Description
This Vegan Gingerbread Chocolate Tart combines a crisp spiced gingerbread crust with a rich, creamy dark chocolate filling made from coconut cream and sweetened with maple syrup and molasses. Perfectly topped with vegan gingerbread cookies and optional pomegranate seeds, this tart is festive, dairy-free, and a delicious treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) plain flour (use GF all-purpose flour if required)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) vegan butter, block style (use nut-free brand if needed)
- 60 g (3 tablespoons) molasses (or half molasses and half maple syrup for a milder flavor)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon orange zest (optional)
Filling
- 250 g (8.8 oz) dark chocolate (for a set creamy consistency; use 170 g for softer mousse-like consistency)
- 350 g (12.4 oz) coconut cream (use the thick cream from the top of chilled full-fat coconut milk cans)
- 60 g (3 tablespoons) pure maple syrup
- 20 g (1 tablespoon) molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch sea salt
Toppings
- ¼ batch vegan gingerbread cookies
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and tart tin: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Lightly grease the base and sides of a 9″ round tart tin with oil or vegan butter and dust with flour. Optionally, line the base with parchment paper.
- Mix and chill the dough: Combine flour, vegan butter, molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, sea salt, and orange zest in a food processor. Blitz briefly until ingredients form a loose dough ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap tightly in clingfilm or place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough: Roll the chilled dough slightly larger than the tart tin circumference. Carefully transfer it into the tin, pressing gently to fit and trimming edges to rise slightly above the pan sides. Pierce several holes in the dough base using a fork to prevent bubbling.
- Parbake the crust: Cut a parchment paper circle larger than the tart tin, place over the dough, and fill with dried beans, rice, lentils, or baking beads. Bake for 12 minutes to set the crust.
- Finish baking the crust: Remove the baking beads and parchment, return tart shell to oven for another 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden.
- Prepare the filling: Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, gently heat the coconut cream until simmering (do not boil). Pour the hot coconut cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes to melt.
- Combine filling ingredients: Whisk the chocolate and coconut cream until smooth. Stir in maple syrup, molasses, ground ginger, and a pinch of sea salt until evenly combined.
- Fill and chill the tart: Pour the chocolate ganache into the baked tart shell. Gently tap the tin to remove air bubbles. Cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before refrigerating for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the filling to set firmly.
- Prepare toppings: Make vegan gingerbread cookies if not already prepared.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the tart from the tin and place on a serving plate. Top with vegan gingerbread cookies, sprinkle pomegranate seeds if using, and optionally garnish with fresh rosemary for an aromatic touch.
Notes
- Vegan Butter: Opt for a nut-free brand such as Violife if allergies are a concern.
- Molasses: For a milder flavor, substitute half or all molasses with maple syrup.
- Dark Chocolate: Use 250g for a firmer yet creamy consistency or 170g for a softer, mousse-like filling texture.
- Coconut Cream: Substitute with chilled full-fat coconut milk, using only the thick cream from the top, totaling 350g.
- Quick Crust Method: Skip rolling by pressing the dough directly into the tart tin with fingers and pricking holes. Bake at 160°C (320°F) fan-forced for 12-16 minutes until slightly browned, then cool before filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of tart)
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
