The filling is cooked, with a plant-based alternative for gelatine, the so-called agar agar powder. The amount used is crucial, too little lets the filling not set properly. Using too much makes it kinda rubbery in texture. I use approx. 1 teaspoon per cup of liquid and it works quite well.

This lemon tart does not need flour or grains. The crust is made from almonds and dates, which are blended to crumbs in a high-speed blender.

Blind Baking

The crust is baked first before being filled. It works best to pre-bake it, using the blind baking method. For this you need to weigh down the dough. This basically replaces the filling so the base doesn’t blow up when the air beneath expands in the heat. It’s fairly easy. After spreading the dough in the baking tin, you cover the dough with some baking power. Then add the weight.

You can use the following:

• Special blind baking marbles
• Dried legumes (for example peas, beans etc)
• Coffee beans
• Rice or other grains
• Sterilised gravel rocks (I did this successfully already)

This recipe for lemon tart is vegan, gluten-free and fruit-sweetened. It also doesn’t need any soy or grains.

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Lemon Tart (Vegan, Gluten-free, Fruit-sweetened)

Zesty, fresh and light! This is the motto for this vegan and gluten-free lemon tart. With plenty of fun garnishing options.

Course Desserts

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword gluten-free, Grain-free, Lemon, soy-free, Tart

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Soaking time 4 hours hours

Servings 14 Portions

Equipment

• 35 x 10 cm tart form

Ingredients

• 170 g almonds
• 120 g dates, pitted and chopped

For the filling:

• 100 g dates, pitted and chopped
• 50 g sunflower seeds (soak in water for approx. 4 hours, then rinse and drain)
• 300 ml plant-based mylk, preferably unsweetened
• 75 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tbsp lemon zest (depending on how zesty you like it)
• 1 1/4 tsp agar agar powder (not flakes!) Also see notes below
• 1 to 2 pinches ground turmeric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 160°. For the curst, blend almonds and dates to fine crumbles, using a powerful blender. Knead the dough a bit and then spread it evenly in the tart form. Pull the dough up along the sides too.
• Blind bake the dough on the lower level for approx.. 15 minutes. Be careful, it burns easily. If needed, bake it covered.
• Let the crust cool down properly. For the filling, blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a pot and bring it gently to the boil. Let it simmer for a few minutes while stirring constantly.
• Pour the mixture into the tart form and spread it evenly. Let it cool down a little before letting it set in the fridge. Garnish to your liking. Enjoy

Notes

Notes: Agar agar needs to be pure powder not flakes. The latter will need different amount to achieve the same result. 

Also, measurement is crucial when working with agar agar. I’m using measuring spoons. 1 teaspoon equals 5ml and 1/4 teaspoon equals 1.25ml.

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

I think it is rather convenient to have citrus in the middle of winter, when an extra dose of vitamin C is just perfect! Not so perfect for ice pops, but hey, who says you can only have them in summer?!

As always, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free and without refined sugar. If you can’t have cashews, replace them with blanched almonds or macadamias, or skip them altogether

Makes approx. 10 ice pops:

For the ice pops:
1 can (400ml) coconut cream
1 cup (140g) dates, pitted and diced
1/2 cup (70g) cashews
1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice (from approx 5 small or 2 big lemons)
zest of those lemons
1/3 cup (80ml) water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

For the cashew drizzle:
1/3 cup (45g) cashews
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1 teaspoon cacao butter or coconut oil, melted

some chopped pistachios for garnish

Preparation:

1. Blend all ingredients for the ice-pops in a strong blender until smooth. Let the dates soak in the water for a while if needed.

2. Transfer mixture into ice pop molds. Cover with lid, insert ice pop sticks and place in freezer until firm.

3. Once the ice-pops are firm, take them out of the mould. It helps to hold them upside down and let a little warm water run over the mould to get them out.

4. For the cashew drizzle, place all ingredients in a powerful mini-blender and blend until smooth.

5. Drizzle the cashew cream with a small icing bottle or icing bag onto the ice pops and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve or keep in freezer.

