Dairy & Gluten Free Tarts
Enjoy my favorite recipes for cow dairy and gluten free tarts. I updated old-fashioned recipes with neutral sugars and high quality fats. See egg free options too. (My husband is allergic to eggs.) Enjoy these desserts that require very little sugar. Do a taste test and sweeten as needed. All recipes are for an 11” tart pan.
Upgrade your pantry items with these healthy ingredients. Some items are expensive, like the neutral sugars, however very little is needed. These quality ingredients are worth the investment.
Fats for Baking
These recipes are flexible. I prefer buffalo butter since I’m intolerant to dairy from cows. For vegan desserts, substitute your favorite fat, vegan butter works equally well.
Neutral Sugars
Neutral sugars are maple sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, coconut sugar, and date sugar. My favorites for baking are date sugar and maple sugar/syrup. These recipes can use any of these neutral sugars. Neutral sugars have lower glycemic indexes than reactive sugars. Carroll Method NDs advise neutral sugars can be combined with fruits, as many are intolerant to the combo of reactive sugars and fruit. See complete list of reactive sugars on Fruit and Sugar Combo Intolerance page. Do not bake with honey.
Dough for Tarts
See three of my favorite tart dough recipes at the end. Using vegan butter or vegan dough makes most of these tarts completely vegan. I include a vegan dough with nuts and dates to eliminate all fats and extra sugar.
Apple Tart
For great flavor, use a variety of apples, sweet and tart. Wash, peel, core and slice apples into Dutch oven with enough water to cover. This keeps apples fresh. Drain well before cooking.
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour pie dough (see recipe below)
In Dutch oven on low heat add:
-6 apples peeled and sliced
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-1/2 cup apple cider – Optional, enriches the flavor
Cook on medium low heat until fruit is softened and juices released. Remove fruit into bowl. Continue to cook juice, adding 1-2 tsp arrowroot starch until thickened.
Mix in Spices:
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp vanilla
Pour over fruit and place in tart.
Bake 45 minutes. Rotating half way through.
Makes one 11” tart
Blueberry & Strawberry Tarts
These are the easiest tarts to make and very little sugar is needed. Use just organic blueberries or add strawberries.
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour pie dough (see recipe below)
In Dutch oven on low heat add:
-6 cups washed berries (Just Blueberries or a mix with Strawberries)
-1/4 cup maple syrup
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
Cook on medium low heat until fruit is softened and juices released. Remove fruit into bowl. Continue to cook juice, adding 1-2 tsp arrowroot starch until thickened. Stir in last 1 tsp vanilla and pour over berries.
Place in pre-baked pie tart and bake 20 minutes. Rotating half way through.
Makes one 11” tart
Chocolate Tart
This tart is great for company, they’ll never know it is cow dairy and gluten free.
Prepare tart pan with a pre-baked almond crust shell, recipe below.
Heat the chocolate base
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk:
- 2 1/2 cups almond milk
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder¼ cup chocolate chips Just Chocolate Brand-Optional
- 5 TBSP buffalo butter.
- 1/4 tsp salt
Heat until steaming and smooth (no need to boil).
Mix eggs + Arrow Root Starch
In a bowl, whisk until smooth and lump-free:
- 3 eggs yolks (place egg white in a mixing bowl and set aside for meringue)
- 4 TBSP arrow root starch / Or substitute 1 TBSP almond flour
- 1 TBSP almond milk
Temper the eggs
Slowly pour about ½ cup of the hot cocoa liquid into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan.
Thicken on the stove
Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture becomes pudding-thick (2–5 minutes). Add more starch if needed to thicken.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla.
Fill + bake
- Pour into pre-baked crust
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, until:
- edges are set
- center still has a gentle jiggle
Cool
Cool for 1 hour on the counter, then chill for at least 2 hours.
Top with Meringue and Serve
Place 3 egg whites (room temp) and 2 TBSP maple syrup, 1 tsp cream of tater into a mixing bowl. First mix slowly to add air, then slowly increase to full speed. Beat until the peaks are stiff. Top on tart and bake on a 500 F boiler for 10 – 30 secs until slightly toasted brown.
Makes one 11” tart.
Chocolate Tart - No Egg
For those who are allergic/intolerant to eggs, this is a great chocolate tart. It is also a very easy refrigerator tart to make. A bonus, each slice contains 12 grams of protein and a nice balance of amino acids. (Calculated for 10 slices.)
Overnight: Prepare chia/flax seed pudding
Mix 1/3 cup chia/flax seeds with 2/3 cup almond milk and refrigerate overnight to make pudding.
Prepare tart pan with a pre-baked almond crust shell, recipe below.
In a mixer add
Mix until completely smooth:
- 16-oz (1 package) silken tofu (drain liquid, dry as much as possible)
- 1 cup chia/flax seed pudding (made ahead overnight)
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup + 2 TBSPs maple syrup
- 1/2 cup apple butter or sauce (all fruit, no reactive sugars)
- 1/2 cup almond nut smooth butter
- 1/3 cup collagen powder
- 2 TBSP arrowroot starch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pour the filling pie crust and spread evenly. Refrigerate overnight for at least 12 hours.
Makes one 11” tart.
Fig Tart
We enjoy fruit tarts, especially ripe, organic fruits in season. In late summer, early fall, enjoy ripe figs. These are sweeter than early summer figs. This tart will remind you of a Fig Newton.
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour tart dough (see recipe below)
In Dutch oven on low heat add:
3.25 lbs of figs makes 4 cups of pie filling.
