Maple-Pecan Tartlet with Cranberry Gel and Vanilla Oat Chantilly

01

Ingredients

• Tart shells: 3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
• Tart shells: 2 tablespoons (16 g) icing sugar
• Tart shells: 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• Tart shells: 5 tablespoons (70 g) cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes
• Tart shells: 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water
• Tart shells: 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for the pans
• Maple-pecan filling: 1 1/4 cups (140 g) pecan halves, lightly toasted and divided
• Maple-pecan filling: 1/3 cup (80 mL) pure maple syrup
• Maple-pecan filling: 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• Maple-pecan filling: 2 tablespoons oat cream
• Maple-pecan filling: 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Maple-pecan filling: 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
• Maple-pecan filling: 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Maple-pecan filling: 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• Cranberry gel: 1 cup (100 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• Cranberry gel: 1/3 cup (80 mL) orange juice
• Cranberry gel: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Cranberry gel: 2 tablespoons water
• Cranberry gel: 1/4 teaspoon agar powder
• Vanilla oat chantilly: 1/2 cup (125 mL) well-chilled vegan oat whipping cream
• Vanilla oat chantilly: 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• Vanilla oat chantilly: 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Garnish: 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest plus 4 thin orange-zest curls

02

Prepare the dish

1. Lightly oil four 4-inch (10 cm) removable-bottom tartlet pans. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Make the pastry: whisk the flour, icing sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold vegan butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon ice water and mix; add the remaining water a teaspoon at a time only if needed for the dough to hold together.
3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap and chill for 20 minutes. Divide it into four pieces, roll each piece about 3 mm thick and line the tartlet pans. Trim the edges, prick the bases with a fork and chill for 10 minutes.
4. Line each shell with a small square of parchment and fill with baking weights or dry beans. Bake for 12 minutes, remove the parchment and weights, then bake for 5 minutes more. Cool for 5 minutes while making the filling.
5. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted pecans for plating. Roughly chop the remaining pecans and divide them among the shells.
6. Whisk the maple syrup, brown sugar, oat cream, cornstarch, melted vegan butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly among the shells, nudging it between the pecans.
7. Bake the tartlets for 24 to 28 minutes, until the edges are set and the centres retain only a slight wobble. Cool completely in the pans, then carefully unmould.
8. Make the cranberry gel while the tartlets bake: combine the cranberries, orange juice, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer for 7 minutes, until the berries burst. Blend until smooth and pass through a fine sieve.
9. Return the strained cranberry mixture to the saucepan and whisk in the agar. Bring to a full boil and cook for 1 minute while whisking. Pour into a shallow dish and chill until firmly set, about 20 minutes, then blend again until glossy and smooth. Transfer to a small piping bag or squeeze bottle.
10. Whip the cold oat cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl to medium peaks. Keep refrigerated until plating.