Lemon, Coconut, and Lavender Tarts

While the month of April has mainly consisted of torrential downpours, flooded sidewalks, and even a touch of snow (ugh!), this past weekend was a lovely and sunny exception. I finally had the chance to step out of my galoshes, slip into some walking shoes, and explore spring in Chicago. First stop: The Spice House, where I was completely taken by a little bag of lavender buds. As you can see, those tiny purple flowers were the inspiration for my latest baking endeavor. I also purchased some lavender-vanilla sugar, which is good on pretty much EVERYTHING! Seriously, I sprinkled some on my pancakes this morning and it took them from an average 7 to about a 10/10. If you ever get the chance to go to a Spice House, do it! Though I must warn you, walking into the shop is an assault on the senses. After about twenty-five minutes of perusing the spice shelves, I was in need of some fresh, non-fragrant air. :)

In my mind, lavender is meant to be one of those subtle spices. I currently have a jar of lavender honey and I think it's the best thing since sliced bread -- the hint of lavender compliments the sweetness of the honey without being too overpowering. With my tarts, I was aiming for a similar taste. I wanted to let the lemon and coconut shine, with hints of lavender floating around and gently surprising the taste buds. Maybe I put too much thought into that. Oh well...

Here are some pretty flowers for you!

You know what? I've noted something recently... When one area of my life gets crazy busy, all of the other parts are like "I want in on the crazy too!" and then, before I know it, I am running all over the place, overbooking my schedule, forgetting about appointments, and acting like a complete maniac. Anyway, what I really want to say is that I'm hoping these tasty little tarts will make up for my lack of posts lately.

Ingredients for Lemon, Coconut, and Lavender Tarts (makes six 4-inch round tarts)

Crust:
-14 pitted and chopped dates
-3/4 cup chopped walnuts
-1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
-1/3 cup spelt flour
-1 Tablespoon coconut oil
-1 Tablespoon honey

Filling:
-1 can coconut cream
-Grazed zest & juice of 1 lemon
-1 Tablespoon almond flour
-1 egg
-1 egg yolk
-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 Tablespoons maple syrup
-1 teaspoon crushed lavender buds, plus more for garnish

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For the crust, combine the walnuts, hazelnuts, and spelt flour in a food processor until a fine powder is created. Then, add the chopped dates and pulse until combined with the flour mixture. Next, add the coconut oil and honey into the mixture, pulsing until just combined. If the mixture seems dry, add a tiny bit more coconut oil. Press the mixture into each of the six tart rounds, making sure to press up on the sides of the pans in an even thin layer. Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the tart rounds. Then place the rounds into the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the crusts are toasty. Pull them out of the oven and set aside to cool. Then turn the oven down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

To make the filling, empty the can of coconut cream into a sauce pan, use a whisk to combine the can's cream and water, and let simmer for five minutes. Then, turn off the heat and stir in the syrup and lemon zest, and sift in the almond flour. After the mixture has slightly cooled, whisk in the lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, salt, vanilla, and lavender buds until completely combined. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Then, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into each of the crusts. Bake until the center of the filling is just set, about 12-14 minutes. Remove the rounds from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature before placing them in the fridge. Garnish with lavender buds and chill for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Here's some more spring flower action, just because. Enjoy!