Vegan Cherry Passion Tart by Fabien Brunet

(This recipe appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Living in Los Angeles, I have the opportunity to find amazing produce, including berries and passion fruit. This dessert is a tribute to L.A., a combination of the best fruits you can find at this time of year. And, since Los Angeles is one of the vegan capitals of the world, this recipe is also 100 percent vegan. The passion fruit cremeux is dairy- and egg-free, which allows the strength and character of the fruit to shine through. Red fruits, including cherries, raspberries and strawberries, add a sweetness that balances this dessert perfectly.

Yield: 15 tarts

Vegan Sweet Dough

• 25 g water
• 12 g golden flax seed powder
• 210 g unsalted vegan butter, room temperature
• 150 g confectioners’ sugar
• 375 g all-purpose flour
• 375 g almond flour
• 2 g fleur de sel
• 1 g vanilla powder

1. Combine the water and the flax seed and let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Mix the vegan butter with the confectioners’ sugar. Add the flax seed and water to the mixture. Add all the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Let the dough rest for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Use vegan butter or refined coconut oil to grease tart rings. Roll the dough to 2 mm thickness and line tart rings. Let the tarts rest in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
4. Bake at 320˚F (160˚C) for 14 minutes.

Vegan Passion Fruit Cremeux

• 400 g passion fruit pulp (seedless)
• 60 g mango puree
• 180 g granulated sugar, divided
• 50 g cornstarch
• 200 g Valrhona Inspiration Passion Fruit Couverture
• 70 g refined coconut oil
• 100 g cocoa butter

1. Warm the purees and half of the sugar in a pot.
2. Mix the remaining half of the sugar with the cornstarch. Add some hot puree to this mixture to temper it. Add this to the mixture in the pot and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and pour over the Valrhona Inspiration Passion Fruit and mix. Let the mixture cool down to 104˚F (40˚C), then add the cocoa butter and coconut oil. Blend in a food processor for 2 minutes, until nice and smooth and shiny.
4. Store 1/3 of the cremeux in a container and allow to rest in the refrigerator overnight. Pour the remaining 2/3 of the cremeux in a silicone mold of the same diameter as the tart shell and freeze until firm.

Red fruits and Hibiscus Confit

• 350 g Morello cherry puree
• 150 g blackberry puree
• 150 g strawberry puree
• 155 g fresh raspberries
• 190 g granulated sugar
• 10 g pectin NH
• 4 g hibiscus powder
• 100 g fresh cherries, pitted and cut into pieces
• 80 g fresh strawberries, cut into pieces

1. Warm the purees and the fresh raspberries in a pot. At 104˚F (40˚C) add the sugar and pectin mixed together and boil for 2 minutes (39˚Brix). Stop the heat and add the fresh cherry and strawberry pieces to the pot. Transfer to a container and let rest overnight in the refrigerator.

Red Chocolate Sticks

• 500 g Valrhona Inspiration Raspberry Couverture
• 50 g cocoa butter

1. Put a clean sheet pan in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
2. Melt the chocolate and the cocoa butter together to 113˚F (45˚C). Pipe thin lines of chocolate on the frozen sheet pan. Remove the chocolate from the sheet pan quickly and cut into 1 1/2ʺ (4 cm) sticks.

Glaze

• 500 g neutral glaze
• 70 g water

1. Warm the water and the glaze together to 122˚F (50˚C) and put in a spray gun.

Assembly

• Fresh cherries
• Gold leaf

1. Fill the tart shells 3/4 of the way with the Red fruits and Hibiscus Confit. Fill the rest of the tart shell with the Passion Fruit Cremeux. Unmold the frozen cremeux shapes and spray them with the Glaze. Place the shapes on top of the tarts.
2. Garnish the edges of each tart with the Red Chocolate Sticks and finish with a cherry and a piece of gold leaf.

About Fabien Brunet

Chef Fabien is the Executive Pastry Chef of Ladurée, Los Angeles, CA. His apprenticeship with Bruno Cordier, M.O.F. taught him to see his professional career as a never-ending learning journey. For this, he meets with enthusiastic small suppliers and producers to learn about their products and receive inspiration for new recipes.