Spring Citrus Tart With Coconut Cream

Lemon, lime, mint, oh my!

There comes a time, every single spring–when I crave pie. Maybe it’s because we’re so far away from fall and its bounty of pies. Alas, I’m officially deciding that the spring version of pie…is a tart! This is my take on a key lime pie, with a few additions and omissions. It’s completely gluten and dairy-free–yet still packs a major punch of flavor.

Ingredients
For the almond crust:
1 1/2 C fine almond flour
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
zest of half a lime
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

For the filling:
1/2 C maple syrup
1/2 C coconut milk (full fat is best)
3 eggs
1/2 C lime juice
1 tbsp grapefruit juice
zest of 1 lime
zest of 1/2 grapefruit
2 1/2 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the coconut cream:
2 cans full fat coconut cream
1 tbsp maple syrup
zest of 1/2 lime
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a pie or tart dish and set aside.

Make the crust. In a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, shredded coconut, and salt.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, lime zest and coconut oil–whisk together.

Slowly add the dry ingredient into the wet–mixing in between batches. The consistency should be crumbly so don’t worry if it feels like it’s not holding together! Transfer to your greased pie dish, and gently press into the base of the dish to create a crust. You should have about a 1-inch crust up the dish.

Bake the crust at 350 for about 10 minutes or until slightly golden brown on all sides. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.

Make the filling. In a large bowl, beat maple syrup and eggs with the coconut milk, citrus juices/zests, arrowroot powder and vanilla. The coconut may clump at the beginning–don’t worry, just whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Gently fill the crust with the wet mixture. Bake for 35 minutes, until the center gently jiggles.

Let the pie chill completely before topping. I recommend popping it in the fridge to set for a few hours after its completely cooled. You can store the tart in the fridge for up to two days.

Make the cream. This was the hardest part of this whole recipe for me. I tried (and failed) at least 3 times before I got this right! However, I now have a few tips that will (hopefully) save you the time, and an additional trip to the store for extra coconut milk.

Start by scraping the thick coconut cream from the top of the can. I recommend buying your coconut milk at Whole Foods…they just have the best quality and brand. Scoop the thick coconut into a stand mixer (or large bowl to whisk by hand is okay too). Set the remaining liquid aside, you likely won’t need this unless you need to make your cream a little less thick and dense. Mix on high for about 30 seconds. Don’t overmix! This will cause the coconut cream to curdle. Once you notice the cream staying together, and forming organic little “peaks” (they won’t look perfect or really resemble the perfect peak of a lemon meringue pie, but they’re similar). Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and gently fold in the maple syrup, vanilla and zest. VERY GENTLY fold until soft and smooth.

Once your tart has cooled in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set, you can top with the coconut cream! I recommend letting the tart cool for as loooong as possible to ensure that it sets–the last thing you want is a gooey middle when you’re trying to cut it. Overnight would be ideal.

Enjoy!