We’ll just come right out and say it: there’s no better time to enjoy fruit-based desserts than the summer. Sure, there’s the coziness of holiday apple pies, or the carefree nature of a spring strawberry shortcake, but when you consider the long list of warm weather fruits, summer months are the clear winner in terms of sweet and juicy opportunities.
What’s more, all this succulent fruit abundance means we can rely more the natural sugars found in produce to quell sweet cravings, rather than needing to use too many added condensed/refined sugars (like syrup, honey, or table sugar). This is great news, as fruits offer sugar in the form we were meant to consume it: coupled with fiber (which slows down the sugar’s release into the bloodstream), and chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Even so, there’s still one more trick we love to use to ensure these fruit-based desserts are extra delicious while keeping them nutrient-dense.
Like a digital photo getting the perfect filter application, even the most perfectly-ripe fruits can benefit from a slight sweetness enhancement … and that’s exactly why we love to use Lakanto 1:1 monkfruit sugar substitute.
Monkfruit is a highly sweet fruit (a bit like stevia), and its extract can be added to recipes to naturally amplify sweetness and flavor without adding any additional sugars. Lakanto's 1:1 blend (which is combined with erythritol to make a “just like sugar” crystalized product) can easily take the place of regular sugar in dessert, and we find it tastes the most "you'd never know that wasn't sugar" in recipes that retain some small form of additional sweetness, like fruit. Even better, you can enjoy a 15% discount on all monkfruit products with checkout code LUMINBERRY here.
This week, with a big basket of farmer’s market peaches in hand and a fragrant rustic tart on the mind, we went to work making a beautiful summer pastry that was maximized in its wellness potential in every way possible. We nixed the white flour and butter, and instead used protein-rich spelt flour and energy-boosting coconut oil for the crust. Then we used copious fruits for the filling (including fresh raspberries—a great “everyday” superfood that's high in vitamin C, manganese, fiber, and more), alongside our monkfruit sugar-free “secret.” In fact, the only added sugar in this entire 6-serving rustic tart is one teaspoon of turbinado sugar for topping the crust! No, that’s not a typo: just one teaspoon!
Even if you decide to substitute the monkfruit sweetener with another natural sugar (like coconut sugar or maple sugar), we think you’ll agree: this Raspberry-Peach Rustic Tart is the perfect recipe for making your summer … yes … a little bit sweeter.
WATCH HOW WE MAKE OUR RASPBERRY-PEACH RUSTIC TART:
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RASPBERRY-PEACH RUSTIC TART PREP TIPS:
Making a rustic tart is a rather casual affair as far as pastry goes, one which prides itself on being a bit “perfectly-imperfect.” Yet with so many health-boosting adaptations in full action in this recipe, you’ll want to be sure put these simple strategies to use:
Don’t wing the crust. If you’ve made a classic pie crust before, you’ll find this recipe to be a little bit different in its instructions. That’s because the coconut oil we use acts differently than butter, so you’ll want to be sure to follow the recipe instructions below rather than rely on previous pie experience.
Add water as needed. Texture is important in pie crust, and results can vary if you use a different kind of flour, or even from batch to batch. Start with the minimum amount of water, and increase 1 tablespoon at a time if needed—the ideal texture should appear like crumbly, damp sand, and hold together easily when compacted without being too “wet.”
Use firm peaches. Ripe juicy peaches are delicious for eating, but are too wet for a tart filling. Keep the tart’s texture in mind as you choose very firm peaches for this recipe.
Sweeten wisely. We love using sugar-free monkfruit, but if you’d rather use a “real” sugar for this recipe instead, you have many other good options, such as coconut sugar, date sugar, or maple sugar. Note that syrups or liquid sweeteners will not work here.
Repair the cracks. If your dough develops any cracks or tears while rolling or folding, no problem! Simply push them back together to repair.
Embrace the perfectly-imperfect. No need to round out the tart edges or aim for perfect symmetry—the tart is designed to be rustic. Some sweet juices oozing onto the baking sheet while in the oven are par the course, and not a concern.
