Berries are my favorite fruits in summer! They are so pretty and tasty, and with their low sugar content, they are great for those of us who are mindful of not overeating on the sweet stuff.
And they are super versatile: from pies, muffins (try these blueberry streusel muffins) to bars and cheesecakes. This weekend I was invited to a friend’s housewarming party, and I wanted to bring a little treat for her and her guests to enjoy. I wanted it to be a summery, light, healthy and pretty dessert, but couldn’t find a recipe that met all these requirements. So I decided to experiment a bit and came up with my version of what I now call matcha coconut berry tartlets:
- Gluten-free crust made of roasted and ground sunflower seeds and buckwheat flour (inspired by my new roots’ recipe)
- Non-dairy coconut matcha cream using the solid part of coconut milk and coconut yogurt mixed with a little bit of matcha powder
- A simple topping of fresh and flavorful strawberries and blueberries
The combination turned out well, and my friend and her guests liked it.
You could also use greek yogurt instead of the coconut milk/ yogurt if you are not vegan or following a dairy-free diet. And of course, any other kind of berries works as well.
If you are looking for a light and fresh summer dessert that allows you to stick to your health goals, this is the perfect treat for you.
Have fun baking!
Love,
Marion
Matcha Coconut Berry Tartlets
A fresh and light treat that allows you to keep up with your health goals (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low sugar)
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 70g (1/2 cup) sunflower seeds
- 150g (1 cup) buckwheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 60ml (4 tablespoons) coconut oil, very cold
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1-3 tablespoons ice water, as needed
- For the filling:
- 400ml (13oz) can coconut milk, use stored in the fridge for at least 12 hours
- 250g coconut yogurt
- ½-1 tablespoon matcha powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional:1 tablespoon of natural sweetener (rice syrup, maple syrup, or honey if not vegan)
- For the topping:
- Fresh berries
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F and generously grease 6 mini-tartlet tins with coconut oil. You could also make this in one smaller tart tin (18 cm / 7 inches).
- Step 2 For the crust, toast the sunflower seeds in a pan over medium heat until fragrant and golden. No need to use any oil in the pan, but make sure to toss the seeds frequently. Set aside and let cool.
- Step 3 Place seeds in a food processor or mixer and pulse until they form a flour-like consistency. Be careful to not over mix as they quickly turn into sunflower seeds butter.
- Step 4 When using a food processor, add buckwheat flour, salt, and coconut oil and pulse to bring everything together. If you are using a mixer, transfer everything into a bowl and using a knife or ideally a pastry cutter to incorporate all ingredients. Add the ice water, a little bit at a time, until the dough holds together when you press it between your fingers.
- Step 5 Press the dough into the prepared tartlet tins and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
- Step 6 For the filling, open the can of coconut milk and scrape out the solid part into a mixing bowl (you can use the liquid part for your next smoothie). Using an electric mixer beat on high speed until it’s creamy and no lumps are visible.
- Step 7 Add coconut yogurt, matcha powder, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and sweetener (if using) and mix again until well combined.
- Step 8 Once the crust is cooled, carefully remove from the tin and place on your favorite servicing plate (Note, once you have assembled the tarts I had a hard time moving them around because they are quite delicate).
- Step 9 Fill the tart shells with the matcha coconut cream and decorate with fresh berries and matcha ‘dust’.
