Gluten- Free Plant-Based Apple Tart

Apple and almonds taste so good together!

This tarts does just that, combines an almond flour crust, with an apple almond butter and cooked, sliced apples.  A simple and delicious dessert or breakfast treat many can enjoy! Its gluten-free, vegan, paleo and keto friendly! And loaded with healthy nutrients: Apples are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, K, potassium, and fiber while almonds also provide more fiber to maintain a healthy gut plus vitamin E, heart-healthy fats and more.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

For tart

• 6 medium sized honey crisp apples
• ¼ cup almond butter made with the NutraMilk
• 1 Tbsp. dark or blackstrap molasses
• 2 Tubs of monkfruit maple syrup or regular maple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided

fFor tart dough

• 3 cups almond flour
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 3 Tbsp. granulated monkfruit sweetener (or other granulated sweetener)
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and in liquid form at room temperature
• Juice of 1 lemon

For almond butter

• 2 cups (300g) almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by making almond butter if you don’t have a batch made.

• Place almond and salt in the NutraMilk container.
• Press Butter cycle, set for 12-13 minutes.
• Press Start.
• Open the container lid.
• If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.

Make apple butter next.

• Peel 3 of the honey crisp apples and core them and then slice the into quarters. 
• Place the apples into a medium saucepan over medium heat along with 1 Tbs molasses, 2 Tbs maple syrup, 1/2 cup water, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp salt.
• Stir the ingredients together so that the apples are coated in spices and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the apples are very soft.  If you’re good at multitasking, while these are cooking, you can start on the crust (instructions below).
• Place the softened apples along with the liquid into the NutraMilk and process until very smooth.

• Transfer the blended apples back into the saucepan and reduce the heat to low and allow the apple sauce to reduce (allow the water to cook out of it) until thickened and caramel in color.  Add almond butter at this point and whisk until combined.
• Set the apple butter to the side until you’re read to fill your tart.

Prepare Your Tart Crust

• Preheat the oven to 325F.
• Combine 3 cups almond flour, 3/4 cup coconut flour, 3 Tbsp. granulated monkfruit sweetener, 1/3 cup coconut oil and remaining 1/4 tsp salt into the NutraMIlk and process until all ingredients are well-combined.
• Test the dough to make sure it holds well. You should be able to form a small ball with the dough and it should hold and not crumble.  If it’s crumbly, add in a tbsp. of water to the dough and process in the NutraMilk. Check the consistency and continue to add water by the Tbsp. full until the desired hold is achieved.

• Pour all of the dough from the NutraMilk into a 9” tart pan with a remove-able bottom and press it into the bottom and up along the sides to create a tart crust.  I take my time at this step to ensure an even edge around the entire tart and press down into the bottom corners of the crust so that when the fillings are added they nestle nicely into the tart crust.
• Then, add a pie shield or something to protect the edges of your crust and place the un-filled crust in the oven on a baking sheet (which protects the bottom) in the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 325F, rotating once halfway through the baking process.  This is a partial bake so that when we bake the pie with the filling, it’s fully baked through.
• Once the crust is baked, remove it from the oven and set it aside until you’re ready to fill it.

Prepare the spiced, sliced apples

• Peel the remaining three apples and remove the cores.  Then halve them and then slice the halves into 1/8 inch slices.
• Add the apple slices, 1 tsp remaining cinnamon, juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup of the apple butter you made to a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the apples are slightly softened and pliable.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the apples to cool so that you can handle them in order to place them in your tart.

Assemble and bake the tart

• If the oven isn’t still on from the partial bake of the crust, preheat it to 325F.
• Spread the apple butter into the prepared tart crust.
• Layer the apple slices in the tart on top of the apple butter, starting with the outer edge along the crust, creating a shingled effect and continue to layer the apples until the entire tart is covered (see visual aids above in the blog post for reference).
• Place the tart with a pie shield around the crust in the middle rack of the oven and bake at 325F for 25 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking process for an even cook.
• Once baked, allow the tart to rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the moisture to become absorbed and for the crust to firm up to the proper texture.

To Serve

• Since it’s made in a tart pan with a remove-able bottom, it should slide nicely out by pressing up on in the center on the bottom of the pan and the side part of the pan can be removed.  Then, run a knife around the bottom edge where the bottom part of the pan meets the tart to help loosen it so the bottom of the pan can be removed and the tart slid onto a pie plate or cake stand. Then use a serrated knife or very sharp paring knife to slice the tart into 8 or 12 slices and serve with a pie server. Serve topped with your favorite non-dairy whipped cream or ice cream!
• This tart keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.

Recipe inspired by The Dinner Bell.