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

I’ve been experimenting with raw and nut-free cake options for quite a while. And I find sunflower seeds work quite well as a substitute for nuts

While I use pumpkin seeds in the crust, you can also use sunflower seeds or nuts, if you are OK with them

This no-bake lemon blueberry cake recipe is as always vegan, gluten-free, without refined sugar and this time also without nuts.

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No-Bake Lemon Blueberry Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free)

This no-bake lemon blueberry cake recipe is as always vegan, gluten-free, without refined sugar and this time also without nuts.

Course Baked Sweet, Cake

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Blueberry, cake, dairy-free, fruit-sweetened, Lemon, no bake, nut-free, soy-free, without baking

Servings 1 cake – 7 inch (18 cm)

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 110 g pumpkin seeds soak them in water for at least 8 hours, then rinse and drain
• 105 g dates pitted and diced

For the lemon layer:

• 210 g sunflower seeds soak them in water for at least 8 hours, then rinse and drain
• 190 ml lemon juice and zest (from approx. 3-4 lemons)
• 105 g dates pitted and diced
• 190 ml water
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

For the blueberry layer:

• 110 g blueberries
• 35 g dates pitted and diced

Instructions

• For the crust, place pumpkin seeds and dates into blender and pulse a few times until crumbly.
• Line cake tin with baking paper and scoop mixture into it. Spread it evenly and press it firm.
• For the lemon layer, blend all ingredients until smooth. It might pay to use a tamper for this step as the mixture will become quite thick.
• Transfer lemon mixture into cake tin and spread it evenly.
• Blend ingredients for blueberry layer until smooth. A powerful mini-blender is recommended for this step.
• Place dollops of blueberry paste onto the lemon layer. Then use a teaspoon to make swirls.
• Place in freezer until firm (approx. 3-4 hours). Then cut slices and keep chilled until serving.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Creamy lemon mousse, bedded on a nut-free base will make your taste buds dance

As always, these no-bake lemon poppy-seed tartlets are vegan, gluten-free and without refined sugar, as well as nut-free.

Please note: I have used an icing bag to pipe the filling onto the tartlet bases. This technique will take some more time top prepare, since the filling will have to set in the fridge first. Alternatively you can use an extra large muffin form or spread it over 12 instead of 6.

For 6 tartlets you’ll need:

For the crust:
3/4 cup (120g) pumpkin seeds, soak them in filtered water for at least 8 hours, then rinse and drain
1 cup dates, pitted and diced

For the filling:
zest & juice of 2 spray-free lemons
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
3/4 cup (105g) dates, pitted
3/4 cup (105g) sunflower seeds, soak them in filtered water for at least 8 hours, then rinse and drain
55g cacao butter
1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/3 teaspoon turmeric

Preparation:

1. Pulse the pumpkin seeds and dates to fine crumbles and transfer to a medium sized bowl. Mix well.

2. Line muffin tray with baking paper strips. Scoop in even portions of crust dough and press firm. Place in freezer while preparing the filling.

3. For the filling, blend all ingredients but the poppy-seeds until smooth. Add the poppy-seeds after blending. If you wish to pipe the filling into the muffin form, transfer it to a small bowl and let firm up in fridge (about 3 hours). (Otherwise, transfer straight to muffin tin, please see note above.)

4. Once the filling has firmed up, fill it into icing bag and pipe into muffin form.

5. Place in fridge until serving (can also be stored in freezer).

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Just recently I heard of so called polenta cake. The name is pretty much self-explaining: it is made with polenta! Why not, me thought and bravely combined it with freshly blended butternut squash, lemons and dates. And yes, it works! The texture has a funny, fluffy feel to it and it is quite moist.

Lemons are still in season and they keep stacking up on our kitchen table. I let the lemons have the leading role in this recipe. Not only are they in the dough, but also in the filling. This allows for a fresh lemony flavour that will have any lemon lover drooling

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Lemon Pumpkin Polenta Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free, Low-Fat)

Just recently I heard of so called polenta cake. The name is pretty much self-explaining: it is made with polenta! Why not, me thought and bravely combined it with freshly blended butternut squash, lemons and dates. And yes, it works! The texture of this vegan and gluten-free cake has a funny, fluffy feel to it and it is quite moist.

