Sweet Heart of a Tart

Vegan Fresh Fruit and Custard Tart (gluten, dairy, and egg free).

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND

Whenever I hear the words, “Valentine’s Day,” this rhyme always comes to mind:

The Queen of Hearts, She made some tarts, All on a summer’s day; The Knave of Hearts, He stole those tarts, And took them clean away.

These lines, written in the 1700s by an anonymous poet, were part of a poem inspired by a deck of playing cards with each suit represented by rather scandalous stanzas. From spades to diamonds to clubs, there’s drubbing, clubbing, seduction, and shenanigans, and a knave in each verse. Set to music in 1785, I can’t help but wonder if the song was popular at rowdier pubs of the era.

All that aside, this beautiful tart shares none of the poem’s wickedness. It is both worthy of a queen and healthy for your heart. Featuring a gluten and dairy-free crust, it’s filled with a delicate coconut-almond milk custard (dairy and egg free) and topped with fresh strawberries and raspberries. You can glaze the tart with a little melted jelly if you like, but it’s freshly sweet without it.

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

• 2 cups almond flour

• 1 cup gluten-free flour

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold vegan butter (use solid sticks, not whipped), plus more to coat tart pan

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• Finely grated zest of one lemon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons very cold almond milk

For the custard:

• 1, 13.5 fl. oz. can coconut milk

• 2/3 cup almond milk

• 1/4 cup pure cane sugar

• 1/4 cup corn starch

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1/8 teaspoon seeds scraped from a vanilla bean (optional)

For fresh fruit topping:

• 1 cup fresh raspberries

• 1 pound container fresh strawberries, hulled and cut into thin slices to make heart shapes

Method

Make crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat the sides and bottom of a removable-bottom 11-inch tart pan with vegan butter. Set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, stir dry crust ingredients together with a fork. Cut vegan butter in small pieces over the dry ingredients. Using a fork or fingertips, break butter into small pieces and work into the flour until mixture resembles wet sand. Add 2 tablespoons almond milk and work into the dough. Gather dough into a ball. Spread work surface with two overlapping pieces of plastic wrap to make a 13-inch x 13-inch square. Flatten dough into a disc in the center of the wrap. Cover with two more overlapping pieces of plastic wrap to make a 13-inch x 13-inch square over the top. Roll dough out to a 12-inch circle. Remove and discard top sheets of plastic wrap. Lift and flip dough circle over into prepared tart pan. Press dough into pan, using the trim to patch any cracks. Prick bottom with tines of a fork. Cut parchment paper to fit bottom of tart; place into crust-lined tart pan. Fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes at 350. Remove parchment and beans; bake for 15 more minutes until crust is golden. Remove tart crust from oven. Cool on a rack.

Make custard:

Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepot, over medium heat. Break up the coconut solids. Whisk just until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and continue whisking until thickened. Remove from heat. Scoop custard into a wide bowl to cool to room temperature.

Assemble tart:

Once custard has cooled to room temperature, smooth custard into cooled tart crust. Push up on the removable tart pan bottom to carefully press tart out of tart pan; place on serving platter. Place tart in refrigerator for 30 minutes or a bit more until custard has set. Remove from refrigerator. Decoratively arrange raspberries and spiral fresh strawberry slices on top of the custard. Serve immediately.