Vegan Double Chocolate Chai Tart with an Orange Coconut Whip
This vegan tart is easy and really well balanced. The sweet, chocolate crunchy crust works together with a rich chocolate chai infused ganache and a fluffy, orangey coconut whipped cream to brighten it up. It’s a perfect winter dessert!
Brief History of Chai and an Important Note on Indian Farmers
It’s important to me to begin by sharing a bit about chai, as it’s not an ingredient that is part of my own culture. According to a Medium article, chai is referred to as masala chai, and the tea can change depending on the varying regions in India. Black tea, which is always associated with masala chai, wasn’t introduced until 1835 from the British even though masala chai has been around for at least 500 years. The same goes with milk, as it was not introduced until the 1900s. When tea leaves became too pricy and tea consumption was heavily promoted, some vendors used leftover tea and added milk, sugar and spices to create a strong and intense brew.
The tea became so popular in India that chaiwallas, or tea shop owners, would sell them in railway stations across the country, becoming social landmarks for men to discuss their day. After this, the popularity eventually bloomed into what it is today, and each region has their own unique way of preparing the tea. Though we see it paired often with non-dairy milk options in Western countries, this is not a common pairing in India.
What is incredibly important to note is that farmers in India are currently on strike against the government due to new reforms in support of large businesses that will impact the success and survival of the many small farms in the country. India is one of the leading spice, pulses, milk and tea exporters so, it is important to be aware of this if you’re an avid consumer and user of things that flood the wellness inudustry.
read more here
Important notes aside, this is a delicious tart that is incredibly easy to make has the warming and special flavors of masala chai. If you have access to authentic chai from India, please do use it and support them.
If you’re not a fan of chai, you can definitely leave it out. The same goes for the orange, however it goes wonderfully with chocolate and chai and helps brighten and balance the richness of the dessert, so please do add if you can! Also, oranges are in season, so they’re really at their best right now. If you omit the orange, add extra vanilla! You could also omit both the chai and orange, and add a bit of peppermint extract to the whipped topping instead for another wintery dessert idea!
I think this would be wonderful for holiday occasions, assuming everyone likes the flavors of chocolate, chai, orange and coconut, or for any of your general winter cravings!
VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHAI TART WITH AN ORANGE COCONUT WHIP
makes one 9-inch tart and serves about 8-10
Ingredients:
For the crust:
25 vegan chocolate sandwich cookies (anything that’s the same size as an Oreo!)
5 tbsp vegan butter, melted
1 tsp ground flax seeds
½ tsp salt
For the filling:
12 oz vegan dark chocolate, finely chopped (anything 65-72% works)
1 (13.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk (not cream)
4 individual steeping bags of chai
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
For the whip:
1 ¾ cup scooped coconut cream, chilled overnight (see notes for important info)*
½ cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
pinch of salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch springform pan lightly with vegan butter.
In a food processor, grind the chocolate sandwich cookies until they’re nice and fine.
Transfer the ground cookies into a large bowl with the melted butter, ground flax and salt. Mix to combine, then press firmly into the springform pan, allowing the mixture to come up the sides evenly. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then set it aside to cool to room temperature.
While the crust is cooling, place the finely chopped dark chocolate into a large bowl, then set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, start to heat the coconut milk. Bring it to high simmer (not boiling yet), then immediately turn off the heat. Place the 4 chai bags into the coconut milk and cover with a lid. Steep for 4-5 minutes, or according to your package directions.
Uncover the coconut milk, then carefully squeeze the tea bags so that the liquid they soaked up is released into the coconut milk. This is a really important step, so don’t skip it! If it’s too hot, let them cool a bit then squeeze when you can.
Stir the coconut milk, then place it back on the heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, immediately remove it from the heat and pour directly over the finely chopped dark chocolate.
Let the hot coconut milk sit on top of this chocolate for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes of sitting, start stirring in the center of the bowl with small circles using a rubber spatula. Gradually work your way to the outsides and mix until the ganache is completely smooth. Add the salt and vanilla and stir once more.
Pour the ganache into the crust, then place it into the fridge to set for about 2 hours.
Once the tart has cooled, release the sides of the springform pan (removing the bottom too) and place the tart onto a serving stand or plate of choice.
Then, start making the coconut whip. Scoop enough of the solid coconut cream from the can(s) of coconut milk or coconut cream until you have 1¾ cup. We don’t want the liquid from the can, but you can reserve it in case you find the solids need a bit of loosening up when you’re whipping it.
Add the coconut cream to a mixing bowl and whip on high with the whisk attachment to a hand mixer or stand mixer until soft peaks form, about 3 or so minutes.
Once whipped and fluffy, sift in the confectioner’s sugar and whip again until well combined. Then, add in the vanilla extract, orange zest, orange juice and salt and whip once more.
Top the tart with the coconut whipped cream and some extra orange zest and/or chocolate shavings, then serve immediately! This tart can be stored in the fridge and will keep for about 5 days.
Notes:
*If you’re using coconut milk, you may need 3 or so cans to be able to scoop 1 ¾ cup of coconut cream. If using a high quality coconut cream, 2 cans will be enough. I used coconut cream from the brand Savoy and I only needed 1½ cans. For info on brands and all things coconut whipped cream, Minimalist Baker has an amazing guide.