Course Cake

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword Lemon, Low-Fat, oil-free, Polenta, Pumpkin

Servings 1 Cake

Equipment

• 8inch/ 17cm cake tin
• Blender

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 190 g fine polenta
• 70 g buckwheat flour
• 1 tablespoon psyllium fiber husk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-2 pinch salt
• 200 g peeld raw butternut squash
• juice and zest of one lemon:
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 105 g dates pitted and diced

For the filling:

• 100 g peeld raw butternut squash
• 50 g dried apricots
• juice and zest of one lemon:
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• some coconut flour for sprinkles on top optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200° C (top-/ bottom heat). Line the cake tin with baking paper.
• For the dough, place dates, lemon juice and water into high-speed blender and let soak for a little.
• In the meantime mix all dry ingredients for the dough in a medium sized bowl.
• Chop the butternut to smaller chunks, chuck it in the blender and blend everything to a fine paste.
• Pour lemon-date-pumpkin-mixture into the bowl with the ingredients and mix well. Make sure you don’t stir it too long. Quickly transfer to the cake tin and spread it evenly.
• Place in the oven and bake until an inserted skewer comes out clean (about 10-15 minutes). Let rest in the form for a little before taking it out and letting it cool down completely on a cooling rack.
• In the meantime blend the apricots, lemon and butternut squash to a fine cream. Here it will also help to let the apricots soak in the lemon juice for a while.
• Once the cake has cooled down, cut it lengthwise into two and take the gently top off. I like to use a large serrated knife for this job. Spread the filling on the lower part of the cake and then gently replace the top part. I like to sprinkle it with some ground desiccated coconut flour

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

After my lemon mousse was so successful I decided to try it in the shape of a tart. Completely nut-free and without refined sugars it turned out very light and delicious. Perfect for those warmer days here in NZ

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No Bake Lemon Tart (Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Soy-free)

After my lemon mousse was so successful I decided to try it in the shape of a vegan and gluten-free tart. Completely nut-free and without refined sugars it turned out very light and delicious. Perfect for those warmer days here in NZ.

Course Baked Sweet, Desserts / Raw

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Buckwheat, cake, Coconut, dairy-free, fruit-sweetened, Lemon, nut-free, Tart

Servings 1 cake (21 cm)

Equipment

• 21 cm cake tin

Ingredients

or the crust:

• 3/4 cup raw buckwheat groats soaked in filtered water for at least 4 hours, then rinsed and drained
• 105 g dates pitted & diced
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut

For the filling:

• 300 g coconut butter (creamed coconut), melted
• 105 g dates pitted & diced
• 1 zest & juice of 1 spray-free lemon 1 zest makes about 1 tablespoon zest and 1/4 cup juice
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pinch salt
• 310 ml water

Instructions

• For the crust, pulse the dates to fine crumbles and transfer to a medium sized bowl. Dry dates will work best as they easily turn into crumbles.
• After you rinsed and drained the soaked buckwheat groats, pulse them a few times until they are mostly ‘mashed’. Add to the bowl with desiccated coconut and stir well until combined.
• Line the cake tin with some baking paper and transfer the dough into the cake tin. Press it evenly and pull it up the sides, about one inch high. Place in freezer while preparing the filling.
• For the filling, blend all ingredients to a fine cream. Take the tin out of the freezer and pour the filling in. I love to sprinkle some dehydrated raspberries on top. But I’m sure there are many other yummy options
• Place in the freezer until set, for best results let defrost a little while in fridge. This cake will get soft when not chilled, so it is best to keep it stored in the fridge.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Citrus season is in full swing now and I feel challenged for new recipe ideas. I’m a big fan of easy, simple but delicious treats, so this one here just had to happen

I recommend small portions as it is quite rich and flavourful. As always, a high-speed blender will allow for best results.

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Lemon Coconut Mousse (Vegan, Gluten-free, Lactose-free, No Refined Sugar)

One thing that I really love about New Zealand is how people share things. And it seems like everyone has a lemon tree but me That isn’t a problem though, because I get given free lemons from friends on a regular basis.

