Gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart

Gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart

gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart styled

Hello, lazy cats!! This is my last recipe before Xmas, so I’ve decided to make it count 😛 . It’s an aromatic gingerbread tart filled with the most luxurious and indulgent chocolate amaretto ganache. It will knock the socks off the competition, that’s a promise!

If you are not keen on the alcohol content, you could simply replace it by more almond milk infused with orange peel (the ganache is super smooth so I would advise against using zest, although if the bits do not bother you, there is no problem) and add a few drops of orange extract to the ganache for a chocolate orange filling.

Well, as I have heaps to do over the next few days, I shall make this post short and sweet – I bet you’ve got lots to get on with! Duncan, our fluffy princess Tina and myself thank you for putting trust in our recipes. We wish you Merry Xmas and Happy New Year! We hope you get to spend it in amongst your loved ones, eating delicious vegan Xmas food, snuggling with your pets and sharing love! Love is all we need and now even more so than ever!

gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart process

gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart hands

gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart cut

gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart side

makes
25 cm / 10"
PREP
45 min
COOKING
25 min
makes
25 cm / 10"
PREPARATION
45 min
COOKING
25 min
INGREDIENTS
GINGERBREAD BASE (or shortcust pastry + all the spices)

  • 65 g / scant 1/3 cup coconut oil (I use this one) or vegan butter
  • 220 g / 1 + 2/3 cup all purpose flour*
  • 2 level tsp ground ginger
  • 2 level tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • a good pinch of fine sea salt
  • 65 g / 1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar
  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp aquafaba or lukewarm plant milk
  • 75 ml / ¼ cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup or molasses*

GANACHE FILLING

  • 300 g / 10.5 oz 70% dark vegan chocolate (I used Green & Blacks cooking chocolate)
  • 120 ml / ½ cup coconut cream (solid part of full fat coconut milk* only)
  • 150 ml / ½ cup + 2 tbsp almond milk
  • 80 ml / 1/3 cup amaretto (I used Disaronno)*
  • 80 ml / 1/3 cup maple syrup

METHOD
GINGERBREAD BASE (or shortcust pastry + all the spices)

  1. Place the coconut oil in a pot and melt it on the lowest setting. Let it cool down.
  2. Sift the flour, all the spices, baking soda and salt into a medium size bowl. Mix really well.
  3. Place the cooled coconut oil, sugar and aquafaba in a large bowl. Cream them together with an electric whisk until well combined and slightly thickened. Add the maple syrup and whisk some more until you get a thick, homogeneous mixture.
  4. Fold ½ of the flour mix into the wet ingredients and, once combined, add the remaining half. Make sure there are no flour pockets and everything is well combined, but do not knead. The dough will be quite loose and sticky, that’s fine, it’s the way it should be. Wrap the dough in a piece of cling film (glad wrap) and place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour. You can safely keep it in the fridge overnight too.
  5. I use a non-stick pastry case with a removeable buttom, if yours isn’t like that, you may want to grease it or/and line it with baking paper.
  6. Allow the dough to come to room temperature and then roll it slowly and gently between two sheets of baking paper or on a lightly floured surface.
  7. Roll the dough into a 3-4 mm thin circle that is large enough to cover the base of the tart tin and the sides.
  8. Roll the rolled out dough onto a rolling pin, place the rolling pin over the tart case and gently unroll the dough on the top of the tart tin.
  9. Mould the dough into the tart case (making sure it fits really snugly everywhere) and trim the excess with a sharp knife. Patch up any holes or thin edges with the off-cuts and pierce the bottom of the pastry with a fork in a few places.
  10. Place the tart case back in the fridge while you heat up the oven to to 175° C / 350° F.
  11. Once the oven is ready, line the inside of the pastry case with a large piece of crumpled baking paper and then arrange baking beads (or dry beans) on top. Blind bake for 15 minutes.
  12. After 15 minutes, take the beads and the baking paper off and return to the tart to the oven for another 10-15 minutes – until the dough no longer looks raw. Allow it to cool completely.

