Hello and happy weekend!
We’ve been having the stormiest weather over here this week and I LOVE it – rain is my favorite!
Besides which, it’s made everything so GREEN! The hills are absolutely gorgeous.
C and I went for a saunter up Twin Peaks today and everything was so green and glorious – not to mention the crystal clear air!
Apparently the theme of today’s post is green…
This tart is straight up amazing! It’s all kinds of earthy, minty flavor wrapped up in a polenta and almond crust. Matcha and mint are such an easy sell for me, and besides, vanilla bean just makes everything better, instantaneously.
C and I universally agreed this is one of our top favorites – that’s saying something, since we like most things! He especially loved it – I’m betting it won’t last through the night ;) This is going on the must-repeat list, and SOON.
It’s light and fresh – we ate it both for dessert with some ice cream (awesome, obviously) but it was equally good alongside a midday meal today (I’d call it breakfast since it was our first meal of the day but we didn’t eat till 1:30 so that seems a bit of a misnomer…)
Happy three day weekend!
Matcha Mint & Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta Tart
Full of green tea, minty goodness. This tart is only lightly sweet, earthy from the tea and refreshing from the mint. Vanilla bean just makes everything better. Cornmeal & almond flour round out the crust, making this gluten free, refined sugar free & dairy free. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. A Wait are Those Cookies original.
For the crust:
1.5 c almond flour
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 c melted dark chocolate
In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.
With a pastry brush or a spoon, coat the bottom the crust with an even layer of melted chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 10 minutes.
Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1.75 cup full-fat coconut milk, divided
1.5 tbsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 cup maple
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 tbsp matcha powder
melted coconut butter or more melted chocolate, for drizzling (just a few tbsp needed – use more for serving if desired)
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.
Pour the remaining 1.5 cups of coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add vanilla, mint extract, maple, salt, and matcha powder into it. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat (blend if necessary with an immersion blender if you have a few matcha blobs). Add the gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Drop melted chocolate or coconut butter onto the surface of the tart and swirl with a knife or a toothpick. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours.
Store in the fridge – keeps well overnight for breakfast the next morning :)
Wait...are those...cookies?! 