VEGAN BLUEBERRY CREAM TART

In this vegan tart, silky vanilla custard meets fresh blueberries and a whole-grain graham cracker–like crust. For an even quicker dessert, use a store-bought pie shell.

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons white whole-wheat flour, divided
• 1/4 cup Sucanat or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) plus 3 tablespoons vegan butter, chilled and cubed
• 5 tablespoons plain unsweetened almond milk, divided
• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds, finely ground
• 3 tablespoons ice-cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups plain silken tofu, drained (about 12 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• About 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon of the flour, the Sucanat, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the cinnamon until thoroughly mixed. Add the butter, and crumble together until the mixture forms coarse meal.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the almond milk, the flaxseeds, the ice cold water, and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Add to the flour mixture, and massage the dough until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and flatten into a 1-inch-thick disk. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Spray the inside of a 9-or 9 1/2-inch round fluted tart pan (with a removable bottom) with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour onto a large, clean, cold surface. On this surface, roll out the dough (using a rolling pin and bench scraper) into a circle roughly 12 inches in diameter. After each roll, rotate the dough a quarter turn.
4. Transfer the dough circle to the tart pan. Press it into the bottom and sides, rolling the rolling pin over the surface to remove any excess dough (which you can use for patching holes). Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet. Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and place the foil, spray side down, onto the dough in the tart pan. Top with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and take off the foil and weights (discard the foil). Use a fork to poke about 15 holes in the bottom of the shell. return to the oven and bake until very lightly golden, about another 10 minutes (the crust may shrink a bit). Let cool to room temperature.
6. To a mini food processor, add the tofu, agave nectar, remaining 2 tablespoons almond milk, coconut oil, remaining teaspoon of vanilla, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, about 40 seconds.
7. Rinse the berries. Spread a clean kitchen towel on the counter, and pour on top, topping with another kitchen towel. Let the berries drain for a few minutes.
8. Pour and scrape the tofu-agave cream into the crust. Make sure to leave about 1/3 inch of space at the top for the berries (you might have a bit of extra custard). Evenly sprinkle the berries on top. Cover the tart with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator to firm up the custard, at least 2 hours.