GANACHE FILLING

  1. Place the broken up chocolate pieces and coconut cream in a clean glass or metal bowl over a bain marie (water bath). Warm them both up on the lowest setting (the water underneath should barely simmer and not boil) until the chocolate has been melted. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl the chocolate is in.
  2. Once the chocolate has melted, gently stir it into the cream with a wire whisk, then add almond milk, amaretto and maple syrup. You can adjust the amount of syrup to taste, but make sure you compensate by adding more almond milk (if you end up using less maple syrup than I did).
  3. Allow the mixture to cool down and fill the tart case.
  4. Transfer the filled tart case into the fridge. Allow it to set for at least 8 hours (overnight is best). PS: this tart sets quite firm, but it wasn’t quite set when I took these photos, hence it looks a little softer.

NOTES
*For the GLUTEN-FREE version, use 220 g / 1 + 2/3 cup GF flour mix and ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum (unless the mix contains xanthan gum already).

*COCONUT CREAM – I recommend using canned coconut cream (solid part) of full fat coconut milk, which separates after the can has been chilled for a few days. Make sure the brand you purchase has no stabilisers or gums or else the separation will not occur. Alternatively, 240 ml / 1 cup of ready to use (no need to chill) canned coconut cream and only 60 ml / ¼ cup of almond milk. Another alternative, I can suggest is 180 g / ¾ cup smooth almond butter and 120 ml / ½ cup coconut milk (not cream) instead of almond milk.

*AQUAFABA – liquid from a tin/jar of low-sodium chickpeas or home cooked chickpeas.

*MOLASSES – I recommend using unsulphured molasses as opposed to blackstrap molasses – they taste cleaner and do not add any bitterness. Blackstrap molasses are quite bitter, but if that’s all you have, use 45 ml / 3 tbsp of blackstrap molasses for the flavour and the remainng 30 ml / 2 tbsp of maple syrup.