Remove stems and slice figs in half and cook on stove top until softened, add:
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-3 TBSP buffalo butter
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp vanilla
Purée cooked fig mix in blender or food processor and pour into tart pan.
Bake 40 minutes. Rotate half way through and use a pastry brush to spread sugar evenly creating a glaze.
Makes one 11” tart.
Pear Tart
When pears are in season, this is an easy dessert to make. The key is ripe pears requiring only 3 TBSP of sugar for the whole tart.
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour tart dough (see recipe below)
Slice 5-6 pears into tart. No need to peel organic pears.
Mix sugar and spices, sprinkle on top:
-3 TBSP date sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp vanilla
Bake 40 minutes. Rotate half way through and use a pastry brush to spread sugar evenly creating a glaze.
Makes one 11” tart.
Sour Cherry Tart
In June we harvest and freeze sour cherries. Just freeze cherries. Or, make cherry filling, bag, and freeze. Cherries retain their color when prepped, cooked, and frozen on the same day.
Enjoy all winter long. I try to save the last bag for Valentine’s Day.
If you’re lucky, find frozen sour cherries at the market.
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour tart dough (see recipe below)
In Dutch over on low heat add:
– 5 cups sour cherries
– 1/2 cup maple syrup
– 1 TBSP arrowroot starch
Cook cherries until liquid is released. Remove cherries, cook the liquid down, reducing to half the volume. Add arrowroot starch, sift in to avoid clumping. Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Ready to cook or freeze.
When thawing frozen cherry pie filling, it can be too juicy. Simple place juice in sauce pan and thicken with 1-2 tsp arrowroot starch. Pour back over fruit.
Place cherry filling in tart.
Bake 350ºF for 25 minutes, rotating half way through, and bake another 25 minutes.
Makes one 11” tart.
Peach Tart
Hot summer days equal delicious peaches. Enjoy this simple recipe with fresh ripe peaches. So sweet, very little sugar is needed.
Pro tip: boil water, add peaches 3-4 minutes. Cool immediately in bowl of ice water. The peels will slip off easily.
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour tart dough (see recipe below)
Peel and slice 10 peaches into tart
Mix sugar with spices, sprinkle on top:
-3 TBSP maple syrup
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ginger
Bake 20 minutes and rotate. Bake another 20 minutes.
Makes one 11” tart.
Pumpkin Tart
Everyone loves my grandmother’s pumpkin recipe. My version is dairy, fruit, and gluten free, and egg optional.
Koginut and butternut squash are my favorites for pie, they have a great flavor. Pennsylvania Dutch crookneck squash and pie pumpkins are also very good. Even sweet jpotatoes can be used. We enjoy a mix of half sweet potatoes and pumpkin.
Prepare Pie Kits Ahead and Freeze
Cut pumpkin or squash in half and clean out seeds. Place in baking pan and bake 350ºF for one hour until tender when pricked with a fork. Bake longer until done as needed. Cool, extract meats, and purée in food process or blender. Add some almond milk if needed to process. In a freezer bag, add 3 cups of purée. Use any combination of pumpkin and squash you prefer. Makes one pie kit.
At pie time, Thaw pie kit
Prepare tart pan with unbaked oat flour tart dough (see recipe below)
In a mixing bowl combine:
-3 cups purée pumpkin
-2 TSBP melted buffalo butter
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-2 eggs separated. Beat egg whites separately and fold in last. (For egg substitute use 1/2 cup silken tofu.)
-1/2 cup almond milk
-1 tsp each allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and salt
-1/2 tsp ginger
Mix well, fold in egg whites last. Pour into unbaked oat flour pie dough. (See pie dough recipe below)
Bake at 350ºF for 60 minutes, rotating half way through.
Makes one 11” tart.
Almond Flour Dough Recipe
In mixing bowl combine:
-2 cups almond flour
-2 TBSP melted buffalo butter
-2 TBSP neutral sugar or maple syrup (optional)
-pinch of salt
Use a fork and mix well. Press dough into a tart pan.
Prebake at 350F for 10 mins, if recipe states use pre bake crust.
Makes one 11” tart.
Oat Flour Dough Recipe
I adapted Martha’s Stewart’s pate brisee recipe to be gluten and cow dairy free. I use buffalo butter, vegan butter works equally well. I prefer making a large quantity and this makes three tart crusts. With a food processor, it is fast and easy to make. Divide into 3 portions and freeze extra dough.
In food processor:
Pulse these ingredients a couple of seconds
-3 1/2 cups oat flour (option – substitute 1 cup for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour)
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp date sugar
Add fat, process for 10 seconds
-1/2 cup buffalo butter chilled and sliced into smaller pieces
Add ice water in slow stream, process for 30 seconds
-1 cup ice water or more as needed. Oat flour is thirsty.
Continue adding water until a large ball is formed.
Remove dough and divide into three flat round disks. Chill or freeze.
At pie time, thaw dough, roll out. To aid in transfer to tart pan, use a large spatula.
Makes three pie crusts for 11” tart pan.
Vegan Tart Dough
In a food processor place:
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup pitted dates, packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
Process until coarse. If a dough doesn’t form, add 2 TSBP water; process until a slightly sticky dough forms.
In a tart pan, press the dough evenly along the bottom and sides. Ensure the crust is thick enough on the bottom.
Makes one 11” tart.
While indulging, take an opportunity to learn more about this passion project and me.
Namaste,
Diane