These tarts are simple yet elegant. Chocolate and mint is one of my favorite flavor combinations. We use food-grade peppermint essential oil to achieve a lovely mint flavor, but you can use mint extract instead. Moringa powder is used as a natural superfood color to create a pastel-green color in the mint cream filling.
Credit:
Reprinted with permission from The Art of Raw Desserts by Crystal Bonnet. Page Street Publishing Co. 2022. Photo credit: Crystal Bonnet.
Chocolate Mint Cream Tarts [Vegan]
Serves
Three 4-inch (10-cm) tarts
Ingredients You Need for Chocolate Mint Cream Tarts [Vegan]
For the Cacao Coconut Crust:
- 1 cup (130 g) soaked and dehydrated almonds
- 1 cup (80 g) medium-shred unsweetened dried coconut
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (36 g) cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) powdered coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons (37.5 g) chopped and melted cacao butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut nectar
- 10 drops vanilla extract, Medicine Flower brand preferred
Mint Cream
- 1 cup (140 g) raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours and rinsed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Almond Milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut nectar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (scant 4 ml) sunflower lecithin powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) moringa powder (for color and nutrition boost)
- 10 drops food-grade peppermint essential oil
- 6 drops vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) chopped and melted cacao butter
- 1/2 batch Enrobing Dark Chocolate
- 1/4 cup (50 g) chopped cacao butter
- 3/4 cup (150 g) chopped cacao paste
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) coconut nectar
- 12 drops vanilla extract
How to Prepare Chocolate Mint Cream Tarts [Vegan]
For the Cacao Coconut Crust:
- In a food processor, process the almonds, coconut, cacao powder and powdered coconut sugar together until the mixture resembles coarse flour. Add the melted cacao butter, coconut nectar and vanilla, and process again until the mixture starts sticking together. Do not overprocess the mixture, or you will start to release too many oils from the almonds and coconut.
- Using your fingers, divide the crust mixture equally among three 4-inch (10-cm)round tart pans with a removable bottom and use a small spoon to even out the bottom of each crust. Set them aside at room temperature while you make the filling.
For the Mint Cream:
- In a blender, blend together the cashews, almond milk, coconut nectar, sunflower lecithin (if using), moringa powder, peppermint essential oil and vanilla until smooth. Add the melted cacao butter and blend again until well combined. Pour the mint cream into each tart pan and gently pat the tart pans on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
For the Enrobing Dark Chocolate:
- In a stainless steel or heatproof glass bowl, combine the cacao butter and cacao paste and melt them down using the bowl over bowl method, being careful not to burn the chocolate. While the bowl is still over the heat, add the coconut nectar and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and let the chocolate sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to cool. If you use it while it is still hot, the recipe you’re enrobing will melt. Transfer the chocolate to a small bowl for enrobing. To remelt the chocolate, follow the instructions for the bowl over bowl method.
For the Assembly:
- Make or melt the enrobing dark chocolate and transfer the melted chocolate to a squeeze bottle or piping bag for decorating. If using a piping bag, cut a small hole on the end of the tip. Create horizontal lines a scant ¼ inch (6 mm) apart on top of the mint filling. Using a toothpick, run the toothpick through the horizontal lines vertically, going in opposite directions, to create a beautiful design.
- Chill the tarts in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, slice and serve. Store in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
PRO TIP:
The tart pans do not need to be lined since we are not using any sticky ingredients, such as dried fruit. Once the crust is set, it will pop right out of the mold.
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