BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAPLE TARTS
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Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12 servings
 
A healthier thanksgiving dessert alternative to pumpkin pie
Ingredients
  • Ingredients for crust:
  • 2 cups finely ground almonds
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon monk fruit sweetener
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (at room temperature), or 2 tablespoons grass fed butter
  • 1 egg
  • Ingredients for filling:
  • 1 medium cooked and mashed butternut squash (about 2-3 cups)
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 4-1/2 teaspoons arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup grass fed butter (at room temperature)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup warm water
Instructions
  1. Make your crust first. Combine all crust ingredients in a bowl and knead with your hands until a ball forms. Wrap the pie crust in saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. When ready, lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan and 3 mini tart pans (if you have any) with coconut oil. I prefer to use a non-stick tart pan so that the tart pops out easily. Press the tart dough into the pan until all the edges are covered, then set aside.
  2. Now that your tart crust is ready, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and make your filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a Vitamix blender and blend on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until you get a smooth batter. Pour the filling into the large tart crust and the left over filling into the mini tart crusts. If you don’t have mini tart pans, you can store your leftover filling and crust in the refrigerator or freezer and save it for another 9-inch tart.
  3. Place the tarts in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes (50 minutes for mini tarts), or until a toothpick comes out clean. When ready, cool the tarts on a wire rack for 15-30 minutes. Serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
1. The crust also works as a pie crust, so feel free to also bake in an 8½-9 inch pie dish.

2. I recommend preparing the squash the night before you intend to bake this tart. To cook your butternut squash, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and cut your butternut squash in half, removing the seeds completely. Add 2-3 cups of water to a large ceramic baking dish and place the squash in it facing up. Poke holes around the squash and place in the oven. Make for 1 ½ hours. Let the squash cool for about 20 minutes before peeling the skin off. Puree squash in a food processor or blender until smooth. Store the squash in an air tight container in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe by My Digital Kitchen at https://www.mydigitalkitchen.ca/2017/10/05/butternut-squash-maple-tarts/