Nourish the Budding Lotus

Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Tartes

Not too long ago I discovered Hail Merry’s Miracle Tarts at the local health food store, and was hooked.  My favorite is the Mint Chocolate Miracle Tart…because what is better than chocolate and mint together?  The tarts are compact, rich and good for you!  Ever since then I have been trying to recreate the tart at home.  Although I cannot get the perfect consistency using just the ingredients listed on their package, I have found a pretty good recipe with a few small changes.  And it is yummy!

Some of the changes that I made incorporate my personal preference for ingredients.  Hail Merry uses raw oils for their tarts which is great because raw coconut oil has innumerable benefits and is delicious.  This was a keeper.  I love using coconut oil in my recipes as much as possible and it is a great means to creating raw solid chocolates.

One of the big changes that I wanted to make though was to use raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder.  Raw cacao powder is full of antioxidants, magnesium and iron of which the content can become altered after roasting/heating.  So one receives more benefits from the raw cacao source, and personally I know I feel better consuming raw cacao.  I know that cacao is stimulating, but personally I feel less of a “caffeine rush” when I consume raw cacao.

I chose to use agave instead of maple syrup.  This is also just a personal preference.  I know that there is a lot of debate out there about agave, but this is where I have learned to trust my body.  I have tuned into how I feel if I consume agave versus other forms of sweeteners and I do not get a sugar high (or low) on moderate portions of agave in my sweets.

Lastly I needed to add an ingredient to change the consistency of the tart.  I found that the consistency of my tarte, with the ingredients that I used was not matching Hail Merry’s tart, so I decided to add a little bit of coconut milk to the recipe too.  This softened up the texture just a little so that it wasn’t too solid or too dry.  I am pretty happy with my combination and would love to hear what you think.  I definitely suggest trying out the Hail Merry tarts too because they are quite a treat…and the macaroons too!  But if you want to play around in the kitchen to make a sweet treat for yourself, this is a good one!

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Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Tartes

Crust:
1/4 c gluten free almond flour
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil (warmed to a liquid)
1 teaspoon raw agave

For the crust, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl using a whisk.  Stir until well mixed and slightly sticky.

Pour batter into a 3.5″ to 4″ tarte pan and press the crust down using your fingers or a spatula.

Place in the refrigerator to solidify while you are making the filling.

Mint Chocolate Filling:
3 tablespoons coconut oil (warmed to a liquid)
1 tablespoon canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons raw agave
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon mint extract

or

Peanut Butter Cup Filling:
3 tablespoons coconut oil (warmed to a liquid)
1 tablespoon canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons raw agave
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons organic peanut butter

Choose one of the filling options above and combine all ingredients (except peanut butter) in a medium bowl using a whisk.  The filling should turn out thick and smooth.

If making the mint chocolate tarte, pour all of the filling into the cooled tarte crust and spread filling evenly.

If making the peanut butter tarte, place the peanut butter onto the cooled tarte crust and spread evenly.  Pour the rest of the chocolate filling on top and spread evenly.  (You may have some leftover chocolate filling…make chocolates!)

Place tarte pans back in the fridge and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

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