CHOCOLATE MAQUI COOKIE TARTS

These fun-looking chocolate maqui cookie tarts are packed with wholesome ingredients and will, for sure, satisfy your sweet tooth. A slightly crispy chocolate cookie base is filled with creamy and rich maqui berry & cashew cream.

These tarts are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and soy-free.

MAQUI BERRY POWDER

Are you familiar with maqui berry? Maqui berries are being referred to as the new superfruit due to their high content of potent antioxidants. They contain high levels of anthocyanins, pigments responsible for the purple color.

The flavor of maqui berry is mild. They taste similar to blackberries, with a subtle sweetness and a bit of tartness.

Maqui berry powder is freeze-dried, which is the best method available to preserve the valuable nutrients found in this amazing berry.

You can find it online or in many local health food stores. Always make sure that maqui berry powder is of the highest quality.

HOW TO USE IT: Add 1-2 teaspoons to your morning smoothie, oatmeal, nicecream, yogurt, or use it to color raw desserts.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE MAQUI COOKIE TARTS

You can find a complete list of ingredients with exact amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

SOAKING CASHEWS: Put cashews in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours.

NOTE: To ensure an ultra-smooth texture of the cashew cream, it’s important to use a high-speed blender.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE TARTS

Preheat oven to 180 °C. Prepare three tart pans with the removable loose bottom (10 or 11 cm diameter) and lightly grease with coconut oil.
Mix 10 g of ground chia seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Stir and let it rest for a couple of minutes to thicken.
Melt the coconut cream in a medium pot over low heat. Stir until smooth.
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl: teff flour, white rice flour, tapioca, ground roasted almonds, cacao powder, coconut sugar, and baking powder.
Add melted coconut cream, coconut oil, and chia seed mixture. Use a hand mixer and mix for a couple of minutes until it all comes together. Adjust sweetness if needed.
Spread the mixture into three tart pans and press down firmly to form the base.
Bake for approx. 18-20 minutes. Leave them to cool down before carefully removing them from the pan.

MAQUI-CASHEW CREAM

Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
Fill each crust with maqui-cashew cream.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

NOTE ON COCONUT CREAM

Chill full-fat canned coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight so that you can easily separate cream from the liquid. The cream should be firm enough so that you can scoop it out with a spoon.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Just before serving, drizzle with chocolate and top with blueberries.

TIPS AND HOW-TOS

MAQUI BERRY POWDER: If you don’t have maqui berry powder, mixing blue spirulina and pink pitaya powder will also produce a deep purple hue. Or simply add powdered natural food coloring you like or have in your pantry.

Check out A quick guide to natural food colorings for some ideas.

HOW TO ROAST ALMONDS

Roasting almonds deepens their flavor and gives them a crisper texture. Here is how to do it:

Preheat oven to 180 °C. Spread the almonds in an even layer on the baking sheet. Place in oven and roast for 10-15 minutes. Stir or shake the tray every 5 minutes to help the almonds to cook evenly.

When the almonds are browned and smell nutty, remove from the oven and immediately transfer onto a plate or another baking sheet.