Adzuki pudding tarts
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When it comes to baking for family, friends or special occasions, some people think it’s necessary to use ingredients outside their diet philosophies. I’m definitely not one of those people. I won’t break out the eggs and butter in order to please other palates. Rather, I like to think my sweet treats can be used as a tool for vegan outreach by opening others’ hearts and appetites to healthier, cruelty-free options. We all know the way to a person’s heart is through the stomach, after all. So far, it seems to work. I rarely meet a person who sticks their nose up at a slice of chocolate cake or a chocolate chip cookie.
I’m pretty unpredictable when it comes to baking for a crowd though. Sometimes I’m in the mood to “wow” the crowd, and other times I settle for comfort food recipes that are popular and recognizable. Either way, I always put a spin on it. Sometimes it’s obvious and sometimes it’s not.
This delicious pudding is one such example. Can you tell by the photos that it’s full of beans? You can’t tell by the taste either. It’s a thick, creamy chocolate-and-nut heaven thanks to the addition of silken tofu, cocoa and nut butter. It’s also incredibly versatile—I’d consider using it as a tart filling, a cream centre for cupcakes or even on its own as a pudding parfait. Here, I used some of it as a filling for mini almond-oat tart crusts. The pudding can be made a day in advance (it thickens and provides a deep chocolate and nut flavour after being refrigerated overnight), and then filled or piped or layered the day of your celebration…or just eat it as a simple fibre-rich pudding!
I was inspired to create this delicious recipe for this month’s SOS Kitchen Challenge, featuring adzuki beans. If it wasn’t for the challenge hosts, Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs, and Kim of Affairs of Living, this pudding would have never happened. The recipe below makes enough crust and filling for about 20 mini tarts. Enjoy!
PrintAdzuki pudding tarts
Yield: 20 tartlets
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup almonds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 tbsp canola or sunflower oil
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Adzuki pudding:
- 1 1/2 cups cooked adzuki beans (or 1 can)
- 1 12-oz package firm silken tofu (I use Mori Nu)
- 1/2 cup agave nectar
- 6 tbsp natural nut butter (I use almond and peanut)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Directions:
Crust:
- In a food processor, process the oats and almonds to a fine meal.
- Add the cinnamon, salt, brown rice flour, baking powder and coconut and pulse to combine.
- Finally, add the oil, maple syrup and vanilla and process until well combined. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add a teaspoon or two of water.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of oiled tart tins. Bake at 350 for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry to the touch and lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Adzuki pudding:
- In a high-powered blender, puree the beans and silken tofu. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 2 or 3 minutes until smooth.
- Refrigerate the filling in a covered container for several hours or overnight to allow it to thicken up. Pipe or spread the filling into tart crusts and refrigerate until ready to serve. Tarts are best eaten the day they are made.
Crust recipe adapted from More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts.
