CHILLED TRUFFLE TARTLETS WITH SALTED CARAMEL (gluten-free)

Holiday sweets aren't just about cookies.  These truffle mini tarts will hold their ground with your mother's crinkle cookies, plus they will satisfy your chocolate-loving guests.  If individual tarts are too high maintenance for you - don't worry - you can also make one full-sized tart instead. Happy baking!

CHILLED TRUFFLE TARTLETS WITH SALTED CARAMEL (Gluten-free)  Makes about 8-10 small tartlets (or one large tart)

TART CRUST: 

  • 1/3 cup tapioca starch
  • 1/3 cup almond meal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
  • 2/3 cup sorghum flour
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 6 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, diced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon water

Pulse starch, almond meal, xanthum gum, flour, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until crumbs form. Add the egg and 1 teaspoon of water until dough comes away from the bowl.

Divide into 4 flour-dusted balls, cover in Saran Wrap, and chill for 1-2 hours. Remove from fridge, roll, and add to greased tart pan. Make small holes in the bottom with a fork. Chill another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Top pan with parchment paper and dry rice or beans for weight to blind bake. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove parchment paper and weight, then bake another 4 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let tarts completely cool in the pan on a wire rack.

SALTED CARAMEL:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cut into six pieces
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (or regular coconut milk – chill for 2 hours, then scrape the thick cream off the top)
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Heat granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often with a silicon spatula. Sugar will become clumpy and then melt down into a thick, brown liquid. Stir often and make sure not to burn (it shouldn’t be darker than a penny)!

Once sugar is melted, add six pieces of butter. Stir fast with spatula. Be careful, as caramel will sputter a little bit. Keep stirring.

Once butter is melted, carefully and very slowly drizzle coconut cream into pan, whisking rapidly. The mixture will bubble up again, so be careful and continue stirring. Allow mixture to come to a boil for 1 minute, then immediately remove from heat and stir in sea salt. Pour into a large mason jar and allow to cool completely.

If making ahead of time, let cool completely before storing in the fridge. It will keep for about 10 days. When it’s time to use, just submerge jar in warm water to bring to desired consistency.

TRUFFLE FILLING:

  • 2/3 cup coconut cream or almond milk
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped small
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

When tart crusts are done cooling, add coconut milk to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour over chocolate and let stand for 3-5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and whisk until it forms into a ganache.

Immediately pour ganache into single tart or individual tartlet shells. Pour in 3/4 of the way full, then add tarts to a small baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Once tarts are chilled, drizzle with salted caramel and top with a small sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for later. The tarts will keep in the fridge, chilled, for up to 5 days.

Originally shot for VERILY MAG - See the story here !

SPICED APPLE BREAKFAST CAKE WITH OAT STREUSEL

I'm definitely one for a savory breakfast (eggs, avocado toast, etc), but as soon as it starts to get cooler, I crave a sweet one now and then.  With apple season in full effect, I know a lot of us are trying to get rid of apples in as many recipes as possible.  This breakfast cake goes great with any fruit, but seasonal apples are a winner. It's perfectly sweet and nutty with the most delicious oat topping.  It's somewhere in between a light dessert and breakfast, but either way - I promise you'll enjoy it.

SPICED APPLE BREAKFAST CAKE WITH OAT STREUSEL (gluten-free) serves 6

  • 3/4 cup almond flour or meal
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk
  • 2 large apples (honeycrisp or granny smith, or your preference), peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • freshly ground nutmeg to taste

TOPPING:

  • 1/2 cup gluten-free oats
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 taplespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Sprinkle of sea salt
  • Raw sugar, to top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Whisk together first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  In separate mixing bowl, mix together butter, vanilla, eggs, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples.  Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the wet, adding a little at a time until all is well-combined without lumps.  

Pour cake batter into a greased 9x9 cake pan.  Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.  In the meantime, combine oats, walnuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, butter and sea salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Using your hands, mix together mixture well until cookie dough-like texture and well-combined. 

Top chilled cake with crumb topping, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and raw sugar. then bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool for 20-25 minutes before serving.