In the heart of a tender cookie tart lies a rich and luscious cherry jam, a truly dreamlike experience. The cherry tarts are a delightful surprise, boasting both gluten-free and vegan credentials that belie their irresistible appeal to anyone who tries them.
Sweet Cherry Tarts [Vegan, Gluten-Free]
What’s Needed for a Decadent Vegan and Gluten-Free Sweet Cherry Tart Experience:
- One generous cup of pitted dark cherries
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice, extracted from roughly half a lemon.
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
- ¼ cup vegan butter substitute, plus 1 teaspoon. for greasing pan
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
You Will Also Need:
Preparing Delicious Vegan and Gluten-Free Sweet Cherry Tarts
Cherry Filling:
- Combine pitted cherries, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and granulated cane sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Simmer the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly to break down any clumps of cherries and ensure a smooth consistency. As you simmer the cherries in sugar and liquid, pause to gently crush them with a potato masher one or two times to release their natural sweetness and juices. Continue cooking the cherry jam until it reaches a desired consistency, approximately 13 minutes of simmering time. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to a comfortable 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Generously grease a mini muffin pan using a high-quality vegan butter substitute to ensure effortless removal of the finished treats.
- Combine gluten-free all-purpose baking flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium-sized bowl. Effortlessly whisk together all ingredients with precise strokes, ensuring a seamless blend of textures. Set aside.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, combine a dairy-free butter alternative with a few drops of pure vanilla essence. Whisk continuously for a period of approximately two minutes, ensuring a smooth and airy consistency.
- With the cane sugar added, continue to whip the mixture for an additional two minutes to ensure a smooth and even consistency.
- Combine the dry ingredients gradually, adding half of the total amount at a time, and blend on low speed until thoroughly incorporated.
- Carefully divide the tart cookie dough evenly among the 24 mini muffin cups, filling each one to capacity. What a delightful treat! A melon baller, indeed, yields just the right quantity of dough for a most satisfying baking experience.
- Carefully coax the dough upwards to form a crust around the muffin cups, creating a slight depression in the center. Be cautious when shaping the dough to avoid making it too thin at the base of the cup, lest jam escapes through the opening. Leave as thick a crust as possible while still pressing the dough evenly up the sides of the cup.
- Add a rounded ½ tsp. filled with a generous helping of sweet and tangy jam in the center of each tart. Don’t overload the tarts with too much jam, as it may overflow. While awaiting the perfect slice of toast, it’s wise to stash away an extra dollop of luscious cherry jam, ensuring a delightful spread for one or two slices – rather than risking an overfilled tart.
- Bake the tarts for roughly nine minutes, or until they reach a delicate, golden brown hue around the edges.
- Cool the tarts in the pan on a wire rack placed over an oven mitt or trivet, and then transfer the pan to the refrigerator for a few minutes. Next, carefully place the pan of tarts into the freezer for about 10 minutes. Gently twist the tarts in a circular motion to release their stuck edges, then carefully pull them out. This technique yields superior results, as simply tracing the edge with a blade often leads to tart collapse.
- Store the contents in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
