With a nut-based crust and a spiced date filling, topped with an artful arrangement of apples, this attractive tart is both vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
4 cup
Pecans
(for crust)
2 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil
(for crust)
1 cup
Maple syrup
(for crust)
1 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon
(for crust)
454 gm
Medjool date
(pitted, for filling)
1 1/2 cup
Water
(boiling, for filling)
1/2 tsp
Ginger, ground
(for filling)
1 tsp
Cinnamon
(divided, for filling)
1/2 tsp
Nutmeg, ground
(for filling)
1/4 tsp
Cloves
(for filling)
1/2 tsp
Salt
(for filling)
2 cup slices
Green Apple
(for filling)
2 tsp
Lemon juice
(for filling)
1/4 tsp
Cinnamon
(for filling)
2 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil
(for filling)
1 tbsp
Maple syrup
(for filling)
Instructions
To prepare the crust:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease an 11-inch tart pan with olive oil and place it on a large cookie sheet.
In a food processor, blender, or nut grinder, grind the pecans until they have the consistency of fine crumbs.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
Add the ground pecans to the bowl with the oil mixture and mix well.
Press the pecan crust mixture evenly into the tart pan. You may need to line the mixture with a layer of parchment paper so it does not stick to your fingers as you form the crust in the pan.
Put pie weights over the crust to prevent it from puffing up and place in the oven (with the pan on the cookie sheet).
Bake the crust until the sides are set, about 20 minutes.
Remove the weights and continue to bake until the crust is set (similar to a graham cracker crust) and no longer moist, an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside to cool while you make the tart filling. The crust will continue to harden as it cools.
To prepare the filling:
Add the dates to a heat-resistant bowl and pour the boiling water over top. Soak the dates for 10 minutes to soften.
Pour the dates and the soaking water into a blender or food processor. Then, add the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt, and puree until smooth. Set aside while you prepare the apples.
In a medium-sized bowl, toss the apple slices with lemon juice and cinnamon.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the apple slices over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add maple syrup and lower the heat. Keep cooking the apples, stirring often, until they are tender and caramelized. Remove the apples from the heat.
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Spread the date puree evenly onto the baked crust, and arrange the apples over the entire surface of the tart.
Bake the tart for 15 to 20 minutes to marry the flavors and warm the filling. Cool slightly before serving.
Serve the tart warm, at room temperature, or chilled, refrigerating any leftovers.
