With new years resolutions, I decided to mix up the recipe and create a lighter, healthier, "January approved" edition. Free from refined sugar, gluten, grains and potentially dairy, this is the perfect treat that is no where near as naughty as it tastes.
Adapting Hemsley and Hemsley's mince pie pastry and using a filling of natural store cupboard ingredients you can have guilt free indulgence!
Ingredients: Almond crust:
- 1 cup ground almonds
- 1/4 tsp of sea salt
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3/4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp butter, room temperature (sub for coconut oil for vegan option)
- 1 egg
Pecan filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp ground almonds
- 2 cups pecans
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
Method:
- Pre-heat oven to 180oC and grease a 24cm tart tin
- Put all the pastry ingredients in a food processor, mix until well combined and a doughy texture.
- Wrap the ball of dough in cling film and place in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Put all the filling ingredients apart from the pecans in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Break the pecans into pieces, add to the mixture (I left half a cup for decoration) and stir.
- Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper until a few millimetres thick, or large enough for the tin with a bit of overhang.
- Blind bake the case for about 15 minutes using baking paper and baking beans (or rice)
- Take off the baking paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes
- Pour in the filling (and decorate with reserved pecans)
- Bake for a further 25-30 minutes until firm.
*** Best served warm with banana ice cream or greek yogurt ***
