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This gluten-free, vegan Strawberries and Cream Tart is a healthful dessert that still tastes absolutely incredible!
Strawberries and Cream Tart
If you've been around here for a while, you might have noticed that I definitely favor savory recipes over sweet. It's not that I don't have a sweet tooth (because oh, I do), but baking just doesn't come to me as naturally as making soup or bolognese sauce. That's why I gravitate toward easy dessert recipes like chocolate cake pops and these no-bake hemp seed cookies.
Last week I was super inspired to create another simple dessert...but I wanted it to be a little fancy!
What is fancier than a tart?! Plus, it's currently strawberry season here in South Carolina, and we need to eat some of those delicious red berries.
This Strawberries and Cream Tarte is:
- Super cute
- Really easy to make with the no-roll almond flour crust
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Oil-free
- Healthier than other desserts
- Poppin' with incredible vanilla flavor topped with fresh strawberries
The filling texture is achieved using coconut cream, cornstarch, and agar powder. Agar powder (or agar-agar) is basically a vegan substitution for gelatin. It's made from algae! Cool, right? I buy mine from Amazon. I have not made this recipe using agar flakes so I can't say for sure how much you would need - just order the powder to play it safe!
You can find canned coconut cream in the Asian section of the grocery store. I usually get the Thai Kitchen brand. Trader Joe's also has a great coconut cream. There will probably be an inch or two of liquid on the bottom - and that's fine! Pour it all into the pot.
The tart crust is made with a few simple ingredients: almond flour, ground flax seed, vanilla, and a little salt. No added oils are necessary because both flax seed and almond flour have natural fats. Traditionally, tarts are made with pie crust but TBH - I hate making pie crust. Busting out the rolling pin just isn't fun. This crust is mixed together and then pressed into a tart tin. SO EASY.
Recipe
Vegan Strawberries and Cream Tart
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 tablespoon ground flax seed
- 6 tablespoon cold water
- 1 ¾ cup fine almond flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Vanilla Cream Filling
- ¾ teaspoon agar powder
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoon almond milk or your favorite plant milk
- 1 can coconut cream 13.6 oz
- ⅓ cup organic sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1-2 tablespoon sweetener
Instructions
Crust
- Mix together the ground flax seed and water and let sit for 5 minutes - it will thicken up to a gel-like texture.
- Combine the flax seed mixture with the almond flour, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Press the dough into a tart pan. Poke some holes in the bottom of the crust using a fork.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Vanilla Cream Filling
- In a small bowl, whisk together the agar powder, cornstarch, and almond milk.
- Add the coconut cream, sugar, and agar/cornstarch mixture into a pot. Whisk thoroughly.
- On medium heat, bring to a boil and then remove immediately from the stove. It should be nice and thick at this point. Whisk in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender. Be SUPER careful while blending, because you definitely don't want the hot liquid to splatter everywhere. Blend for one minute. This will create a lighter texture.
- Pour the filling into the tart crust. Set it in the fridge until the filling is firm (1-2 hours.)
- For the topping, mix strawberries with a little sweetener (like agave or maple syrup.) Place the strawberries right on top of the tart when it's set.
- Best served the day of, but still tasty the day after.
