I loved custard when I was growing up, especially chocolate custard so I’ve been looking for a gluten free, refined sugar free, low FODMAP and dairy free substitute and coconut milk is definitely the best replacement I’ve tried so far. When gently reduced in a saucepan it goes nice and thick like ordinary custard, I’m definitely going to be playing around with some more flavours! I’m a big dark chocolate fan but if you want a more milk-chocolate flavour then just add a bit less of the cacao powder.
The base of these tarts is somewhere between a cookie and pastry case. It’s similar to a cookie in texture but, like with pastry, I didn’t add too much sweetness because I wanted the other flavours to stand out. Especially the chocolate!
Makes 10
INGREDIENTS
120g gluten free oats
100g buckwheat flakes
45ml Cocofina coconut nectar (or maple syrup)
70g Cocofina coconut oil, melted
75ml unsweetened almond milk
For the filling:
1x 200ml tin of Cocofina coconut milk
30ml coconut nectar (or maple syrup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
20g The Raw Chocolate Company cacao powder
Toppings:
10 fresh raspberries
1 tbsp The Raw Chocolate Company chocolate covered mulberry chips or cacao nibs (optional)
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 150oc and lightly grease 10 cupcake tray holes with coconut oil
- Add the oats and buckwheat flakes to a blender or food processor and blend until they resemble a flour
- Combine all the dry ingredients for the tarts in a bowl before mixing in the wet ingredients (add a little more almond milk if it seems too dry)
- Shape the dough into a ball with your hands then before breaking pieces off and pressing them into the cupcake tray to make a tart shape, they should be about halfway up the cupcake hole
- Bake the tart cases in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they have hardened and started to brown
- Leave them to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before moving them to a cooling rack
- While the tart cases are baking you can prepare the filling
- Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously
- Add the syrup, vanilla and cacao powder before stirring for a further 5-7 minutes until you have a thick, custard-like consistency
- Place the filling to one side to cool completely, you may need to stir it a few times to prevent it getting a skin
- When everything has cooled, spoon the filling into the tart cases
- Place a raspberry in the centre of each one then sprinkle over the mulberry chips or cacao nibs (if using)