Course Desserts

Cuisine New Zealand

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Coconut, dairy-free, Dates, fruit-sweetened, Lemon, Mousse, No Refined Sugar, without Nuts

Servings 4 portions

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• zest and juice of 1 small spray-free lemon:
• 1/4 cup juice
• 1 tablespoon zest or more, if you prefer more zing

• 310 ml water
• 95 g dates pitted and diced
• 225 g creamed coconut (coconut butter)
• 1/3 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pinch salt optional

Instructions

• Melt the coconut butter in a cup that sits in a warm water bath.
• Transfer all ingredients into the blender and blend until a smooth. It might pay to let the dates soak in the water for a while, this way it will be easier for the blender.
• Transfer to dessert glasses and let firm up in the fridge. This should take around 4 hours, depending on how cold your fridge is.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

My apologies if it is right outside raspberry season. Unless you are in the Northern hemisphere, then it should be perfect timing, I think

I think the combination of tart lemon and raspberries is one of the best ones that I’ve had in my live. I love the sweet-sour tingle on my tongue! I find this nut-free version somewhat lighter than it’s nut-laden counterpart. But you’ll have to see for yourself

And while the ingredients seem to a hell of a lot, it is actually only 9 (please correct me if I’m wrong).

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Nut-free Raw Lemon Raspberry Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

I think the combination of tart lemon and raspberries is one of the best ones that I’ve had in my live. I love the sweet-sour tingle on my tongue! I find this nut-free version somewhat lighter than it’s nut-laden counterpart. But you’ll have to see for yourself.

Course Cake, Desserts / Raw

Cuisine New Zealand

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword cake, dairy-free, Lemon, oil-free, Raspberry, raw, without baking, without Nuts

Servings 1 cake 18cm (7inch)

Equipment

• high-speed blender
• 18cm (7inch) cake tin

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 90 g buckwheat groats (soaked in filtered water for at least 4 hours, then drained)
• 105 g dates pitted and diced
• 50 g desiccated coconut

For the lemon layer:

• 110 g sunflower seeds (soaked in filtered water for at least 4 hours, then drained)
• 105 g dates pitted and diced
• 1 1/8 cup water or coconut milk if it doesn’t need to be 100% raw
• 50 g desiccated coconut
• 1/3 cup lemon juice & zest
• 1 tablespoon cacao butter
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1-2 pinches salt

For the raspberry layer:

• 2 cups raspberries (2 cups = approx. 300g)
• 1/2 cup water or coconut milk if it doesn’t need to be 100% raw
• 75 g sunflower seeds (soaked in filtered water for at least 4 hours, then drained)
• 70 g dates pitted and diced
• 25 g desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon cacao butter
• 1 pinch salt
• For garnish I’ve used dehydrated raspberries and desiccated coconut.

Instructions

• For the crust, pulse the buckwheat groats to relatively fine crumbles. Don’t worry if they get a little sluggish. Pour into a medium sized bowl.
• Pulse the dates to fine crumbles and add to the bowl with desiccated coconut. Mix well.
• Line the cake tin with baking paper. Pour the dough into the dough and press it evenly. Place in freezer while preparing the lemon filling.
• For the lemon filling, blend all ingredients to a fine cream. This works best with a high-speed blender.
• Take cake tin out of freezer and pour the lemon filling it. Spread evenly and put the cake tin back into the freezer while preparing the raspberry layer.
• For the raspberry layer, mix all ingredients to a fine cream. Take cake tin out of freezer and pour the raspberry layer on top. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with garnish if desired and place in freezer until it is quite solid.
• Let defrost a little before taking out of the cake tin. Cut when it is still quite solid. This way you will have nice and clean cuts.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Raspberry and lemon go so well together. And if you add a little bit of turmeric, it creates such a lovely colour contrast too This is doesn’t need any baking. It is also vegan, gluten-free and sweetener with fruits, namely dates. I highly recommend Deglet Nour dates or Medjool, they are the best

Best results are achieved with a high-speed blender.

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No-Bake Lemon Raspberry Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free, Fruit-Sweetened)

This is one of my latest raw lemon raspberry cake creations. I’m so in love with the colors! And the flavours! It takes a little more time to make but the colors and flavours are just too amazing, it’s worth it!

