Tahini Caramel Apple Tart

I’ve been thinking about this French Apple Tart ever since I saw Ina make it – I’m usually not a tart kind of person because lining a pastry tin is not my idea of fun, but this recipe is SO simple, there’s no faffing around. You roll out a flaky pastry into a rectangle, top with sliced apples and sugar and bake. Now, Ina brushes the apples with an apricot jam glaze (a trick my mum always uses too) but I opted for a tahini caramel sauce instead – drizzled over the tart whilst still warm. It’s a little bit nutty and isn’t too sweet but if you’re daunted by caramel making you can always stick with the jam if you want!    

The post Tahini Caramel Apple Tart appeared first on Izy Hossack – Top With Cinnamon.

slices of tahini caramel apple tart

I’ve been thinking about this French Apple Tart ever since I saw Ina make it – I’m usually not a tart kind of person because lining a pastry tin is not my idea of fun, but this recipe is SO simple, there’s no faffing around.

You roll out a flaky pastry into a rectangle, top with sliced apples and sugar and bake. Now, Ina brushes the apples with an apricot jam glaze (a trick my mum always uses too) but I opted for a tahini caramel sauce instead – drizzled over the tart whilst still warm.

A sliced apple tart drizzled with tahini caramel

It’s a little bit nutty and isn’t too sweet but if you’re daunted by caramel making you can always stick with the jam if you want!

 

 

slices of tahini caramel apple tart

Tahini Caramel Apple Tart

Yield: serves 8-12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

An easy tahini caramel sauce drizzled over a simple apple tart with homemade flaky pastry!

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 2 cups (240g) plain white (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup (165g) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
  • up to 1/2 cup (125ml) ice water

For the caramel:

  • 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp (30g) unstalted butter
  • generous pinch salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 4 tbsp milk

For the top:

  • 3 to 4 Bramley apples, peeled and cored
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into little cubes

Instructions

Make the pastry:

  1. Place the flour, salt, sugar and butter into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to cut the butter in – you want a mealy mixture with a few pea-sized lumps of butter remaining. Drizzle in the water (start with 4 tablespoons) and pulse in, adding more water a tablespoon at a time if needed. The mixture should be moist enough so that if you squeeze some together, it’ll stick.
  2. Tip the pastry mixture out onto a piece of cling film. Pat together with your hands into a rectangle then wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile make the caramel:

  1. Place the sugar and water in a large saucepan (silver/white ones a best so you can see the colour change). Place over a medium heat on the stove and stir just until the sugar dissolves then stop stirring. Let the mixture cook, tilting and swirling the pan, until it has reached an even, golden colour.
  2. Turn the heat all the way down, add in the butter, salt and vanilla. Let that butter melt a bit before picking the spoon back up and mixing it in. Once smooth, add the tahini and milk and stir through until smooth. Take off the heat and set aside.

Rolling and baking:

  1. Once the pastry has rested, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) fan.
  2. Cut the apples in half and then slice into half-moons about ¼-inch (5mm) thick.
  3. Cut a piece of baking paper to fit a large baking tray. Unwrap the pastry, place onto the baking paper and dust with flour. Roll the pastry out into a rectangle slightly smaller than the piece of baking paper. Trim the edges so they are straight then transfer the pastry (on the baking paper) onto the baking tray.
  4. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. Sprinkle with the 1/4 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
  5. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the tart is dark golden around the edges and the apples have coloured slightly. Drizzle with the caramel (you may need to re-warm it over a low heat on the stove to get it drizzle-able again) then allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • if you want to speed this recipe up, you can use a block of puff pastry or shortcrust pastry in place of making your own. 

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

The post Tahini Caramel Apple Tart appeared first on Izy Hossack - Top With Cinnamon.

