Call us crazy, but desserts that pack in great nutrition get us excited. With a classic apple tart like this one on the table this holiday, recipe courtesy holistic nutritionist, Melissa Rousseau of M. Parke Studio, we can save our ‘indulgence card’ for a few of our other savory faves.
Melissa’s take on a raw apple tart is one of the most nutrient-dense we’ve seen: there are tonic herbs and superfood mushrooms infused throughout the crust and the raw salted caramel sauce is packed with tocos – one of our favorite supplements this year! Here’s Melissa with the deets…
This recipe features fall’s adored flavors and celebrates this season’s bounty. I’m elevating this classic with a twist: the addition of some of my favorite healing tonic herbs. The power trio of medicinal mushrooms – reishi, chaga, cordyceps – turns this crust into an immune boosting, adaptogenic, mood elevating foundation for any filling. The divine salted caramel sauce is made even more creamy with the addition of vitamin D- and E-packed and detox-supportive Tocos, which are also being buzzed about as the “ultimate skin food.”
You will most definitely want to make an extra batch of this caramel to keep on hand to drizzle over everything. When warmed slightly it becomes a syrup and when left to chill it has more of a frosting texture. Both ways you won’t be able to resist licking it off the spoon.
Fresh Apple Tart With Raw Caramel Sauce + Herbal Crust
Makes 4 mini tarts or 1 large one
Ingredients:
For the filling;
5 Granny Smith apples – cut thinly with a mandoline
1 lemon, squeezed and juice placed in a shallow bowl
Upgrade: Utilize some of this season’s gorgeous persimmons for an added richness and bright color.
For the crust:
1/2 cup Brazil nuts
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tsp reishi
1 tsp chaga
1 tsp cordyceps
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
a few pinches pink salt – to taste
For the salted caramel sauce:
1/2 cup warmed virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup raw, local honey (I used orange blossom)
1 Tbsp Tocos powder
1 tsp pink salt
Directions:
Begin with the salted caramel so it has time to firm up a bit.
Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender. Adjust flavors as needed.
Next for the crust, combine all dry ingredients in a food processor, slowly adding the maple syrup as it’s combining. It should feel sticky, but not too wet.
Press the crust firmly and evenly into your 4 ceramic tart containers – place these in the fridge to set and keep cool.
Begin slicing apples with your mandolin and placing them in the lemon juice to avoid any browning.
To assemble:
Remove crusts from the fridge. Spoon an even layer of the salted caramel frosting on the bottom.
Begin to layer your apple slices going around in a circle pattern.
Depending on the consistency, you may need to slightly warm the salted caramel at this point to create a syrup. Drizzle the salted caramel over the top.
I finished with a sprinkling of bee pollen and marigold petals.
Serve immediately. Or can keep in the fridge overnight. Do keep in mind the caramel sauce will begin to firm up as it cools.
