Dark chocolate, cherry and ginger tart

This is one of my favourite festive or holiday season desserts. 

Silky dark chocolate, tart cherry jam and a crispy gingery biscuit base. 

What you'll need

Serves 8+

Crust

  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract/powder/paste
  • 2 tsp ground ginger (can sub for 1 tsp minced ginger)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup honey, rice malt syrup or similar (you need quite a thick sweetener, unlike maple syrup)

Filling:

  • 2/3 cup hot water
  • 1 tsp coffee
  • 1 block (300g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped and melted
  • 2/3 cup butter, coconut oil or coconut butter, melted 
  • 2 tsp sea salt
 
Jam:
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh pitted cherries
  • 2 tbls water

How to make the tart

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC (356ºF)

Crust:

1. Add all dry crust ingredients in a bowl, then slowly add wet ingredients. Depending on the type of fat and sweetener you used, you may need to tweak slightly. Mix well until mixture forms a dough. It may be a bit moist, but not wet. 
2. Press firmly into a non-stick or pre-oiled tart pan with a loose bottom – like this
3. Bake for 7-10 minutes. You want the outside to brown, but still be soft to touch. The base will harden slightly when cooled.

Filling:

4. Whilst the crust is cooking, combine your hot water and coffee and let sit for 5 minutes. You can used strained ground coffee beans or instant coffee.
5. Combine the coconut butter/oil, salt and coffee in a bowl and stir until combined. 
6. Fold the chocolate through. 
7. Once combined, pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can either eat chilled straight from the fridge or leave to soften for 30mins

Jam:

8. While the tart is chilling, you can make your jam. Using a saucepan on low heat, add your ingredients and simmer for 5-10mins, stirring regularly. You don’t want the mixture to come to a boil, just a light bubble. 

  • The cherries should break down to form a chunky jam, but you can use a fork to mash as it cooks
  • Your jam will be ready once it has reduced and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

How to serve the tart

To serve, dollop some jam and whipped cream/coconut cream or yoghurt on the top and lightly swirl to create a marbled effect. 

Storing: You can store this tart in the fridge, covered, for up to 7 days (if it’ll last that long!)