Coconut-chocolate almond tart is perfect for any occasion
Put away the matzo meal. Bay Area blogger Andrea Potischman of Simmer + Sauce has bestowed upon us the secret to delicious Passover from-scratch baking: almond flour.
We caught up with Potischman of Menlo Park as she was deep in bar mitzvah planning for her son, and asked what she bakes to sate the sweet tooth during Passover. She steered us to a few sensational desserts on her blog, including this rich Coconut-Chocolate Almond Tart.
The tart gets its nutty flavor from almond flour, which costs a bit more than all-purpose flour, but is a healthier option and adds flavor and texture to almost anything, she says. Add in complexity from semisweet and bittersweet chocolate and color and texture from pistachios, and you’ve got an elegant and surprisingly easy gluten-free recipe that works for Passover or any day.
Coconut-Chocolate Almond Tart
Makes one 9-inch tart INGREDIENTS
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1½ cups almond flour 3 tablespoons coconut oil (not melted)
2 tablespoons agave syrup
Dash of salt Chocolate filling: 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup canned coconut milk (full fat) 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
Pinch of salt Garnish: ¼ cup roughly-chopped pistachios, 3 to 4 tablespoons dried coconut chips, ¼ cup sliced almonds, flaky sea salt INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 300 degrees.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the shredded coconut, almond flour, coconut oil, agave syrup and salt. Pulse the dough to blend well.
Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, pressing gently but firmly. (Potischman uses the bottom of a drinking glass to gently press the crust into a nice, even surface.) Refrigerate the crust for 15 minutes to set.
Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until set and beginning to brown on the top edges. Let cool.
Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolates in a medium, heat-proof mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk over a low flame. When it’s just about to simmer, pour the milk over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes to melt.
Using a rubber spatula, stir the chocolate until smooth. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and salt. Mix well to incorporate. Pour the chocolate filling into the cooled tart shell. Use a rubber spatula to even out the filling as well as you can. (It will not be perfect and that’s fine.) Let tart set for at least 2 hours.
Before serving, sprinkle the top of the tart with the chopped pistachios, coconut chips, sliced almonds and some flaky salt.