Pistachio, Cherry & Chocolate Tart - Veganized!
I hope everyone had a delightful Christmas! Today I am sharing the festive & decadent dessert that graced our holiday table.
But first, a little about my holiday. I had a fairly relaxing Christmas morning with my Mom & brother, enjoyed a visit with my amazing & adorable nephew, followed by lots of present opening, & a light brunch.
Baby Logan’s First Christmas!
Then we were off to our mountain home in Julian to celebrate with my grandparents, uncle, cousins, & dogs. As always, there was too much food, which is certainly better than not enough, & we are so fortunate for that. My Mom & I decided to stray from our new tradition of Christmas Eve tamale making, & opted for less labor intensive enchiladas (which I’ll share soon). Also on the dinner table were brussels spouts with cranberries & balsamic glaze, spinach salad with apples & tempeh bacon, & a special vegan stuffing & mashed potatoes, made especially for my mom & me by my sweet Grandma.
For dessert this year, we also strayed away from our usual cupcakes & cheesecake, as my Mom was inspired by a “Pistachio, Cherry & Chocolate Tart,” featured on a recent episode of Giada at Home. It seemed simple enough to veganize with a few swaps - vegan butter, coconut cream, & vegan chocolate chips - & we welcomed the challenge!
“Festive Pistachio, Cherry & Chocolate Tart”
(Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis)
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 1/2 stick vegan butter, such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for greasing pan
- Eight 4 1/2-inch-long vegan biscotti cookies, such as Sweet & Sara or homemade, coarsely broken (about 5 1/2 ounces)
- 1/4 cup packed organic dark brown sugar, such as Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Dark Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup organic cherry preserves, such as Cadia
Filling:
- 12 ounces vegan semisweet chocolate chips, such as Sunspire’s Organic Fair Trade Semi-Sweet Baking Chips
- 1 cup organic coconut cream
- 1/2 cup organic dried cherries
- 3/4 cup chopped shelled pistachio nuts
- Course sea salt
Instructions:
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the biscotti, butter & sugar in a food processor. Blend until the mixture forms moist crumbs that stick together when pressed. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until golden & feels firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Spread the cherry preserves over the cooled crust leaving a 1/2 to 1-inch border.
For the filling:
- Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Remove the pan from the heat & pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted & the mixture is smooth. Add the dried cherries & 1/2 cup of the pistachios. Pour the chocolate filling over the cherry preserves & sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios on top. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.
To Serve:
- Loosen the tart from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Unmold the tart and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt flakes, if using. Cut into wedges & serve.