Let the tart sit. The tart will have a bit of natural juices develop during baking, which will thicken as they cool. We find the tart tastes best 4-12 hours after baking … if you can stand to wait that long!
MORE SUMMER SUPERFRUIT RECIPES:
Raspberry-Peach Rustic Tart
A succulent celebration of summer’s sweet bounty, this casual pastry brings together several healthy ingredients for a beautiful presentation that's surprisingly low in sugar.
Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 80 mins
Servings: 6
Author: Julie MorrisIngredients
For the crust:
1¼ cup spelt flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour blend
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon Lakanto 1:1 monkfruit sugar substitute (or 1 tablespoon coconut sugar)
6 tablespoons coconut oil
4-6 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
1 pound firm peaches, skin on, pitted and cut into ½-inch wedges
¼ cup Lakanto 1:1 monkfruit sugar substitute (or ¼ cup coconut sugar)
1 tablespoon spelt flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour blend
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup raspberries
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar, or other coarse sugar
Directions
1. Use a silicone ice cube tray to spoon in 7 tablespoons of coconut oil (6 for the crust, 1 for the filling)—placing each tablespoon in a separate cavity. Freeze for 15 minutes, or until hardened. (Alternately, you can also use a plate lined with a silicone baking mat or wax paper and spoon the oil in mounds.)
2. Preheat the oven to 375° F, and position a rack in the middle of your oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. To make the crust, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a food processor—give everything a quick whiz to combine.
4. Pop 6 tablespoons of the frozen coconut oil out of the molds onto a cutting board, and return the remaining 1 tablespoon to the freezer. Chop the frozen oil into approximately ½-inch chunks. Add the chunks to the food processor, and briefly process until the coconut oil has been broken down into small bits, about the size of rice. (You can check the size by stopping the food processor and filtering a handful of the mixture through your hands—a few small pieces remaining remaining are okay, about the size of peas, but the coconut oil should be mostly broken down smaller.)
5. Add the water, starting with 4 tablespoons, and use the pulse function on the processor to incorporate until small crumbs appear. Once or twice, you may need to scrape down the sides and bottom of the processor to incorporate any clinging wet material. Add the remaining tablespoons of water only as needed—the ideal mixture should resemble the texture of damp yet crumbly sand that sticks together when pressed.
6. On a lightly floured work surface, turn out the dough, and give it a few kneads to form a smooth ball, then pat the dough into a disc. Roll out the disk into a circle, flipping it over as it grows and each time applying a little more flour to prevent sticking, until the circle is about 14-inches in diameter. Gently fold the circle in half, and transfer it to your baking sheet before unfolding it again.
7. To make the filling, add the peaches to a medium mixing bowl. Add the monkfruit, flour, lemon juice, and vanilla, and mix well. Add the raspberries gently fold them into the mixture, taking care not to crush them.
8. Arrange the peach mixture in a flat circular layer in the center of the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border all around (you can simply pile in the fruit, or may choose to create a design). Chop the remaining 1 tablespoon of frozen coconut oil into ¼-inch bits, and sprinkle it on top of the fruit. Fold the pastry over the fruit, overlapping the flaps slightly to create pleats. Brush the pastry edges with the almond milk, and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
9. Bake the tart for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Let the tart cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then slide the tart with the baking mat/parchment onto a cooling rack, where the tart can cool completely before serving (about 1-2 hours—the tart tastes better the longer it cools).
Enjoy the Raspberry-Peach Rustic Tart at room temperature. It is best consumed within a day of baking (perfect if made in the morning and enjoyed at lunch or dinner!), but will last up to three days, stored out of direct sunlight. You can even enhance it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or coconut whip if you wish!
Superfood Boost: Add 2 heaping tablespoons of chopped dried goldenberries when mixing the peaches for the filling for a sweet-tart flavor and anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below, and share a photo on Instagram (tag us @luminberry and use hashtag #luminberry).