Most of our testers found these delicious tartlets to be at their best using only the amount of lemon juice noted in the recipe, but a couple of other folks (including ourselves) prefer to use 1 cup (235 ml) lemon juice and no water, for tarter results. We suggest trying the recipe as it is written first, and tweaking the amount of juice and water to your liking the next time you make it. If you’re looking for an extra kick to pair up with that lemon flavor.
Ingredients
For Crust
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3⁄4 cup (90 g) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1⁄4 cup (35 g) raw cashews
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) pure maple syrup or (42 g) raw agave nectar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) melted coconut oil
For Lemon Curd
- 2⁄3 cup (160 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (110 ml) water, divided
- 1⁄2 cup (70 g) raw cashews, soaked in cold water for 3 hours, drained, and patted dry
- 2⁄3 cup (160 ml) pure maple syrup or (222 g) raw agave nectar
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
- Fresh raspberries, for garnish (optional)
How to Make It
-
To make the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3). Lightly coat six 3-inch (8 cm) fluted French tart pans with cooking spray.
- Combine the flour, cashews, and salt in a food processor. Process until the cashews are finely ground. Add the maple syrup and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the oil at first, pulsing to combine. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil if the dough crumbs do not hold together when pinched.
- Knead a few times and divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Press down each portion into each prepared pan to evenly cover the bottom and sides. Use the tines of a fork to lightly prick each crust bottom.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until light golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool. Once the pans are cool enough to handle, carefully pop the crusts out of the pans, and let the crusts cool completely on the rack. To make the lemon curd
- Combine the lemon juice, 1⁄3 cup (80 ml) of the water, cashews, and maple syrup in a blender. Blend until perfectly smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve, if needed, to remove any pieces of cashew still remaining. Transfer to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Combine the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Lower the heat of the lemon mixture, add the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly, and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, still stirring, and let cool.
- Stir the curd again once it’s cooled. Spoon the curd into the tarts. Garnish with fresh berries, if desired. These are best served chilled from the refrigerator, and enjoyed within a day of preparation. Store any leftover curd in a jar in the refrigerator.
