whipping up lunch or a light dinner can be a snap. April is the prime month for asparagus and tarts are a creative alternative to roasting. Asparagus season can be quite brief (100 days) so stock up at your local farmer’s market.
Ingredients
6 squares puff pastry 4 1/2 inches square, 1/4-inch thick (about 1/2 pound)
1 egg beaten
3 Tablespoons pesto divided
6 Tablespoons ricotta
3 teaspoons lemon juice divided
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch thin asparagus trimmed and washed
6-8 small radishes trimmed and washed
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Click here for full recipe and instructions. These pastries are layered with radishes, which gives them extra bang for your bite. We love this recipe as an alternative to pizza and they are fun and fancy, too.
Summer Berries
The summer season brings our favorite red berries and fruits. Nothing combines strawberries and chocolate easier than tarts. Use a vegan puff pastry to make this dessert appreciated by everyone at the party. You may also substitute the strawberries with other summer fruits like rhubarb or cherries.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries
3 tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla paste
1 sheet vegan puffed pastry
30g Hu Dark Chocolate
1 tsp vegan butter, melted
Click here for full recipe and instructions. This tart is a little more on the rustic side of things. It’s easy to whip up when you’ve got to bring something at the last minute. Hu dark chocolate is vegan as well and you can of course substitute any ingredient with a non-vegan version if you like.
Fall Vegetable Spiral
If you have an array of Fall vegetables on hand, this next recipe is a total show-stopper. Spiral tarts keep the focus on the contents but we love the addition of pumpkin and sunflower seeds in the crust. It takes a little patience but is quite easy to make and even comes with a handy video.
Crust
200g quinoa
30g pumpkin seeds
30g sunflower seeds
pinch of salt
3 tbsp butter or coconut oil
4 tbsp water
Filling
2 courgettes (if you can get them go for one green and one yellow for even more contrast)
2 aubergines
3 carrots
375g silken tofu
100g hummus
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Click here for full recipe and instructions. Remember, courgettes are basically zucchini and aubergines are eggplants. The beauty of this tart comes from the vegetables in a variety of colors.