Chia jam tarts

These jam tarts are sugar and gluten free and contain my favourite superfood, chia seeds. Chia jam is so simple to make and it tastes just like the real thing! Regular jam requires a bucket load of sugar and a couple of hours over a hot stove, but this baby takes 15 minutes to rustle up and will give you a hit of energy and protein. The pastry is crumbly, slightly sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon and ginger, as I’m starting to feel all Autumnal at the moment. I can’t wait for crisp mornings, cosy evenings and big mugs of hot chocolate….ahhhh.

If you don’t know much about chia seeds yet, I definitely recommend doing some research. They are such tiny little things yet so powerful! Ounce per ounce, they have 200% more iron than spinach, 700% more omega 3 than salmon and 500% more calcium than milk! They also reduce inflammation, improve digestion and promote healthy skin, hair and nails. I try and have chia every day in some way or another.

Walnuts help you sleep better, fight cancer, make your heart stronger and keep your brain healthy. I’m glad that these tarts have all these benefits as I’ve pretty much polished off the whole batch to myself in one day… oops.

Chia jam tarts with spiced walnut pastry (makes 12)

For the jam –

• 4 ripe plums
• 2 small pears
• 1/4 cup rice malt syrup
• 1/2 lemon, squeezed
• 2 tbsp chia seeds (I use Organic Burst)
• 1/2 cup hot water

For the pastry –

• 1 1/2 cup walnuts
• 3/4 cup tapioca flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 6 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (no need to melt)

1. Make your jam. Chop plums and pears into small chunks and add to a small saucepan with the rice malt syrup, lemon juice, chia seeds and hot water. Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for around 15 minutes, until thickened. Set aside- it will thicken more as it cools.
2. Grind walnuts to a flour in a food processor. Add all other ingredients aside from the coconut oil and briefly blend. Now add the coconut oil and pulse until combined. Add a tablespoon of water at a time, pulsing after each spoonful, until the mixture forms a dough in the blender.
3. Take out the dough and flatten into a small disk. Wrap up and set aside in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
4. Heat your oven to 180 degrees.  Grease a cupcake tray with melted coconut oil. Lightly flour work surface with tapioca flour and roll out dough to around 5mm thick. Cut out discs and add them to your baking tray. Spoon a tablespoon of chia jam into each tart. Finish off the tarts with shapes made from leftover pastry.
5. Bake tarts for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tray. Store in the fridge (this keeps them firm) for up to three days.