Raw Lemon Tart with Cashew Cream and Edible Flowers
Raw Lemon Tart with Cashew Cream and Edible Flowers
A bright, tangy raw cashew-cream lemon tart on a coconut-almond crust, sweetened with raw honey or maple syrup, garnished with edible flowers and fresh berries
Makes one 9-inch tart (10–12 slices) · 30 min active · 4 hr total (incl. set time) · spring / summer · midday or afternoon
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
1 cup blanched almond flour (or 1 cup raw almonds ground fine)
1 cup raw cashews
⅓ cup coconut flour
3–4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
3 tbsp pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
juice and zest of 2 lemons
pinch sea salt
1–2 tbsp filtered water, only as needed
Filling
2 cups raw cashews, soaked at least 4 hours and drained
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons + zest)
½ cup full-fat coconut cream (the thick portion of a chilled can)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean powder)
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey
1 tsp ground turmeric (for natural golden coloring)
pinch sea salt
few drops lemon essential oil (optional, for intense lemon flavor)
Garnish: food-grade edible flowers (calendula, nasturtium, violet), fresh berries, additional lemon zest, coconut flakes, fresh mint leaves
Method
Make the crust. In a food processor, pulse all crust ingredients together until cookie-dough consistency forms, holding when pressed in your palm. Add water 1 tbsp at a time only if dry.
Press evenly into a 9-inch tart pan (preferably with a removable bottom). Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to set.
Make the filling. In a high-speed blender, combine drained cashews, lemon juice, coconut cream, vanilla, melted coconut oil, sweetener, turmeric, and salt. Blend on high 2–3 minutes until completely silky-smooth.
Ensure the coconut cream is thick — refrigerate the can overnight before using if it's runny.
Pour filling over the chilled crust. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Set. Freeze at least 1–2 hours (or refrigerate 4 hours).
Garnish. Just before serving: scatter edible flowers, fresh berries, lemon zest, coconut flakes, and fresh mint leaves across the surface.
Allow tart to thaw 15–20 minutes if frozen before slicing with a hot dry knife.
ENHANCEMENT SUGGESTIONS — make this irresistible
Citrus-blend filling. Replace ¼ cup lemon juice with ¼ cup blood orange or Meyer lemon juice. Adds citrus complexity and a subtle pink-orange tint. Better balance.
White chocolate ganache top. Ganache made from ½ cup cacao butter melted with ¼ cup raw honey + 2 tbsp coconut cream + 1 tsp vanilla. Drizzle decoratively across the set tart. Restaurant-level visual + flavor elevation.
Lemon curd swirl. Make a quick lemon curd (2 egg yolks + ½ cup lemon juice + 2 tbsp honey + 2 tbsp coconut oil, whisked over low heat until thickened). Swirl into the cashew filling before setting for marbled effect.
Toasted coconut and pistachio crust. Toast the coconut shreds 3 minutes in a dry pan + add ½ cup raw pistachios to the crust. Adds crunch + visual contrast + Sicilian flavor profile.
Brûléed surface (advanced). Sprinkle coconut sugar across the set tart, torch with a kitchen torch until caramelized. Crème brûlée-style top adds dramatic restaurant elevation.
Edible flower freezing technique. Freeze fresh edible flowers (calendula, violet, nasturtium) in a thin layer of beaten egg white briefly before placing — preserves them perfectly through the freezer setting and refrigerator storage.
Lemon thyme or lemon verbena infusion. Steep 2 tbsp fresh lemon thyme or lemon verbena leaves in the warmed coconut cream for 10 minutes; strain. Adds an herbal complexity that pure lemon cannot achieve.
Sourcing: Raw cashews: One Degree Organic Foods or Big Tree Farms (avoid bulk-bin steamed cashews). Blanched almond flour: Honeyville Farms or Anthony's Organic. Coconut flour and shreds: Big Tree Farms or Bob's Red Mill organic. Coconut cream: Native Forest Organic Simple. Coconut oil: Nutiva or Dr. Bronner's is acceptable. Pure maple syrup from local sugarbush or Crown Maple/Runamok. Raw honey from local apiarist within 30 miles, or Really Raw Honey shipped. Vanilla bean powder: Singing Dog Vanilla (organic single-origin Madagascar). Lemons: local farmers' market in subtropical regions; backyard Meyer lemons (USDA 9+). Edible flowers: local farmers' market vendor specifically labeled food-grade, or grown at home.
