Hi baking friends!
I asked you guys on instagram what I should bake next and I got some requests for some healthier options!
I pride myself on making vegan versions of classic recipes that taste the same as, if not better than the originals and often that means using similarly huge amounts of butter, sugar, etc.! However, I appreciate that there’s a lot of people out there who are vegan for health reasons so, on that note I’ve created a no-bake, gluten-free, refined sugar-free but still super delicious dessert for you! Vegan Cherry and Chocolate Tart!
It’s still cherry season here in the UK and that means Summer!! Nobody wants to be slaving away in a hot kitchen during the Summer so what better way to still eat delicious chocolatey treats without even touching an oven!
In the recipe you’ll notice I’ve added “(optional)” to quite a few of the ingredients. The reason for this as that some of the additional ingredients that are there to make the flavour pop may not be diet-friendly or they’re just decorative! This recipe can also be made paleo if you substitute the silken tofu for coconut cream!
For the filling, I suggest using sour cherries as they have a stronger flavour! I’ve also suggested adding Kirsh if you’re alcohol-friendly. This is to make the cherry flavour stand out against the decadent dark chocolate.
One last recipe note – for the filling you’ll need cherry juice. If you cannot buy cherry juice from the store then blitz together 100g of pitted cherries and 20ml water/lemon juice then pour it through a sieve! It may not be as strong as store-bought juice but you can add Kirsch or cherry flavouring to help it pop!
This vegan cherry and chocolate tart is balanced perfectly by the salty and roasted flavours from the crust so don’t forget to toast those hazelnuts!!
Lastly, if you are browsing this recipe it’s probably because you’re a chocolate lover like myself so feel free to check out all my chocolate recipes here!
For this recipe you’ll need:
- 9-inch tart tin (with removable bottom, ideally)
- food processor
Enjoy!!
Vegan Cherry and Chocolate Tart
Deliciously rich and dark but also healthy, this no-bake cherry and chocolate tart is an easy-to-make showstopper for all occasions!
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 250g chopped hazelnuts, toasted
- 60g (3 tbsp) maple syrup
- 50g cacao powder
- 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Filling:
- 350g silken tofu
- 350g dark chocolate, chopped
- 120ml cherry juice (or 100g pitted sour cherries + 20ml water)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Kirsh (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- Topping:
- 100g chocolate
- 100g coconut cream
- 250g fresh cherries
Directions
- Step 1 Lightly grease your tart tin with coconut oil.
- Step 2 Put the chopped and toasted hazelnuts in the food processor with the cacoa powder and sea salt. Blitz until it is close to a flour texture.
- Step 3 Add in the maple syrup and oil. Pulse until well incorporated.
- Step 4 Press into the greased tart tin. I like to use the bottom of a cup and a sheet of baking parchment to flatten down the crust. Place the crust into the freezer for 15 minutes while we make the filling.
- Step 5 In a food processor, add the cherry juice, silken tofu, maple syrup and Kirsch and blitz until smooth.
- Step 6 Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave using 30 second bursts. Add this to the other wet mix and blitz again.
- Step 7 Pour the filling into the chilled crust and place in the fridge to set for 1 hour.
- Step 8 Put the coconut cream in a saucepan on medium-low heat for 2 minutes until it starts simmering. Pour hot cream over the 100g chocolate. Leave it for 5 minutes to melt and then pour the chocolate onto the set crust+filling in the tart tin.
- Step 9 Allow the tart to chill for 1 hour and then decorate with cherries, hazelnuts and decorative greens!
