Gooey Pecan Pie Tart

I must say, I’m really proud of this recipe. Many “healthy” dessert recipes are made with date paste, and frankly, I’m tired of tasting dates in my desserts. All week I’ve been working on this recipe, and I’m proud to announce that I’ve done it! I’ve developed a pecan pie that replaces the butter, eggs, corn syrup, flour, and refined sugar with almond flour, flax, maple syrup, and caramelized coconut milk. This is definitely a recipe to use during the holidays!

Servings: 6
Time: 1 hr, 15 min
Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup almond flour (buy it or make your own in a food processor)
1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 T. coconut oil, softened
1/8 t. cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Filling:

1 cup coconut milk (canned, full-fat)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 T. blackstrap molasses
3 T. milled flax seeds
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

Directions:

To make the crust, combine all crust ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Pour into a 7 or 8-inch tart pan and press crumbs firmly into pan with the back of a spoon, making sure the edges of the crust are higher than the center. Place crust in the refrigerator to set.
For the filling, stir together the coconut milk, maple syrup, and molasses in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium-low heat and reduce by about half, stirring continuously (this may take 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the flax, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Allow filling to cool on the stove for an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour filling into crust and arrange pecan halves on top of your tart. Either place tart on a cookie sheet, or place it directly on oven rack with a cookie sheet on the rack below (to catch drips if the tart boils over). Be careful during the transfer to keep the pecans from shifting and ruining your lovely design.
Bake for 25 minutes. It will be very bubbly! After 25 minutes of baking, turn off the oven and crack open the oven door until the tart stops bubbling and is safe to handle. Be very careful!
Allow tart to cool on the stove for about 30 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator to cool and set for at least an hour.
Serve chilled. You may even want to put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes prior to serving so it is easier to slice and plate.