Sesame Ginger Dressing

This Sesame Ginger Dressing is probably one of the most addictive homemade dressings I’ve ever made. It’s sweet, salty, tangy, and has a super “zingy” fresh ginger bite. It’s one of those dressings that you’ll just want to keep dipping your spoon into. The type of dressing that will make you want to eat a […]

The post Sesame Ginger Dressing appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This Sesame Ginger Dressing is probably one of the most addictive homemade dressings I’ve ever made. It’s sweet, salty, tangy, and has a super “zingy” fresh ginger bite. It’s one of those dressings that you’ll just want to keep dipping your spoon into. The type of dressing that will make you want to eat a salad just to serve as a vehicle for the delicious dressing (that’s not exactly a bad thing). But, if you’re like me, you’ll probably just end up drizzling it over everything!

Originally posted 2-5-2012, updated 7-23-2020.

Sesame ginger dressing in a wooden bowl, garnished with sesame seeds, a spoon in the middle of the bowl.

What is Tahini?

Tahini is a paste made out of ground sesame seeds. Think of it like peanut butter, but made with sesame seeds instead of peanuts! It’s one of the base ingredients for this dressing and can not be substituted in this recipe. The tahini not only adds sesame flavor to the recipe, but it also helps thicken the dressing. You can usually find tahini in the grocery store either near the peanut butter, or near the middle-eastern ingredients in the international aisle. 

Can I Substitute the Rice Vinegar?

I don’t suggest substituting the rice vinegar in this recipe. Rice vinegar has a uniquely mild flavor and acidity compared to other vinegars, which keeps it from overpowering the other flavors. While you might be able to use another type of vinegar, you’d probably also need to adjust the amount or the ratio of other ingredients to compensate for the increased acidity. 

How Long Does This Sesame Ginger Dressing Last?

Because this dressing uses fresh ginger and garlic, I suggest keeping it stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. But it tastes so good that hopefully you’ll finish it off before then!

How to Use Sesame Ginger Dressing

This dressing goes great over crunchy salads, like my Crunchy Cabbage Salad, but it can also be poured over cold noodle salads, used to dip egg rolls or dumplings, or poured over rice bowls. The sky’s the limit and I’m sure once you’ll taste it you’ll want it on everything!

Sesame ginger dressing being poured over crunchy cabbage salad from a mason jar

 
A wooden bowl filled with sesame ginger dressing next to a knob of fresh ginger

Sesame Ginger Dressing

This homemade sesame ginger dressing will drench your favorite salad with a sweet, salty, and nutty flavor, and a fresh gingery bite!
Total Cost $2.03 recipe / $0.20 sesrving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 10 2 Tbsp each
Calories 132.33kcal
Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic $0.16
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger $0.30
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil* $0.32
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar $0.53
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.12
  • 3 Tbsp honey $0.36
  • 1 Tbsp tahini $0.19
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil $0.05

Instructions

  • Mince the garlic and grate the ginger (I use a small-holed cheese grater)
  • Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, tahini, and toasted sesame oil to a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Serve over salad or as a dipping sauce.

Notes

*Any neutral-flavored salad oil, like peanut, canola, safflower, grapeseed, or sesame (untoasted) will work fine for this dressing.
If your dressing is too thick for pouring, simply stir in a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tbsp | Calories: 132.33kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.98g | Protein: 0.59g | Fat: 12.27g | Sodium: 177.95mg | Fiber: 0.2g

How to Make Sesame Ginger Dressing – Step by Step Photos

garlic press with two cloves of garlic, and fresh ginger with a microplane

Begin by mincing two cloves of garlic and grating about 1 Tbsp of fresh ginger. I like to use my garlic press to easily mince the garlic and a small-holed cheese grater to easily grate the ginger. Ginger grates easier if it’s frozen (the little hairs don’t clog the grater). I don’t even bother peeling it, I just make sure the peel is very clean.

minced garlic and grated ginger

And that’s what it looks like once the garlic is minced and ginger grated (for everyone who is visual, like me).

Rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and tahini

Here are three of the most important ingredients in this dressing: rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and tahini. Toasted sesame oil has a much stronger nutty flavor than regular (or un-toasted) sesame oil. You can usually find it near other Asian ingredients in the international aisle. 

Dressing ingredients in the blender

Add the 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tbsp grated ginger, ½ cup neutral salad oil, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp tahini, and ½ tsp toasted sesame oil to a blender. Any neutral-flavored salad oil, like peanut, canola, grapeseed, sesame (un-toasted), or safflower will work fine.

