Savory Coffee Hazelnut Tart
So I’m not ACTUALLY trying to give everyone around me diabetes. My previous ICU month turned into a downward spiral of eating sugary sweets hourly and never working out due to extremely long hours during the influenza season. I started my last ICU month bound and determined to keep doing the things I enjoy (baking) and trying to balance this with a slightly healthier life. I went looking for something savory. Sometimes I search for recipes based on ingredients I have lying around, and I’d over-purchased hazelnuts this fall. I came across a beautiful post from Nik Sharma at A Brown Table, and his photos are absolutely stunning. Will make you want to eat everything that he makes.
This Coffee Hazelnut Tart is creamy and nutty and delicious. It hit the spot, though I might add a little extra sweetness next time =) If you decide to make this, be sure to give yourself time. It is a fairly involved process involving roasting and skinning the hazelnuts, making hazelnut butter (which likely will take less time if you have an actual food processor), caramelizing hazelnuts, and finally the tart itself. I also had some tart filling leftover, so filled small ramekins to keep at home.
This was the first nut butter I’ve ever attempted! Not difficult, but took some time. I made the hazelnut butter in my trusty Ninja blender but I think a food processor is likely more up to the task and will require less finagling of utensils.
I made a whole batch of candied hazelnuts and used the extra as salad toppers for a while. They’re also great crushed over ice cream or for munching on their own…
Full disclosure, I’ve never made jello before. My tart wasn’t hardening and Kevin had to reassure me that all would be well in the morning and this wasn’t a disaster after all that work. Sure enough, I had a perfectly set tart and two small ramekins in the morning! A very proud moment for Kev. The filling for this tart requires only a quick couple minutes on the stove and no time in the oven, which is why we blind-bake the crust. Blind baking can be accomplished with pie weights, a simple bag of dried beans, or sandwiching the crust between two pie plates. I opt for the dry beans as the simplest and cheapest option. I even reuse my baking beans. Here’s a post from King Arthur Flour if you want to learn more about blind baking for future pies.
One more note about this as I’m about to move to the PNW where eating restrictions abound. This tart could easily be made vegan by substituting almond-milk creamer and the gelatin.
- 1 1/4 cups oat flour
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4 tsp sugar
- 6 T coconut oil, warmed to liquify
- 1. Place the first 4 ingredients together in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until evenly combined.
- 2. Pour in the liquified coconut oil and pulse until mixture comes together to form crumbs.
- 3. Transfer dough to a smooth clean surface and bring together with your hands to form a ball.
- 4. Use a fluted 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Cover the base with a circle of parchment paper cut to size. Spray lightly with baking spray. Transfer the dough to the tart pan and spread out just enough to flatten. Cover surface with a large sheet of cling wrap. Using the bottom of a glass or meat tenderizer, spread pastry out in the pan to form a clean, smooth and even crust. Press against the sides of the tart pan until the entire shell is formed.
- 5. Place covered tart shell in the freezer at least 30 minutes before baking.
- 6. Preheat oven to 325F. Remove and unwrap the chilled shell. Place on a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper. Pour dried beans into shell over the parchment paper and blind bake for 35-40 minutes, until crust is golden-brown. Remove from oven and place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool completely.
- 7. Refrigerate tart shell until ready to assemble.
- 1 1/2 cups Raw hazelnuts (about 6 oz)
- 2 cups Unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup Cold Brew Coffee
- 4T instant coffee grinds
- 1/2 cup Vanilla creamer
- 1 1/2 packets unflavored gelatin
- 4T almond milk
- 1. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat and bake at 300F for 5-8 minutes. The nuts should become fragrant and turn light golden brown. Watch for sign of burning and remove immediately to avoid burning. Transfer nuts to a clean kitchen towel and wrap them up. Rub the nuts together in the towel to remove the skins.
- 2. Remove warm nuts and transfer to a food processor. Pulse 8-12 minutes until nuts are converted to a smooth butter.
- 3. In a separate bowl, pour almond milk, cold brew, coffee grinds, and creamer. Whisk to combine. Stir the hazelnut butter and mix well. *This is the time to add sweetener to taste if desired. Trasnfer mixture to a thick-bottomed saucepan and heat on medium-high until it begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute.
- 4. While above mixture is being prepared, add gelatin to a large bowl containing 4T almond milk and allow to bloom. Once the gelatin has bloomed, pour the boiling liquid from step 3 through a strainer and allow to sit for 90 seconds before stirring with a whisk.
- 5. Unwrap refrigerated tart shell and pour the filling in just enough to reach the edges. If you have extra, pour into clean ramekins. Remove any air bubbles or foam by skimming surface with a spoon. Allow to sit at room temperature at least 45 minutes before transferring to refrigerator. Allow to set overnight until firm.
- 6. Release tart from the pan. Decorate with candied hazelnuts and serve chilled.
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup toasted and skinned hazelnuts
- 3 T water
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1. Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and swirl until sugar dissolves.
- 2. Bring to a simmer, and cook, swirling occasionally, until medium amber, about 4 minutes.
- 3. Add hazelnuts and salt, and stir for 1 minute to coat.
- 4. Pour mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a nonstick baking mat, and immediately separate nuts using 2 forks so that each stands alone on sheet.
- 5. Allow to cool completely, then break apart for individual nuts or larger caramelized pieces as desired.
- This recipe makes about 4x as many candied hazelnuts as you will need for the tart, but they are excellent as a salad topper.