One night last week I found myself with minimal study to do (what is this?), so I was quite bored. Chris quickly picked up on this, and suggested I make something for dessert. I was happy to oblige, but it took me ages to find something that I could make that a) was remotely healthy and b) utilised the minimal amount of ingredients in our pantry. I cast my eye of heaps of vegan desserts (I'm not vegan, but most of these tend to be healthier recipes), but most of them contained nuts! Which I didn't have. I was about to give up hope, when I came across a few recipes for tart bases that didn't involve two hours of preparation and half a kilo of butter.
Here's what I came up with based upon my limited resources!
Mini Baked Apple Tarts
(makes 4-5)
Ingredients:
Tart base: (based off this recipe)
1 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup oats (plus extra for topping)
pinch of salt
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup natural yoghurt
Apple filling:
2 apples, diced
1/4 cup water
1 tsp (or more, depending on how sweet you like it) sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius, and line 4-5 holes in a muffin tray (I used a Texas size muffin tray).
Place all the dry tart base ingredients in a food processor and pulse briefly until combined. Add the butter a tablespoon at a time until incorporated, before adding the olive oil and yoghurt. The mixture should be rather crumbly, and there is no need to roll it out! Divide the mixture among the lined muffin holes (I'm sure there is a more professional term for them than that haha, excuse my ignorance!) and push down firmly with your fingers.
Cover the bases with tin foil and fill with beans, rice or pie weights. Pop in the oven and bake for 10 or so minutes.
While the bases are cooking, it's time to prepare the filling. Simply place all the ingredients in a pot, bring to the boil, before reducing to a simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the liquid has been reduced. Drain any remaining liquid (this can be retained to pour over the top as a bit of syrup when serving).
Remove the bases from the oven, and take out the tin foil and weights. Pour the mixture into the bases and sprinkle with the extra oats. Pop the tarts back in the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the oats are browned.
I served mine with a dollop of natural yoghurt on top, and the syrup I retained from the apples.
Enjoy!
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius, and line 4-5 holes in a muffin tray (I used a Texas size muffin tray).
Place all the dry tart base ingredients in a food processor and pulse briefly until combined. Add the butter a tablespoon at a time until incorporated, before adding the olive oil and yoghurt. The mixture should be rather crumbly, and there is no need to roll it out! Divide the mixture among the lined muffin holes (I'm sure there is a more professional term for them than that haha, excuse my ignorance!) and push down firmly with your fingers.
Cover the bases with tin foil and fill with beans, rice or pie weights. Pop in the oven and bake for 10 or so minutes.
While the bases are cooking, it's time to prepare the filling. Simply place all the ingredients in a pot, bring to the boil, before reducing to a simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the liquid has been reduced. Drain any remaining liquid (this can be retained to pour over the top as a bit of syrup when serving).
Remove the bases from the oven, and take out the tin foil and weights. Pour the mixture into the bases and sprinkle with the extra oats. Pop the tarts back in the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the oats are browned.
I served mine with a dollop of natural yoghurt on top, and the syrup I retained from the apples.
Enjoy!
This recipe is very basic, and can easily be tweaked to satisfy your own needs!
Reanna.
