Fruit tarts with almond pastry and chocolate cashew cream

The almond pastry is both firm and crisp and would make an excellent substitute for sweet shortcrust pastry in many recipes.  The cashew cream likewise has many possible uses and without the chocolate, can generally be used as a substitute for cream in most recipes.  

SERVES 10
TIME TO MAKE 30 - 45 mins
MEAL TYPE Dessert
SERVES 10
TIME TO MAKE 30 - 45 mins
MEAL TYPE Dessert

Method

Pastry

  1. Pre heat oven to 175°C
  2. Blend almonds, dates and egg until it is a fine and sticky crumb, it should stick together when pressed
  3. Press into greased tart shells to a thickness of approximately 4mm
  4. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, check regularly as these can brown and burn quickly
  5. Remove from the oven when golden brown and allow to cool in the shells
  6. These cases will harden up when cool and can easily be removed from the shell then

Note: 20ml of egg white is approximately half the white in one egg.

Cashew cream

  1. Cover the cashews with water and bring to the boil, simmer for 5-10 minutes or until softened slightly
  2. Turn off heat and allow to cool in the water, cover and refrigerate overnight
  3. Drain cashews and retain 125ml
  4. Blend cashews and retained soaking water until sooth
  5. Melt chocolate and fold into cashew cream

Assembly

  1. Pipe approximately 30g of cashew cream into each tart case
  2. Arrange fruit on top
  •  
    Pastry
  • 200 g
    whole almonds, roasted
  • 50 g
    dates, chopped
  • 1 
    egg yolk
  • 20 ml
    egg white
  •  
    Cashew cream
  • 150 g
    raw cashews
  • 75 ml
    water
  • 50 g
    dark chocolate, melted
  •  
    Topping
  • 200 g
    fresh fruit, sliced
Per serve
  • Energy
    1066kJ
  • Total Fat
    19.5g
  • Saturated Fat
    3.1g
  • Total Carbohydrate
    11.9g
  • Sugars
    9g
  • Total Fat
    2.8g
  • Sodium
    14mg

Method

Pastry

  1. Pre heat oven to 175°C
  2. Blend almonds, dates and egg until it is a fine and sticky crumb, it should stick together when pressed
  3. Press into greased tart shells to a thickness of approximately 4mm
  4. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, check regularly as these can brown and burn quickly
  5. Remove from the oven when golden brown and allow to cool in the shells
  6. These cases will harden up when cool and can easily be removed from the shell then

Note: 20ml of egg white is approximately half the white in one egg.

Cashew cream

  1. Cover the cashews with water and bring to the boil, simmer for 5-10 minutes or until softened slightly
  2. Turn off heat and allow to cool in the water, cover and refrigerate overnight
  3. Drain cashews and retain 125ml
  4. Blend cashews and retained soaking water until sooth
  5. Melt chocolate and fold into cashew cream

Assembly

  1. Pipe approximately 30g of cashew cream into each tart case
  2. Arrange fruit on top