As the weather gets warmer, these light and refreshing paleo lemon passionfruit tarts are all I want to have for dessert. They are no-bake and need to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, which makes them the most perfect treat on a hot spring or summer day. Their bright and tangy flavors will truly make your taste buds dance!
The Crust:
The gluten-free and grain-free crust consists of hazelnuts, dates, and a bit of coconut oil. If you don’t have hazelnuts, you can use walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, or almonds, which also work well in the crust. I sometimes use a combination of nuts, which makes the tarts even more nutritious since you’d be getting a wider variety of nutrients. Brazil nuts and walnuts naturally have more oils, so you can get away with removing the coconut oil if you use them.
The Filling:
To achieve a lemon curd consistency for the filling, I used arrowroot powder/starch and a little bit of grass-fed and pasture-raised gelatin. Cornstarch is often used in recipes to thicken up mixes. But since corn is one of the most common GMO crops, I try to avoid it and use arrowroot powder instead. Plus, arrowroot has a very neutral taste (unlike the strong flavor of cornstarch) and produces a nice, shiny sauce. You can substitute in an approximately equal amount to cornstarch in recipes, but you may need to cook it for a bit longer to get the same effect. Gelatin is another ingredient that helps firm up liquids and gives them a gel-like consistency. If you’re vegan, you can opt for agar-agar instead, which is obtained from red algae and yields similar results.
When making the lemon curd, you just have to be patient and stir the mix for 10-15 minutes until it starts to thicken up. You might be tempted to add more starch or gelatin if you see no sign of thickening after stirring for a while. But please DO NOT do that or your curd will taste starchy or become too firm. The trick it to bring the mix into a low bubble (not boiling), then reducing the heat and letting it bubble until it gets thick and slightly jiggly in texture. Once your curd thickens up, remove it from heat and let it cool down for about 15 minutes. Pour over the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm.
I love topping these heavenly lemon tarts with passionfruit for even more zing and acidity. If you’re a fan of citrus-based tarts, you’ve got to check out these blood orange hazelnut tarts and this vanilla lime custard tart. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think when you try these paleo lemon passionfruit tarts. And if you happen to snap photos, I’d be stoked to see and share them! So don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook @nutriholist #nutriholist. XO
Paleo Lemon Passionfruit Tarts (No-Bake)
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup dates pitted
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Filling
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon grass-fed gelatin (or agar-agar for vegan)
- 1 passionfruit to decorate
Instructions
- For the Crust: Add all crust ingredients to a food processor and blitz until it turns into a sticky crumble. Press down onto the bottom and sides of 3 mini tart shells with a removable base. Place in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the filling.
- For the Filling: Pour freshly-squeezed lemon juice (I like to use
this lemon/lime squeezer ), maple syrup, and coconut milk into a small pot and stir to evenly combine. Bring to a gentle bubble over medium heat (do not boil). Then gently add arrowroot powder and gelatin or agar-agar and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the custard starts to thicken, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and let it cool down for about 15 minutes. - Assemble: Pour the filling over the crust and place in the fridge for about 2 hours to set. Top with passionfruit and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
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