Watermelon pudding tart {vegan}

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Happy Monday, everyone!

This was my birthday cake! My favorite dessert of all: Sicilian watermelon pudding tart! If you’re thinking “how could anyone eat watermelon pudding?”, don’t worry, I get you, that’s what I used to think when I was small. But then, something magical happened – just like when you start liking fresh coriander – and suddenly this was my favorite ever. Please, as long as it’s still summer, try it for yourself! If you’d rather just have the pudding without all the extra carbs – head over here.

WATERMELON PUDDING TART {vegan}
by Marta Giaccone

Recipe
one 22cm/8,6in tart
prep time: 20 mins, cook time: 50 mins, total: 1 hr 10 mins + cooling time

Tart crust
300 gr flour of choice (I used spelt)
7 gr baking powder
pinch salt
50 gr water
85 gr honey
70 gr light vegetable oil (I used organic sunflower seed oil)

Watermelon pudding
2 cups / 500 ml of watermelon juice (about 600 gr of watermelon pulp, seeded and cubed)
1/3 cup / 40 gr corn starch
about ¼ cup / 40 gr brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
the tip of a tsp of ground cloves
vanilla
a handful pistachios (unsalted)
dark chocolate
optional: a handful of jasmine flowers or jasmine essence

Method

1. Combine flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and stir.
2. In another bowl add water, honey, oil and vanilla (if you use vanilla powder, add it to the dry ingredients). If the honey is too solid, let it melt first. Stir, pour over the dry ingredients and mix really well to incorporate.
3. Knead the dough, first inside the bowl, then transfer it to a floured working surface, for a few minutes until smooth.
4. Wrap in plastic and let rest in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
5. Turn on the oven to 180°C/350°F.
6. Take the dough out of the fridge and, using a rolling pin, roll it out over a sheet of parchment paper. The dough should be elastic; don’t worry if it breaks, it will stick back together! Transfer everything to a 22cm/8,6in springform cake/tart mold (with removable bottom if possible) and help shape it with your fingers. You can also use the bottom of a glass to make it even. Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork , cover it with a disc of parchment paper, fill it with weights such as dried chickpeas or beans and bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and let cook for another 15 minutes. By this time, it should be done: check the center. Remove from oven and let cool.
7. In the meantime prepare the watermelon pudding: purée the watermelon, then filter it (I used a tea strainer, it took a few minutes). Or if you have a juicer you’re all set.
8. Optional: if using jasmine flowers, steep them in a little bit of the juice for about 1 hour, then discard them.
9. Add the starch to a small/medium pot, then very gradually add the watermelon juice and stir to incorporate. When a thick paste forms, you can add the rest of the juice. If you add too much juice at once it will get really clumpy! Add sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla (optional: and 1 drop jasmine essence), and stir well until the sugar is dissolved.
10. Set pot on a medium flame and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and cook for 15 minutes, whisking continuously. Pour over the tart shell, let cool, then transfer to the fridge overnight.
11. Serve cold with a little dash of cinnamon, chopped pistachios, grated dark chocolate and more jasmine flowers for decoration, if you can find them. Store tart in the fridge.