If you’re tired of pumpkin pie for the holidays, make a sweet potato tart instead this year.
The holidays are fast approaching and that means dessert is in order! Let’s be honest, no matter how extravagant the main and sides, you can always manage to find extra room for dessert, and around this time of year that usually means pie.
This year it’s a sweet potato tart with a nutty pecan praline topping to be exact. Silky and smooth with a nice bit of crunch on top, it makes an excellent addition to any holiday menu and is quicker and easier to make than most pies.
If you’ve never had it, sweet potato pie is what you’ve always wished pumpkin pie could be. In reality pumpkin pies can either be disappointingly bland or overly spiced, that’s because pumpkins really aren’t that flavorful on their own, but sweet potatoes are another story.
Naturally sweet and creamy, sweet potatoes only require a minimum of sweetener and spice to shine. While a hint of maple, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg is all you need, a sprinkling of pecans doesn’t hurt either. Here I’ve added pecans to both the crust and the topping for a nice textural contrast and nutty flavor.
Speaking of the crust, this one is a press-in kind (no rolling pins needed) so it’s quick and easy to make, all you need is a tart pan. The filling, unlike most pie recipes that call for long bake times, comes together on the stovetop and then quickly sets in the oven. (This prevents the problem of an under-baked custard with an over-burnt crust.)
Since this tart is best after it sets in the fridge, you can easily make it the day before the big meal. And did I mention that it’s gluten-free, vegan and paleo. So forget the pumpkin pie this year and make a sweet potato one instead.
Serves 6
Sylvie Shirazi
Yields 1 8-inch tart
30 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
1 hrTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup/60g pecans
- ¼ cup /36g arrowroot
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon/18g palm shortening
- ¾ cup/84g almond flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoons/5ml of filtered water
- 2 teaspoons/8g coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon/5g maple syrup
- ¼ cup/30g pecans, very finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon/6g tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon/5g coconut oil
- 1/8th teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- ¾ cup/318g can of sweet potato puree
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons/90ml coconut milk
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons/90ml maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon/ 5ml vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8th teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 ½ Tablespoons/ 9g tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon agar powder
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml coconut oil
Instructions
- In a small food processor pulse together pecans and arrowroot just until and fine and powdery (do not over process).
- In a large bowl beat together maple syrup and palm shortening until smooth. Add pecan mixture, almond flour and salt and work into the mixture with a fork adding 1 teaspoon of water until a ball of dough starts to form.
- Press dough firmly across the bottom up the sides of a greased 8-inch pan with your fingers. Prick bottom of dough with a fork and place pan into freezer 10 minutes to chill or in fridge until needed.
- Meanwhile make the topping by combining the coconut sugar, maple syrup, pecans, tapioca flour, oil, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Place in fridge until needed.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake tart shell for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
- Meanwhile make the filling.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, whisk together sweet potato puree, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, tapioca flour and agar powder. Cook stirring continuously until mixture starts to bubble around the edges, thicken and becomes slightly glossy (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in coconut oil.
- Remove tart shell from oven and pour in filling. Top with pecan praline around the edges and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
- Set on a wire rack to cool completely and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours to set before serving.
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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