Raw desserts are my favourite. Rich, creamy and often substantial but without leaving you feeling like you just ate a brick.
Being vegan does mean it’s pretty much impossible to buy dessert out (in Oxford at least) and I’ve been pretty pushed for time recently with studying and exams sadly leaving me limited opportunity for kitchen fun. I’m someone who needs a sweet fix every day and I’ve been making do with fruit, dark chocolate and snack bars. But…the snack bars and the chocolate have run out and fruit alone isn’t cutting the mustard. So, now I’m free as a bird, I decided it was time to remedy the lack of dessert asap.
I had a mango waiting to be eaten and thought a tart with a sweet and tangy mango layer would be yummy. The typical base for a creamy raw dessert is cashews, but as you might have read in my last post, I’m trying to use up things I’ve got and my cashews ran out a while ago. Not giving up on my dessert that easily I had to come up with another option. I remembered some delicious lemon tarts I made a few months ago which used agar flakes and coconut butter for creaminess and to thicken up the filling and thought I’d adapt the recipe for a mango variety.
Raw Mango Coconut Tartlets:
(Adapted from Fragrant Vanilla Cake)
Crust:
1/2C Almond Meal (a scant 1/2 cup whole almonds ground in a food processor)
1/2C Shredded coconut
3/4C Dates (Prunes also work!)
1/8t Salt
Mango Layer:
1T Agar flakes
6T Hot water
1 1/2C Diced mango
3T Lemon juice
2T Agave nectar
1T Coconut oil, melted
3T Coconut butter, melted (I used homemade but also recommend Artisana brand)
Coconut Flakes to top
Combine ingredients for the crust in a food processor, adding the dates in gradually as you may need more or less depending on how soft they are. The mixture should start to stick together.
Divide the crust mixture between 6 silicone muffin cases (you could use any tart tins you have or even ramekins lined with cling film). Press firmly to form a base. Put the tartlets in the fridge or freezer to firm up while you make the mango layer.
For the mango cream, dissolve the agar flakes in hot water and leave to cool while you get the other ingredients ready. In a blender, blend together all the remaining ingredients along with the agar mixture until you get a nice smooth creamy consistency. Taste for sweetness, you may want a touch more agave or lemon juice depending on your preference and the ripeness of your mango.
Divide the mango cream between the cases and tap down hard on a counter to remove air bubbles. Place in freezer for a few hours to firm up completely before removing from the cases. Pop tartlets out of cases and allow to sit in the fridge or at room temperature until the mango layer has softened up. Not too long or it will melt everywhere!
Top with coconut flakes to serve
Makes 6
(Stored in the freezer these will keep for several weeks)
I love mango in savoury dishes too- grain + bean salads, kale salads with avocado + toasted nuts, fruity salsa for a dip or to serve with tacos.
What’s your favourite mango recipe?
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