Paleo Grain-Free Pecan Pie Tart

Ingredients

For the Flaky Almond Shortbread Crust:

• 2 cups superfine blanched almond flour (spooned and leveled)
• 0.25 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot flour (creates a crisp shortbread snap)
• 3 tbsp grass-fed ghee or solid virgin coconut oil, chilled
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 0.5 tsp fine Celtic sea salt and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Gooey Caramel Pecan Filling:

• 2.5 cups raw pecan halves (toasted lightly for 6 minutes in oven for maximum nutty crunch)
• 0.5 cup pure Grade A dark maple syrup
• 0.33 cup organic coconut sugar
• 0.33 cup full-fat culinary coconut cream
• 3 tbsp grass-fed ghee or melted coconut oil
• 3 large pasture-raised eggs, beaten
• 1.5 tsp pure bourbon vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp fine sea salt and 0.5 tsp Maldon flaky sea salt (for topping)

For Serving:

• Dairy-free vanilla bean coconut ice cream or whipped coconut cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep & Blind-Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom (or pie dish) with coconut oil. In a food processor, pulse almond flour, tapioca starch, chilled ghee, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt until a dough forms. Press dough firmly and evenly into bottom and up fluted sides of the tart pan. Prick base several times with a fork. Blind-bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and let cool slightly.
2. Toast Pecans: Spread pecan halves on a separate baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant. Set aside 1 cup of the prettiest whole halves for crowning the top. Coarsely chop the remaining 1.5 cups.
3. Simmer Caramel Custard: In a small saucepan over MEDIUM heat, combine maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut cream, melted ghee, and fine sea salt. Whisk gently and simmer for 3 minutes until coconut sugar is dissolved and syrup bubbles into a fragrant, glossy caramel. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk Eggs & Vanilla: Slowly whisk the beaten eggs and vanilla extract into the slightly cooled caramel syrup until completely emulsified and smooth.
5. Assemble Tart: Scatter the 1.5 cups of chopped toasted pecans evenly across the bottom of the pre-baked tart crust. Pour the warm caramel egg custard over the pecans. Artfully arrange the reserved 1 cup of whole pecan halves in concentric circles across the top.
6. Bake to Gooey Perfection: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 26 to 30 minutes until the edges are set and center has a gentle, slight jiggle (it will fully firm up as it cools).
7. Cool & Flake Salt: Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Maldon flaky sea salt. Let cool completely in tart pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour (or chill in fridge for clean bakery-style slices). Pop tart out of removable fluted collar, slice into 8 wedges, and serve with dairy-free vanilla ice cream!

Nutritional Breakdown (Per Slice)

Chef's Paleo Nutritional Science

Raw pecans (Carya illinoinensis) provide dense levels of gamma-tocopherol (Vitamin E), manganese, and zinc to support cellular antioxidant defense. Grade A maple syrup and unrefined coconut sugar provide trace minerals including zinc and potassium while keeping the glycemic load far lower than commercial corn syrup.

Frequently Asked Questions