Gluten-Free, Vegan Pear-Cranberry Tart

Servings:

Author: Pamela, inspired by Peter Berley’s Apple Tart in The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen

Crust:
1 cup rolled oats look for gluten-free oats, such as Bob's Red Mill
2/3 cup oat or whole spelt flour look for gluten-free oat flour, such as Bob's Red Mill; spelt flour is not gluten-free
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup unrefined coconut oil melted
½ teaspoon sea salt
Filling:
3 firm but ripe pears, cored and sliced into 1/8th-inch wedges
1 handful fresh cranberries
2 Tablespoons maple sugar or brown sugar
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup I use Grade A for a more subtle flavor
1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping:
1 cup oat or whole spelt flour look for gluten-free oat flour, such as Bob's Red Mill; spelt flour is not gluten-free.
1/3 cup maple sugar or brown sugar
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
pinch of sea salt omit if using Miyoko's vegan butter or Earth Balance
4 Tablespoons cold Miyoko's vegan butter organic Earth Balance, unsalted butter or unrefined coconut oil, cut into pieces (butter is not vegan; Miyoko's, Earth Balance and butter give a better result than coconut oil, but coconut oil works just fine.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. If your tart pan tends to leak when baking, you should also line the bottom with unbleached parchment paper.
Place all crust ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse until nuts are finely chopped. Press crust evenly on the bottom of the pan and into the rim. Freeze crust while you assemble the filling.
In a large bowl gently combine filling ingredients and set aside.
In another bowl, squeeze topping ingredients together with your fingers until the mixture looks well combined, pebbly and no longer dry or dusty.
Remove tart pan from freezer and layer the pears and cranberries on top of the crust. Pour any juices from the bowl on top of the fruit. Spread the crumb topping over the fruit.
Place tart on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until filling is bubbling and topping is lightly browned. Allow tart to cool slightly before serving. Best eaten the same day it’s made, but if you have leftovers, store in the refrigerator. Do ahead: you can make the crust up to a day ahead and keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator. You can also make the topping a up to 3 days ahead and keep that in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.