This is a fun, hippie-vibe :), no-bake raspberry pistachio tart, with bright raspberry ripples in a vegan cheesecake filling.
In case you can't tell, I'm summoning summer here. We've had a super rough winter this year, and despite the fact spring teased us for a bit, winter is somehow back again and just doesn't seem to want to go away...
And so, I decided to make a summer vibe tart to cheer me up. Something bright and a bit zingy, and raspberries are a summer must, of course. All mixed into a creamy dreamy layer of vegan cashew cheesecake filling, and a golden pistachio crust.
I even managed to find some dried edible flowers from my garden last year that I had left over from something. Ok, they're totally scraps from a project and maybe not much to look at, admittedly, but somehow they added a bit of summer sunshine to my tart and so I'm happy. It's the little things, sometimes :)
Ok, so here's the thing about this dessert. I had a certain vision in my mind, but it just would not materialize when I went to make it for a variety of reasons.
I've made many attempts at it this week... Each time, I would screw up something. Too much filling, not enough filling. Wonky patterns galore. In fact I had to redo the patterns so many times I lost track.
Raspberry Pistachio Tart #video
Amidst the experiments I tried a version where I replaced half a cup of pistachios in the crust with half a cup of vegan white chocolate chips. And that was good! In fact my husband prefers that version.
So leaving that in here for you as an idea to explore. I made a version where I sprinkled a bunch of chocolate chips on top too, but I found the white chocolate flavor overwhelmed things that way, so recommend sticking to the crust only.
Amidst the many trials too, I ran out of pistachios so for one version I did ½ a cup pistachios and 1 cup cashews in the crust and that worked well too. So if pistachios are not easy to come by for any reason, you're set.
I hope this tart brings some sunshine and happy vibes into your kitchen in turn :)
P.S. If you love the flavors in this tart, check out this raspberry white chocolate cheesecake recipe as well.
Raspberry Pistachio Tart
A fun, hippie-vibe :), no-bake raspberry pistachio tart, with bright raspberry ripples in a vegan cheesecake filling.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: pies and tarts
- Method: no-bake
- Cuisine: vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups pistachios* (raw or roasted)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/16 tsp salt
Filling
Note: have all filling ingredients at room temperature**
- 1 ¼ cups raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained***
- 3 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil, unscented
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅜ tsp salt (just a bit less than ½ tsp)
Raspberry Filling
Note: have all filling ingredients at room temperature**
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Toppings
- 3 tbsp chopped pistachios
- edible dried flowers, rose petals
Instructions
- Process all crust ingredients into a fine sticky crumble in a food processor. Transfer into a 7" tart pan with a removable bottom and press down into a flat crust along the base. Freeze while working on the next step.
- Blend all cheesecake filling mixture ingredients together into a completely smooth consistency in a power blender. Set aside.
- Blend all raspberry filling mixture ingredients together in a mini food processor. Set aside.
- To assemble the tart, spoon half the cheesecake filling into the prepared tart crust into an even layer. Then spoon ⅔ of the raspberry mixture in an even layer. Then carefully spoon over the remainder of the cheesecake filling and gently smooth it out into an even layer.
- Dot some "blobs" of raspberry mixture (use most of it, but reserve a bit for the heart pattern) over the center of the tart and then swirl them in to incorporate. Use about a tablespoon of the raspberry mixture to draw a heart shape in the center by spooning it into the desired pattern.
- Sprinkle with chopped pistachios around the edges, as well as dried edible flowers of your choice (I used rose petals and some dried flowers from my garden).
- Freeze for 5-6 hours or overnight to set. Thaw out lightly before serving and enjoy! Keep leftovers frozen (and treat the tart like an ice cream cake -- too long out and it might begin to melt..).
Notes
*If you love white chocolate, can swap ½ a cup of pistachios for vegan white chocolate chips.
**If any of your ingredients are cold (like maple syrup or almond milk or raspberries from the fridge), bring them to room temp first on the counter. Cold ingredients will not allow the filling mixture to blend through properly.
***To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Additional Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
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