Tarts with apricot filling and chocolate – a unique Mother’s Day gift

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day in Antwerp. With these cupcakes, you’ll have an original gift that’s sure to make everyone happy. Baking something delicious yourself always makes for an extra meaningful gift because you know that person thought of you in advance and made something with love.

The tartlets have a crust made from almond flour and coconut flour. Almond flour is made by grinding almonds very finely until they become a flour. This means that when you enjoy these tartlets, you also get all the health benefits that almonds are known for. One of those benefits is a good dose of vitamin E, which is important for a strong immune system, among other things. Nuts also contain a rich amount of protein and fiber. Among other things, these will help keep you feeling full longer. ¹

Almonds contain compounds that can lower LDL cholesterol in our blood. This is the type of cholesterol that, if its concentration in our blood is too high, can build up on the walls of our arteries. That’s really not good because the narrowing of the arteries makes it harder for blood—and therefore oxygen—to circulate throughout our body. ²

The coconut flour adds a subtle coconut flavor to the tart crusts and, like almond flour, is also a good source of protein and fiber. 

The apricot and orange filling is fresh, sweet, and makes these tartlets a heavenly treat. They contain beta-carotene and vitamin C, among other nutrients. Beta-carotene is a compound that gives certain fruits and vegetables their orange color and that our bodies can convert into vitamin A. Both vitamins are known to be good for the eyes and contribute to healthy skin. ³ A vitamin A deficiency is, along with heredity and other factors, one of the causes of night blindness. ⁴

So you have plenty of reasons to treat the people you care about to these little cakes. And making an extra serving for yourself is definitely okay, too. 😉

The Recipe

Ingredients: (8 cookies)

• 100 g almond flour
• 70 g coconut flour
• 1 tsp sodium bicarbonate 
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 12 apricots
• 1 orange
• 85 g chocolate
• 2 tsp coconut oil

Supplies: 

• Oven
• 8 cupcake liners

Preparation: (30 minutes)

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Put the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat, then add it to the bowl.
4. Add the maple syrup and mix everything together well.
5. You'll end up with a crumbly dough. Don't worry—it'll turn out just fine!
6. Divide the dough among the cupcake liners and press it down with the back of a teaspoon so that it forms a thin cookie.
7. Put them in the oven for 10 minutes.
8. In the meantime, make the filling. To do this, put the apricots in a blender and squeeze the orange. Pour the juice into the blender with the apricots and blend.
9. Melt the chocolate with the 2 tsp of coconut oil in a small saucepan.
10. Let the tartlets cool for just a moment after you take them out of the oven. If you used a metal holder to support the tartlet cups so they’d keep their shape, it’s best to remove the tartlets from it now. That way, they’ll cool faster.
11. Spread a small tablespoon of the apricot filling over each tartlet and top with two teaspoons of chocolate to cover it nicely.
12. Wait until the chocolate has set and the cakes have cooled before eating them.

Zoë, what should I do with the leftover ingredients?

• Almond Flour

In many of my cookie recipes, you’ll come across a section that mentions almond flour. It’s simply a super healthy and flavorful base for a delicious cookie. For example, you can make cookies with cranberries and chocolate or cookies topped with coconut . 

• Coconut Flour

You can use the leftover coconut flour in these cookies with jam or these tarts with chocolate, raspberries, and a peanut filling. 

• Coconut Oil

This fat can be used as a plant-based alternative to butter. In fact, it’s listed as an ingredient in these delicious muffins. 

• Maple syrup

Maple syrup can be used as a sweetener in anything you want to sweeten. For example, I use it in these apple, walnut, and chocolate cookies. 

• Apricots

In this summer vegetable dish , you can turn your leftover apricots into a delicious dinner. 

• Orange

If you have any oranges left over, you can use them in this salad with endive, orange, and halloumi. You can also use them in this speculaas smoothie . Or enjoy them for breakfast with some yogurt or as a snack.

Sources:

1 Zwaan, J. (April 2, 2015). 9 Proven Health Benefits of Almonds. aHealthylife.nl. https://www.ahealthylife.nl/9-bewezen-gezondheidsvoordelen-van-amandelen/

2 ARTERIAL DISEASE (ATHEROSCLEROSIS) | Hartwijzer | NVVC. (n.d.). https://www.hartwijzer.nl/slagaderziekte

3 De Groot, I. (n.d.). Discover the 7 benefits of apricots. PuurFiguur. https://www.puurfiguur.nl/abrikoos/

4 Night Blindness – Oogfonds. (n.d.). Oogfonds. https://oogfonds.nl/oogziekte/nachtblindheid/