*AMARETTO – This tart is designed to have a prominent amaretto flavour, if you prefer a subtler flavour use 60 ml / ¼ cup of amaretto instead. If you are not keen on alcohol, replace the amaretto with almond milk. I recommend infusing the milk with orange peel first and adding a few drops of orange extract to the ganache for a chocolate orange version instead.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
213
11%
sugars
20 g
22%
fats
7 g
11%
saturates
6 g
31%
proteins
2 g
4%
carbs
32 g
12%
*per 1 out of 16 slices
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5.0
37 reviews, 147 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Amber:
Was an amazing and easy to follow perfect Christmas recipe! I swapped amaretto for vegan baileys :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much, Amber! I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed it so much. x Ania
Mandy:
Hi Anna,
Planning to make this recipe for Christmas and I am just a bit confused in regards to the recipe and one of your previous comments.
The recipe asks for:
"120 ml / ½ cup coconut cream (solid part of full fat coconut milk only)"
However, in of your earlier comments I read the following:
"I think you might be better off buying full fat coconut milk (AROY-D brand is what I use) and saving coconut cream for another use. "
Could you please advise if the ganache requires coconut cream or coconut milk? I really want this recipe to work and plan on making small individual tarts of 10cm each for the family.
Thanks in advance!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Mandy,
    I must have made a mistake in my reply to that comment, I think. It's definitely coconut cream that you want in this recipe. Hope you'll enjoy these. Ania
Lyndsey:
Hi Ania, I’m looking for a vegan dessert which I can make for Christmas Day, the only thing is it has to be made on 23rd December and transported for 4 hours in a car on 24th December. Which of your recipes would’ve ok to make a couple of days in advance and spend a few hours out of the fridge (it’ll be cold in the boot of the car) ? Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Lyndsey,
    This tart should be okay to do a day in advance and it should also be fine in the car provided it's cool. I often make this sticky toffee pudding in a 20 cm / 8" square tin and transport caramel in a jar. This one should also do well and it's really simple to make. Or brownies, these flourless ones or those, brownies are always a good idea. Good luck, Ania
Joanne Moore:
Hi, I’m hoping to make this for Xmas day this year. A quick question about making the ganache. Do you get melt the chocolate and coconut cream together or do you heat them separately both in glass bowls over Bain Marie and then add together? Just for clarity as I’m not 100% sure. Thank you
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Joanne,
    That's great to hear, I hope you'll enjoy this dessert. I place both of them together in one bowl and allow the chocolate to melt very gently without any stirring, then whisk the two together. It is very important that the chocolate does not overheat (or else it might seize) so use low heat, the water should not touch the bowl and use residual heat to finish off the melting process. Hope it comes out beautifully. Ania
Christine:
How long can this be stored before serving?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Christine,
    I would recommend for it to be served on the day or maybe the day after it was made. It will last longer than that, of course (my guess is about 5 days in air-tight container, in the fridge) but the pastry tastes best freshly made as it will lose crispness with time. Hope this helps! Ania
Maeve:
Ania this looks incredible! I think it’ll have to be my Christmas Day dessert. Do you mind me asking how you decorated the cake? The biscuits etc look amazing
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Maeve, I hope you'll enjoy it! I decorated it with these gingerbreads, raw cranberries, pieces of Xmas tree and some edible gold dust. Hope this helps! Ania
Vanessa:
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Pleasure. I would say about 3-4 days in an air-tight container, in the fridge. It will certainly be the nicer on the days 1-2. Hope that helps! Ania
Suzanne:
This looks so good! Do you use this crust for any other recipes?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Suzanne! I don't think so but I based it on this recipe of mine. Ania
Rachael:
How long will this stay fresh for?
    Ania
    Ania:
    2-3 day in an air-tight container (in the fridge) should be absolutely fine. Ania
Katherine:
It does, thank you so much!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, I hope it works like a dream. Ania
Katherine:
Hello! Could you clarify what you mean in step 10, where you say to line the "pastry case" with baking paper? Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Katherine,
    Sure, you simply put paper over the pastry and then baking beans/rice/dry beans in order to blind-bake (i.e. bake the pastry without the filling). The paper protects the pastry and makes removal of the baking beans easier/less messy. Hope this helps! Ania
Kris:
Instead of replacing with almond milk, do you think cooking out the alcohol content from the amaretto first would be an option?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Kris,
    In theory, yes, but I have never tried doing that so I am not sure how that would work in this context. Ania
Alma:
This recipe looks awesome! Is it possible to prepare it 1 week prior Christmas and froze it.?
Thanks for your answer.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Alma,
    Theoretically yes, but I have never tried doing that so cannot guarantee. It's perhaps worth making a small one first and freezing it to be sure. Ania
Johanna Franz:
I made this desert for Christmas and it was epic! and I'm now a master at ginger bread , I love your receipes. Lazycatkitchen is my go to page if I want to make something delicious. Thank you Ania xx
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks you so much! That's music to my ears and thank you for taking the time to let me know that it was such a success! x Ania
