Vegan Cherry Bakewell Tart

When I first started making vegan and healthier treats I wanted to create recipes that people would recognise and be familiar with. When I looked for the UK’s most popular desserts, the cherry bakewell tart was listed in The Telegraph as the Nation’s favourite bake. That made me think about how I could swap ingredients like butter and sugar and still create a tasty plant-based dessert.

I normally use buckwheat groats and almonds in my bakewell tart but these aren’t always easy to find. Almonds aren’t as sustainable as oats, so I substituted those with Hamlyns pinhead oatmeal and they perform well.

To make the base:

1. Soak the dates. Jo recommends using pitted dates and soaking them in boiling water because it softens them quicker. Leave them for approx. 20 minutes before draining.
2. Place oats and desiccated coconut into a food processor and blitz for a minute to break down the pinhead oats a bit.
3. Add cashew nuts and blitz again.
4. Add maple syrup, coconut oil and dates and blitz again until it all starts to come together.
5. Gradually add water 1 spoon at a time whilst the processor is on, so you can see when the mix starts to really come together. It should stick together in clumps but not be soggy.
6. Once it’s at this stage, tip the mixture into a lined tart tin and press down using your hands.
7. Place in the freezer whilst you prepare the other sections.

To make the vegan ‘marzipan’ 

1. Soak the dates and drain before placing in a food processor with almond butter and coconut oil (it’s best to melt this first for 10 secs in the microwave).
2. Blitz ingredients together and they will usually really stick together very quickly.
3. Add water and blitz again until you get a paste-type consistency.
4. Add almond extract and blitz once more.
5. Remove base from freezer and spread with ‘marzipan’ using a spoon.
6. Place back in the freezer and prepare your jam.

For your Cherry Chia seed jam 

1. Tip the cherries into a small saucepan and add water and maple syrup.
2. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes until cherries are soft and liquid starts to turn syrupy.
3. Turn the heat off and add the chia seeds. Mix with a spoon and leave to properly cool and for the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid.
4. Once completely cool mix again and remove the tart from the freezer.
5. Spread cherry chia jam evenly over the marzipan.
6. Place in freezer for 5/10 mins to allow the jam to firm up a bit more.
7. Store in the freezer if not eating immediately, or remove, cut and serve.

Jo is a mum, wife, long-distance runner, writer and the creator of Jo’s Healthy Cupboard, based in the North East of Scotland.

She uses her platform to inspire others to make small changes towards a healthier, happier and more sustainable lifestyle by sharing practical tips, recipes, relevant products and daily thoughts.

www.joshealthycupboard.co.uk