This luxurious red wine & mocha tart recipe is perfect for a vegan valentine's day treat. Dairy-free, vegan, refined sugar-free - yet sinfully delicious!
Begin by preparing the base: Do this by mixing all the base ingredients in a large bowl. Incorporate them very well to make sure it's thoroughly mixed. You might have to use your hands as the malt syrup is very sticky and doesn't easily mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the mixture in an 8" tart tin and even out the surface, for an even crust. You can use the bottom of a glass to do that or anything with a large flat surface. Set aside for now - there's no need to chill.
To prepare the mocha layer, mix all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir occasionally. When the mixture starts thickening, remove from the heat. Pass it through a sieve to remove any lumps and coffee grains.
Pour the mocha layer over the base. Then quickly move to step 5 (as it has to be done quickly before the mocha layer sets too much).
To create a heart in the middle of the tart, as soon as you've poured the mocha layer, carefully place a heart-shaped tin over it. You might need to add a bit of weight to keep it in place - use a small fruit, a small bowl, or whatever you have to hand. Leave it to cool down and set before you prepare the last layer (this can be done in the refrigerator). Note: place the heart-shaped tin quickly before the mocha layer has cooled down and thickened. Make the that the 'weight' you use isn't too heavy otherwise the tin will sink too deep.
Once the mocha layer has set, then you can quickly make the wine jelly layer. Begin by pouring the wine in a saucepan and bringing to the boil. Let it boil for a few minutes, and this will begin to reduce.
Next, add the cherry juice and vegi-gel diluted in 1/2 cup water (it's best to follow the package instruction as to how to prepare the vegi-gel). Mix well and remove from the heat.
While you still have the heart-shaped tin inserted, sprinkle the mocha layer with cacao powder (this step is optional).
Remove the heart-shaped tin and pour the wine-cherry juice mix in the heart spot. Set aside to cool down and set.
Decorate with red berries, dragon fruit pearls or your favourite fruit and toppings (dark chocolate shavings from your favourite vegan chocolate bar are always a good choice).
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Notes
Note: Optionally, instead of making a heart shape in the middle of the tart, skip step 5 and pour the wine jelly layer over the whole tart. This will still make 3 different layers, and you could decorate in a heart shape on top still. How to Store The Tart: In terms of storing this tart, it can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Unfortunately, I don't think freezing this tart would work because of the jelly layer. When I've tried to freeze jelly previously, it doesn't defrost properly or retain its' jelly texture.