Rachel B:
I’m not the best baker, but everyone loved this dessert and went back for seconds! Packed full of flavour, it’s a very grown-up, decadent dessert. It’s one of those desserts you need to start making a day in advance, but is so easy that it doesn’t feel like much time or effort to create something really impressive.
It lasted well in its pastry tin (inside a pizza box) in the fridge for 3 days (I had to make it in advance), but I didn’t have an airtight container big enough, so the biscuits I placed on top went soft. I think it would be fine for this long if the biscuits were stored in an airtight container separately and added when you’re ready to serve it though. It didn’t cause any complaints, regardless and I’ll definitely be making it again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    I am so pleased to hear that, Rachel! Thank you so much for letting me know that it was enjoyed so much and yes, keeping the decoration separate is definitely a good idea. x Ania
Allexandra:
Hello, this tart looks so beautiful and delicious, I can't wait to try it! I was wondering if you think it would work too use soy milk instead of almond milk? Thanks! :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Allexandra,
    Thank you, I hope you'll enjoy it! Yes, I am pretty sure that it will work just as well. Hope that helps! Ania
Anne:
What a beautiful tart! It should be on the cover page of a magazine.
Can I use another type of booze? I'm not fond of Amaretto. I'm thinking Cointreau. Might go well with chocolate too.
Merry Xmas to you and your family. Thanks for all the delicious recipes.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Anne, I am really pleased to hear that you like it! Yes, I think so although I have not tried it. According to Google Cointreau has more alcohol than Amaretto (40% as opposed to 28%) so you may want to use a little less and sub the rest with almond milk, perhaps? I *think* it should work well. Ania
Bec:
Hi Ania, this looks amazing and I’m really keen to give it a try. Just wondering if there’s any other alcohol you think would work? I’m not a fan of Amaretto sadly!
Thanks and wishing you a wonderful festive season!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Bec,
    How about hazelnut-flavoured Frangelico? Chocolate and hazelnuts is always a winning combo in my book. Ania
I'm so excited to make this! Do you whip the aquafaba?
Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    There is no need, simply just add it in as is. Hope that helps! Ania
Caitlin:
Could I use use vanilla almond milk in the ganache or does it need to be plain almond milk?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Sure, I do not see why not. Ania
Melody:
Hello! Can you please let me know what you used for the greenery on top? I just love how Christmassy this feels! Gorgeous! Thanks, Melody
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Melody,
    Thank you, I am glad you like it. It was simply bits of a Xmas tree branch I had lying around, I don't know the exact tree name though. Ania
Marieke:
This looks yummy. I think I'm going to make smaller ones for Xmas dinner as dessert. Will it taste also good without the amaretto?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Marieke - sure it will, it will taste of chocolate :) You may want to add some orange essence, for example. Ania
Erika:
Can you make ahead and freeze this tart?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Erika,
    I have not tried doing that so I am unsure how it will be after thawing. Ania
Alison Burnell:
This looks so amazing. Is it possible to freeze it? I like to make all my Christmas desserts in advance. Saves on being stressed 😬
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Alison,
    I am sorry, but I am not sure as I have not tried freezing it. Ania
Connie:
I’m planning on making this for my annual Christmas party. I’m not vegan but I’m not sure if I bought the right thing. I bought coconut cream, not milk. Can I use this or should I get the coconut milk? Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Connie,
    I think you might be better off buying full fat coconut milk (AROY-D brand is what I use) and saving coconut cream for another use. In theory you could dilute coconut cream with water but it's hard to know what ratios to go for to match what is sold as coconut milk. Hope that helps! Ania
Beth:
Can another nut milk be used? I don't use almond milk but do have macadamia milk on hand.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Beth,
    I have never tried macadamia milk as it's not a thing here, but I don't see why not assuming it has roughly similar fat content. Ania
Christine:
I’m going to make this for a Christmas party in a few weeks, very excited! But I’m wondering if you remove the pastry case from the pan after it’s baked? In your photos it looks like you got it out of the pan, and I would love mine to look like that!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Christine,
    There is no magic trick here, I'm afraid, I simply have a pan with a removeable bottom (like this) which makes the removal very easy and clean. Hope you'll make it and love it! Ania
Nicola:
Hello, I was just wondering what size tart case you used? I’ve got a ceramic one that looks similar but thought I’d see if I could get one like yours. Many thanks, Nicola
joy:
That is possibly the prettiest tart I have ever seen. I am planning to make this for Christmas for my family.
Thank you so much for the recipe. Joy. (Australia) :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks Joy! I am delighted to hear that, I hope it will go down well with all your guests. Ania
Julie Wall:
Hi,
Thank you for this recipe, it looks great!
I love the cookies you've used for decoration - did you make these with leftover pastry dough from the base or is there another recipes for these? How long/what temp in the over woukd you bake them for?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Julie,
    Thank you, I am pleased to hear that you like this recipe!
    Yes, I made them from the offcuts, but I do have a similar recipe for cookies here.
    Ania
Helen Wheeler:
Hi,
