Chocolate Macaroon Tart

Every two weeks, I attend the Mathematician’s Potluck at George and Bettina’s house.  This has become my testing ground for new recipes, and last night I had a hit with this luscious tart

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This gluten-free vegan treat is calorie-dense;  of course, you only need to have a tiny slice, right?  In theory, this quantity serves 16.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

½ cup gluten-free Flour
4 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ to ½ cup plant milk – just enough to bind the pastry
¼ cup agave syrup, or use erithrytol and a touch more plant milk;  the pastry wants to be quite sweet and sticky
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract, or (even better) 1 tsp each almond and Amaretto extract

For the filling:

8-10 oz 72% Belgian block chocolate – I use half a Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bar, plus a bit more
1 x 14 oz tin coconut milk or coconut cream
Generous pinch of salt

Optional:  1 ripe avocado, skin and pit removed, mashed

10” spring-form pan (with removable sides) or tart tin with removable bottom

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush or spray a 10″ tart pan or spring-form pan with oil or nonstick cooking spray. I use a spring-form pan with a circle of oiled baking parchment in the bottom.  Place the pan on a cookie sheet to avoid spillage in the oven.

2.   Mix the flour, coconut, and salt in a food processor; add extracts and just enough plant milk and pulse until thoroughly combined.  Do not over-process!  Gently press the mixture1” up the sides of the prepared pan, and level the rest on the bottom

3.   Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is no longer glossy. Cool completely before preparing the filling.

4.   For the filling, warm the coconut milk/cream until hot but not simmering. Add chocolate, cut into chunks.  Let it sit for a minute or so, then whisk until smooth and the chocolate is all dissolved.  (If using the avocado, scrape the coconut milk, melted chocolate, and avocado into the food processor and pulse until completely smooth.)  Pour into the crust and waggle gently until it settles.

.4   Let it sit at room temperature until cool and set; if you’re in a hurry, you can pop this into the fridge to encourage solidification.  Garnish, if desired, with coconut whipped cream;  serve in thin slices.

You can make this up to two days ahead;  store covered in the refrigerator but allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

And here is the .pdf file:  Chocolate Macaroon Tart.