Sweet, yet refreshing, these lemon rhubarb tartlets are the perfect spring dessert. Sweet rhubarb jam is filled in a buttery, flaky gluten-free shortbread crust. Also, easy and simple to make.
Since it is rhubarb season I thought it would be quite fitting to come out with a new rhubarb recipe. This spring vegetable is the perfect addition to desserts, from tarts and pies, to cupcakes and cookies. I have a few more rhubarb recipes on my site, including:
- Rhubarb galette
- Rhubarb muffins
- Chewy rhubarb oatmeal raisin cookies (my personal favorite)
- Rhubarb crumble
I did some experimenting with these tartlets, because I was set on making these completely refined sugar-free. In partnership with Purecane on my instagram, I made these tarts with their calorie-free, all natural baking sweetener. It made for perfectly sweet tarts, but healthier of course!
If you can’t get your hands on their sweetener, which is sold on their website and amazon.com, you can substitute cane sugar or coconut sugar.
I also set out to make these gluten-free, and let me tell you I was a bit nervous to do so. There is something about making a buttery, flaky tart crust that is scary to me. Often times, gluten-free crusts can just fall apart. However, I was able to nail down a recipe that is so buttery you wouldn’t ever believe it has no gluten.
The crust ingredients include:
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
- Lemon zest
The combination of almond and coconut flour makes for a buttery crust. First, the almond flour adds a fluffy component to the crust. Secondly, the coconut flour makes the texture soft and less grainy then if you were to just use almond flour.
In virtually all crust recipes you will find butter cut into the flour. For a healthier alternative, I opted for hardened coconut oil. You want the texture to be hard, but not too hard to where you can’t break it apart in your hands. These hardened chunks of coconut oil will mock the properties of butter. They will melt in the oven and create flaky, buttery layers in the crust.
Since we want to make these tarts refined sugar-free, the crust is sweetened with maple syrup. It also adds a liquid component to the dough so it comes together.
The lemon zest is an added touch and pairs perfectly with the slight bitterness of rhubarb.
These Lemon Rhubarb Tartlets are…
- Perfectly sweet and fresh
- Buttery and flaky
- Refined sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan
- Simple and easy
Sweet, yet refreshing, these lemon rhubarb tartlets are the perfect spring dessert. Sweet rhubarb jam is filled in a buttery, flaky gluten-free shortbread crust.
- 12 oz. frozen or fresh chopped rhubarb
- ½ cup cane or coconut sugar
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp corn starch
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup hardened coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
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In a medium saucepan, combine all rhubarb filling ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat which should take 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently, trying not the burn the bottom. Cook for 7-8 minutes over medium heat until reduced, thick, and jam-like. Transfer to a glass jar and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge to cool completely for 20 minutes.
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While filling is refrigerating, prepare the dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together almond and coconut flour. Cut the hardened coconut oil into the flour until they resemble pea-sized pieces. Add maple syrup and lemon zest. Use a wooden spoon to combine then use your hands to gather dough into a ball. Wrap tight in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take dough out the fridge. Grease a muffin tin with oil or cut small strips of parchment paper and lay on the bottom (allows you to slip out the tart). Take 2 tbsp of dough and roll into a disc. Place on the bottom of the muffin tin slot and press up the sides to form a small tart mold. Repeat with the remaining dough. Prick the bottom of the tart three times with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes more.
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Once crusts have cooled, spoon in 1 heaping tbsp of rhubarb filling into each one. (Optional): top with vegan yogurt or whipped cream.
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