I’m just mad about Saffron

: 15 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes (plus 4 hours chill time)

2 cups almond meal

10 dates, pitted

2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened

2 tablespoons almond milk or any plant-based milk

A pinch of salt

Pulp of 5-6 passionfruit

¼ cup orange juice

¾ cup coconut cream

2 pinches saffron strands (infused in 2 tablespoons almond milk)

2 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp almond milk

1 tbsp agar agar

3 tbsp jaggery powder or maple syrup

Preheat oven to 180ºC, lightly grease a tart pan base and set aside.

In a food processor, combine almond meal, chopped dates, coconut oil and salt, and blend until crumbly in texture. Add milk and pulse until mixture forms a dough.

Transfer dough to the tart tin and press into the sides and base of the tin, compacting well. Gently prick bottom of the dough with a fork.

Place in the oven and bake 7-8 minutes until crust is slightly brown. Set aside.

To prepare tart filling pass passionfruit pulp through a sieve to separate the juice and seeds. Use the back of a tablespoon to get the maximum juice out of the pulp.

In a non-stick pan on a low-medium heat add coconut cream, passionfruit, orange juice, saffron infused milk, jaggery powder or maple syrup. Stir until everything is dissolved completely.

Make a cornstarch slurry by adding three tablespoons almond milk in a small bowl with the cornstarch and agar agar. Mix well, until smooth. Then pour the slurry slowly into the passionfruit mixture. Bring it toa simmer, whisking constantly for 5-6 minutes until thickened to a smooth, custard-like consistency.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool before pouring into the prepared tart tin. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

Drizzle fresh passionfruit on top of the tart and serve with coconut whipped cream.

— Courtesy of 5+ADay