This gluten-free fruit tart is perfect for summer. Made with a walnut and date crust, filled with a vegan coconut milk and cream cheese mixture that sets beautifully in the fridge, and topped with slices of kiwi and strawberry and berries, it's the perfect dessert for the change of seasons. This dessert showcases the natural flavor of fresh fruit without it being sickly sweet, and it can be made in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups walnuts
- 7-10 pitted dates
For the filling
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 15 ounces full fat coconut milk (16%-22%)
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups assorted berries (cut)
Instructions
- Soak the dates in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a food processor add walnuts and pulse until they are broken down into pebble sized pieces. Add each date separately and pulse until it is fully incorporated. Each date differs in terms of how much moisture is retained so it is best to add each individually.
- Lightly oil a tart pan or muffin tin. Press crust mixture into pan so that it is an even thickness on the bottom and sides: approximately a quarter inch. Place in freezer and start to make filling.
- If using a tart pan it's recommended you cut out a parchment round to cover the bottom so that it’s easier to serve later.
- Open can of coconut milk from the bottom (don’t shake the can). Carefully pour off the liquid so that only the cream remains. If you accidentally open it from the top, stick a butter knife along the edge of the inside and pour out the liquid.
- Using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or a spoon combine the ingredients for the filling until they are fully incorporated and smooth. Place bowl in refrigerator while slicing berries and fruit.
- Pour filling into crust and top with an assortment of berries and fruit. Serve immediately after topping with fruit so that it's as fresh as possible.
- If you aren't going to serve immediately, keep the refrigerated filling and crust in the fridge and place the fruit on right before serving.
You can use any berries and fruit that you’d like. Stay away from bananas on top because they will brown quickly once exposed to the air. For example, bananas brown quickly when exposed to air, so perhaps avoid topping your tart with them.