Pecan & Apricot Tart

If you need a healthy dish to impress, try this tart. Dried apricots contain fibre, vitamin A (from the beta-carotene) and catechins (flavonoid phytonutrients) – I prefer the organic, brown unsulphured variety.

Pecans are packed with heart-healthy fats, meaning you can enjoy a slice knowing you are still providing your body with nourishment.

SERVES 10-12

For the pastry
• 160g finely milled plainwholemeal flour
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp sugar or honey
• ½ tsp grated orange zest
• 100g chilled and solid coconut oil, plus extra for greasing
• 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water

For the filling
• 3 medium eggs
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 60g honey
• 1 tbsp milk of choice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp grated orange zest
• pinch of salt
• 220g pecans
• 3 tbsp finely milled plain wholemeal flour
• 150g dried apricots, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, drained and
• finely chopped

First make the pastry: put the flour, salt, sugar, if using, and orange zest in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the solid coconut oil in chunks, and pulse again until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Add the honey, if using, to the processor, followed by the cold water, a tablespoon at a time. Pulse and add more water until a dry dough comes together. Remove from the processor, shape the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and lightly grease a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin. (I used a fluted tart tin but you don’t have to.)

Remove the chilled pastry from the fridge, unwrap and place on a floured surface. Take a floured rolling pin and roll out the pastry to a roughly 30cm circle. Carefully transfer the pastry to the prepared tin, gently pressing the pastry into the bottom and sides. Trim the edges but leave a slight overlap.

Line the pastry with baking paper, add baking beans (I use dried borlotti beans) and bake for 15 minutes until the bottom of the tart is no longer raw and it is just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and remove the paper and baking beans. Return the tart case to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature by 20°C.

Recipe extract from Re-Nourish by Rhiannon Lambert, published by Yellow Kite, £19.99

Photography by Tamin Jones