Course Cake

Cuisine German

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Almond, cake, fruit-sweetened, Lemon, Raspberry, raw, without baking

Servings 1 cake (7 inch)

Equipment

• 7inch (18cm) cake tin
• Blender

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 110 g almonds (soaked in filtered water for at least 8 hours, then drained)
• 70 g dates pitted and diced

For the lemon filling:

• 200 g cashews (soaked in filtered water for at least 6 hours, then drained)
• 110 g sunflower seeds (soaked in filtered water for at least 6 hours, then drained)
• 70 g dates pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice and zest spray-free, un-waxed
• 2/3 cup water start with a little less and add more if needed
• 20 g coconut oil or cacao butter
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

For the raspberry topping:

• 280 g raspberries
• 100 g cashews (soaked in filtered water for at least 6 hours, then drained)
• 55 g sunflower seeds (soaked in filtered water for at least 6 hours, then drained)

Instructions

• If you have a food processor, chuck the ingredients for the crust into it and work until well combined.
• If you have a blender, start with pulsing the almonds to fine crumbles and transfer to a medium sized bowl. Then pulse the dates to fine crumbles and add to the bowl and mix well.
• Line the cake tin with baking paper. Scoop the mixture into the cake tin and press it evenly with your clean hands. Place the cake tin in the freezer while preparing the filling.
• For the lemon filling, blend all ingredients to a fine cream. Start with a little water and add only as much as needed, so as not to make the filling too watery. Take the cake tin out of the freezer and pour in the lemon filling. Spread it evenly. Place the cake tin in the freezer again while preparing the raspberry layer.
• For the raspberry layer, blend all ingredients to fine cream. Take the cake tin out of the freezer again and scoop the raspberry cream on top.
• Add some garnish if you wish. I used freeze-dried raspberries and chopped pistachios.
• Place in the freezer until set (about 2-3 hours). Take out of the freezer and out of the cake tin about an hour before serving.
• Cut the slices when it is just getting soft enough. This way it has nice and clean cuts.

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

Now I have this stack of lemons at home. A good reason to try a new recipe. A raw recipe to be precise…

Citrus season in New Zealand: when life gives you lemons, make a no-bake tart!

And after a few tries I have now come up with a pretty good recipe for a raw lemon tart that even looks like the real one. With all that vitamin c it will surely give you a little health boost too I hope you like it as much as I do!

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No-Bake Lemon Tart (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

It’s citrus season here in New Zealand—mandarins, oranges, tangelos and lemons everywhere. With a pile of lemons on hand, this raw, no-bake lemon tart was born: zesty, creamy and vegan + gluten-free. A little vitamin-C boost in every slice!

Course Cake, Desserts, Raw

Cuisine International

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword Almond, Cashew, dairy-free, egg-free, fruit-sweetened, Lemon, no bake, Tart

Prep Time 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Chilling time 4 hours hours

Total Time 10 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 tart (25 cm)

Equipment

• tart tin/springform 25 cm
• high-speed blender
• Mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 225 g almonds soaked in filtered water for at least 6 hours and then drained
• 70 g dates

For the filling:

• 245 g cashews soaked in filtered water for at least 6 hours and then drained
• 105 g dates pitted and chopped
• 125 ml fresh lemon juice
• 10 g of fresh lemons zest spray-free!
• 3 tablespoons cacao butter or coconut oil
• 250 ml water maybe a little more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

• For the crust, pulse the dates to crumbles. Transfer to a medium sized bowl. Pulse the almonds to relatively fine crumbles, add to the bowl and mix well.
• Line a tart tin with some baking paper. Place the almond mixture in the tart form and spread it evenly, pressing it with your (clean) hands. Cover the borders of the form too. Place the tart form in the freezer while preparing the filling.
• For the filling, blend all ingredients to a fine cream.
• Take the tart form out of the freezer and pour in the lemon creme. Place in freezer until set (approx. 3 hours).

Notes

Enjoy!

Please let me know what you think about this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! And if you remake this recipe, please share the picture with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.