Vegan Vanilla Fruit Tart

I had a lot of fun making this because I never thought I could make something like this and still have it look pretty!  LOL...anyone who knows me well would have had the same doubts.  Anyway, it came together and was really yummy.  It is sugar-free (except for what is in the graham crackers used in the crust).  WOW!!

This one has a few steps:

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 2 cups whole wheat graham crackers (the only "whole wheat" ones I found were chocolate..mmmmm)
• 6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• canola oil spray

Vanilla Pudding (filling)

• 1/3 cup Stevia in the Raw
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• 3-4 tbsp sugar free jam or preserves (I used apricot)
• 2 1/2 cups fruit, sliced (I used 1 1/2 cups strawberries, 2 kiwis, about 20 blackberries, handful of blueberries)

 

Instructions

Serves 8.

Graham Cracker Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9" shallow pie dish and set aside.
3. Place graham crackers into food processor and pulse until they resemble bread crumbs or heavy sand consistency.
4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and whisk in cinnamon.
5. Add applesauce and stir until large chunks of graham crackers form.  Add more applesauce if necessary but be careful the mixture doesn't become too wet or soggy.  Continue to stir until everything is evenly wet.
6. Press mixture into the pie dish to form a crust along the base edges.
7. Bake for 8 minutes, until just crisp and begining to brown.
8. Transfer to a cooling wrack and allow to completely cool before using.

Topping

1.  While the crust is baking, cut up your fruit.

Filling

1. When the crust is fully cooled and your fruit is prepared, begin making the filling.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the Stevia, flour, cornstarch, and water on high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan, bring the almond milk to a simmer.
4. Pour about 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the flour mixture and stir to thoroughly combine. This doesn’t have to be precise; just make sure the mixture is a little liquidy.
5. Return to the stove and pour this flour-milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.   Heat over medium-low heat and WHISK IMMEDIATELY AND CONSTANTLY.  Don’t stop whisking for anything...it will begin to thicken immediately.
6. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan as you whisk. Cook until it begins to bubble, then whisk as vigorously as you can for 30 seconds, and remove from heat. (Mine never bubbled. If yours doesn’t either, just remove from heat when it seems about as thick as your average chocolate pudding.)
7. Stir in the vanilla extract.
8. Pour the pudding into the crust right away, smoothing it flat with a rubber spatula or large spoon. It doesn’t have to be perfect, since the fruit will be covering it anyway.
9. Be sure to put your fruit on top IMMEDIATELY, before the pudding sets.

Topping

1. Arrange your sliced fruit on top.
2. Heat the jam in a small saucepan, whisking contantly.
3. Once it's hot (enough to pour), use a pastry brush (or a small spoon) to brush the heated jam over the top of the fruit.
4. Cover the fruit with a thickish layer (so it looks shiny) but not overwhelming.
5. Allow to set for 30 minutes, then serve.