EU
INGREDIENTS
- Chocolate Hazelnut Crust:
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 4 medjool dates
- 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder Vanilla Peppermint Filling:
- 7 ounces coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked
- 3 scoops Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (or 7-10 drops stevia for low glycemic)* sweeten to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 2 candy canes crushed, plus more for garnish Polar Bear Decorations:
- 1 cup cashew buttercream
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- Marzipan candy dough
- Beet juice (for coloring)
- Red and green fondant* (optional, for hats)
DIRECTIONS
- You will need to soak your cashews for the filling. Stir 1/4 tablespoon Celtic or Himalayan pink salt into 3 cups filtered water in a medium sized glass bowl. Add the 1 1/2 cups of raw cashews, cover with a thin kitchen or tea towel, and allow the bowl to sit on the counter for 3 hours. Before using the cashews, rinse and drain them until the water is clear.
- If your hazelnuts are not toasted, spread them out onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, allow to cool for a few minutes before starting the crust.
- To make the crust, prep your tart pans by lightly greasing them with melted coconut oil. Place the crust ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process for about 1 minute, or until the ingredients start to stick together. I like to add the hazelnuts at the very end and only blend until chopped so the crust is still crunchy.
- Evenly distribute the crust between the tart pans, and firmly press it into the bottom and up the sides using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a small drinking glass (the back of a spoon also works well).
- Transfer the pans to the freezer while making the fillings (I find it helps to place them all on a baking sheet first to make it easier to move them around).
- Place all of the filling ingredients (except for the candy canes) in a high-powered blender, and blend until smooth. I like to work my way up to high and then let it blend on high for 1 minute to get it super smooth. Stir in the crushed candy canes.
- Remove the tart pans from the freezer and pour the filling into each. Return to the freezer for at least an hour, or overnight before decorating.
- When you are ready to decorate the tarts, use a grass piping tip to pipe long cashew buttercream all over the top for fur. Add marzipan for the ears and paws and cover those with buttercream as well.
- Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals (at 50% power) stirring in between, until smooth. Use a toothpick dipped into the chocolate to draw the faces onto wax paper, and transfer to the top of each tart once set.
- Color a little marzipan with beet juice and add to the middle of each ear and under the eyes for cheeks. Garnish with more crushed candy cane and enjoy!
- The tarts will keep for a few days wrapped and stored in the refrigerator, and up to a week in the freezer.