Tasty Tuesday Strikes Again.

My sweet tooth was screaming yesterday.  It reminded me of Lent this past year, when we followed the traditional fasting guidelines of the Eastern Rite.  Save for fish, we were pretty much vegan.  It was a whole new level of sacrifice, for sure!

However, it introduced me to possibly the most amazing dessert I've ever had.

Ladies and gentlemen, I relay to you, via Gourmande In The Kitchen, the Chocolate Nut Tart (a Paleo-friendly, gluten free, vegan mouthful of awesome):

Soooooooo delicious!

Ingredients:

For the Crust
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup


For the Coconut Milk Ganache
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 12 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


For the Topping
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• ½ cup raw macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
• A pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Make the Tart Shell:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse together almond flour, salt and shredded coconut until finely ground. Melt together coconut oil and maple syrup and add to almond flour and coconut mixture, pulse until coarse crumbs form (dough should clump together when squeezed with fingers).
2. Transfer dough to a greased 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press dough in bottom and up sides of pan.  (In a pinch, use a springform pan.  It worked fine for me.)
3. Bake in center of oven until golden and firm, about 15- 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, at least 1 hour.

Make Topping:
4. Spread the chopped macadamia nuts and shredded coconut evenly over a sheet pan and bake until lightly golden (about 3-5 minutes). Set aside.

Make Ganache:
5. Place chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring coconut milk to a boil. Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Assemble Tart:
6. Pour chocolate into cooled tart shell. Lightly sprinkle toasted macadamia nuts and toasted coconut across the top. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired. Chill for at least one hour, or until set, and serve.

You won't be sorry.  It's amazing.