Am I able to make this in advance of the day? How long does it last once made?
Thanks
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Helen,
    One day in advance, of course. I would advise against making it sooner than that though as it will dry out / get stale. Ania
Olivia:
Hi there! Just wondered what it was you had sprinkled on top in the final photos, it looks so beautiful!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Olivia,
    It's edible gold dust! Have a look online or you can probably find it in good cake decorating shops. Ania
Nicole:
It does! Thanks so much for the response.
    Ania
    Ania:
    My pleasure. x Ania
Nicole:
This is so beautiful and I'm so happy to see its vegan, as I can't do milk products. If you have a spare minute, can you please tell me more about your garnish here? I see you said the berries are cranberries, but the rest? Is that just regular pine needles? Are those gingerbread crumbs? Or some sort of edible glitter?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Nicole, I am glad to hear that you like this tart! As for the garnish, I used regular (not edible) pine needles, homemade gingerbreads and edible gold dust. I hope that helps! Ania
Dine:
Wow, this looks so pretty! Absolutely stunning! Can't wait for christmas time now! What kind of "berries" did you use for decoration?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, I am glad to hear that! These are raw cranberries! Ania
Mutie:
This recipe concept is wonderful!!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, that's lovely to hear! Ania
Kiara Miller:
I just made this for the first time for my mother's 54th birthday, and my parents are asking if I can make it again soon. I made the crust gluten free, and it was simply one of the best gluten free tart crusts I've ever had and definitely one of the easiest to make. And as far as the filling goes, I wish you could have seen their faces upon the first bite. My mom looked like she was in heaven! Thank you so much, once again, for your culinary works of art bringing so much pleasure to my family.
Can't wait to surprise them with the little cookie sandwiches since I have chocolate and amaretto left over that needs using up!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I’m absolutely delighted to hear that, Kiara! Your comment made my day! And thanks so much for taking the time to review and rate the recipe. Ania
Carolyn:
I made this for NYE and it was a Huge hit!
I used a ceramic tart dish and my crust stuck as I hadn’t greased the dish. We still were able to get a lot of the crust on each piece, but going forward I’d recommend using some coconut oil to lightly grease. Do you use coconut oil to grease the tin?
Tasted absolutely fantastic!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's great to hear, Carolyn. Thank you. I don't grease my tart tin as it's made from teflon-like (not sure if it is teflon, but it has some sort of non-stick coating) material so things never stick to it, but it's certainly a good idea if you have had trouble with yours. Cheers, Anna
Rotem:
Hi Ania,
You were right! Thanks :)
I made the tart with coconut cream and it had no sign of coconut taste.
It was absolutelt amazing! Everyone loved it!
Thanks again!
Rotem.
Jesse-Gabriel:
Oh mein Gott sieht die köstlich aus,werde ich nach backen!!!
Grüße,
Jesse-Gabriel
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks for your comment! My German is very very rusty, but I'm happy to hear that you are thinking of making this! Ania
Lauren Smith:
That looks so pretty! Merry Christmas Ania!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Lauren! Merry Xmas to you too! Ania
Julie:
Wow! That is the best looking Christmas dessert I have seen.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thank you, Julie! Ania
Rotem:
Hi Ania,
Your tart looks amazing!!
How strongly is the coconut flavor felt in the filling? We don't really like the aftertaste of coconut. Is it possible to replace the coconut cream with something else? Silken tofu perhaps?
Thanks and Merry Xmas!
Rotem.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Rotem,
    I am pretty confident you will not be able to detect any coconut flavour in the final product (chocolate and amaretto flavours dominate). You could I suppose use silken tofu but the ratios may need to be different to achieve the same texture so it will require some experimentation. Ania
Helen:
This looks delicious! The photographs are great. Merry Christmas!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Helen! Merry Xmas to you too! Ania
Jim Murray:
Please ignore my previous comment, I didn't read the whole thing. You already mentioned a substitute for the amaretto. Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Pleasure, I hope you'll enjoy the outcome! Ania
Jim Murray:
Is there a substitute for amaretto for those of us who avoid alcohol as much as meat and dairy?
Sally:
! I thought I had my desserts sorted but no! Move over everything, this tart is taking over.. just gorgeous and fabulously Christmassy photographs. Thank you Ania for brightening my in box and my repertoire. Nothing but the best wished for the three of you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much, Sally! I'm chuffed you are thinking of making my tart for your Xmas table! I hope you'll be pleased with the outcome! And very Merry Xmas to you also! x Ania
Melanie Pickering:
This looks amazing. I just wondered, as I'm not vegan, I would be happier using egg white so wondered what the equivalent amount of egg white would be to aquafaba.
Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's not something I am able to help you with, Melanie, as I have not cooked with eggs for years. Equivalent volume should do the job, I am guessing. Ania
Darlene:
Your tart is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Darlene! Merry Xmas! Ania
Huyen:
That tart sure is epic! And that picture should be used as a magazine cover ;) I will give definitely give that gingerbread shortcrust a try.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Ania! :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much for your kind words, Huyen! Merry Xmas to you also! Ania
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