This berry tart is fantastic! A tasty, crumbly nut crust, cashew date cream and fresh berries. That’s it! Its quick, easy and makes a great dinner party or potluck dessert with plenty of “WOW!” factor. Want to take it to the next level? A vegan lemon curd beneath the berries would be out of this world!
Nutty Tart Crust
3/4 cup roasted, unsalted nuts (you can use pecans, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, whatever you like)
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light, neutral oil (grape seed oil is like canola, without the GMO risk) see note after directions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Process the dry ingredients (nuts, oats, flour and cinnamon) in a food processor until it becomes a coarse meal. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the oil and syrup.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into a 9″-10″ tart pan or pie plate.
- Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack
Note: Melted coconut oil could be used in place of the oil mentioned in the tart crust, but I would advise against it, only because it will harden at room temp and become solid as a rock once refrigerated! This may make eating (let alone slicing) the crust a bit of a challenge.
Date Sweetened Cashew Cream
1/2 cup raw cashews (if you have time, soak them in water for 1-2 hours prior, then rinse well).
2-3 Tablespoons dates (double check for pits!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place cashews in a blender pitcher. Add enough fresh water to just cover the nuts. Add dates and vanilla, blend until it becomes a smooth cream. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside. Can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.
Once the tart shell is cooled, we can assemble this baby!
Spread and even layer of your sweetened cashew cream over the bottom of the completely cooled tart shell. Rinse and pat dry the berries, then arrange on top of the cashew cream any way you fancy. I started from the center and made concentric circles with some berries I had left over from the night before. You could use different fruits like kiwi, or mango for more color and variety. Have fun and get creative!
When you are ready to serve, get ready to hear the “Oooh”s and “Ahhh”s! Slice, serve and enjoy!
Mel's Healthy Kitchen 
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