Apple and Cashew Cream Tart- vegan, no cane sugar


My husband makes great flan pastry- it's short, crumbly and light. He also is a whiz at stuff like cashew cream. His formula is very simple: pastry +"cream" + fruit = pie heaven; and it works beautifully! Today (Friday) was miserable; a couple of inches of slushy wet snow on the ground and a bitingly cold wind; not the sort of day to be out on a Warwickshire hillside on a farm visit with a class of 7 year-olds! (One of them declared this strange season to be called "Sprinter": no longer Winter, but certainly not Spring yet.) Anyhow, chilled to the marrow,  I walked in through our front door this afternoon to a delicious warm baking aroma and a smug-looking husband; I peeked inside the oven and was totally blown away by what I saw inside; a beautiful-looking apple tart!  Later on when we ate it, I also came to appreciate how apples and dates go together so perfectly (date syrup is the sweetener here). I wrote down the recipe as he told it, all ready to share with the world, so here it is:


The creamy, sweet filling will ooze out just a little when the tart is cut...


Pastry:
50ml water
2 tabs plain white flour
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
100ml cold-pressed sunflower oil
200g wholemeal flour
a further 200g plain white flour

  • In your food processor, blend the 50ml of water with the 2 tabs plain white flour, then add the oils.
  • Mix in the flours and just enough water to form a ball.
  • Chill it in the fridge for at least half an hour.
Cashew Cream:
200g cashews
50ml water
100ml date syrup
  • In your blender/ food processor, grind the cashews to a fine powder.
  •  Add the water and date syrup, mixing well.
Apple topping:
1/2kg apples
  • Slice the apples about 4-5mm thick and cook in just enough water to soften them, so that all the water gets absorbed.
To assemble and bake:
  • Oil a loose-bottomed 10" flan dish and roll out/ press the pastry into it. (If the pastry is hard to handle just press in evenly and not too thick or thin.)
  • Pour in the cashew cream and spread over the pastry.
  • Lay the apple slices neatly on top, tarte tatin -style.
  • Bake in an oven preheated to 200C for about 20 minutes, until the pastry and the apples are just starting to brown at the edges.
  • Allow to cool before serving- that is, if you can wait that long!

Try making this as a dessert to go with soya fricassee for a French-influenced dining experience with a healthy vegan twist!

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Comments

  1. This vegan version of apple pie is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree, pastry +"cream" + fruit = pie heaven. Fabulous recipe...thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

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