Blended dressing on a spoon in the blender

Blend until the dressing is smooth and creamy. If your dressing ends up being really thick and you’d like it a little more pourable, simply stir in a tablespoon or two of water.

A wooden bowl filled with sesame ginger dressing next to a knob of fresh ginger

Enjoy the sesame ginger dressing poured over your favorite salad, or as a dipping sauce!

The post Sesame Ginger Dressing appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Easy Beet Falafel

After an intense craving for beet falafel, I felt drawn to the kitchen to play around with a way to infuse this incredibly nourishing vegetable into falafel.
The result was a vibrant-colored, magenta falafel that was garlicky, zesty, crispy, and incre…

Easy Beet Falafel

After an intense craving for beet falafel, I felt drawn to the kitchen to play around with a way to infuse this incredibly nourishing vegetable into falafel.

The result was a vibrant-colored, magenta falafel that was garlicky, zesty, crispy, and incredibly delicious. Plus, just 8 ingredients and simple methods required!

Origins of Falafel

The origin of falafel is an ongoing and heated debate. Some would say it’s a quintessential Israeli food, while Palestinians claim its Arab roots, and still others claim it originated in Egypt, Lebanon, or Yemen. 

While we claim no expertise on the origins of falafel, we do know we absolutely love its crispy texture and rich flavor.

Easy Beet Falafel from Minimalist Baker →

Smoky Roasted Eggplant Red Pepper Dip with Walnuts

This roasted eggplant and red pepper dip is a smoky, rich, flavorful dip. It is the combination of two popular Middle Eastern classics baba ganoush and muhammara. Serve it with vegetables or with sliced pita bread, but it is especially delicious added …

This roasted eggplant and red pepper dip is a smoky, rich, flavorful dip. It is the combination of two popular Middle Eastern classics baba ganoush and muhammara. Serve it with vegetables or with sliced pita bread, but it is especially delicious added to a grilled cheese sandwich.  If you are looking for more eggplant recipes,...

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The post Smoky Roasted Eggplant Red Pepper Dip with Walnuts appeared first on My Pure Plants.

The Quickest Roasted Beet Hummus

Have you ever tried pink hummus? This roasted beet hummus recipe will give you the fluffiest and creamiest texture you could imagine. It is also quick to make since you need only 15 minutes to roast the beets, then 5 minutes to blend them together with…

Have you ever tried pink hummus? This roasted beet hummus recipe will give you the fluffiest and creamiest texture you could imagine. It is also quick to make since you need only 15 minutes to roast the beets, then 5 minutes to blend them together with the chickpeas, tahini and other ingredients. Making hummus is...

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The post The Quickest Roasted Beet Hummus appeared first on My Pure Plants.

1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan/GF)

What started as chocolate tahini banana bread morphed into the fudgiest, most delicious chocolate muffins on the block!
Despite being naturally sweetened (with bananas!) and swirled with tahini, the main flavor is clear: CHOCOLATE.
We love that they’…

1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan/GF)

What started as chocolate tahini banana bread morphed into the fudgiest, most delicious chocolate muffins on the block!

Despite being naturally sweetened (with bananas!) and swirled with tahini, the main flavor is clear: CHOCOLATE.

We love that they’re refined flour-free, gluten-free, plant-based, refined sugar-free, (oil-free optional), and made in 1 bowl

These muffins start with making a flax egg. Then add bananas (spotty ones are best) to the mixing bowl and mash with a fork.

1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan/GF) from Minimalist Baker →

Black Bean Buddha Bowl with Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce

Is it just us, or is there something incredibly comforting about a meal filled with beans, rice, greens, and a flavorful sauce?
Inspired by a bowl from Prasad in Portland, we made a delicious gluten-free and plant-based Buddha bowl from simple ingredie…

Black Bean Buddha Bowl with Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce

Is it just us, or is there something incredibly comforting about a meal filled with beans, rice, greens, and a flavorful sauce?

Inspired by a bowl from Prasad in Portland, we made a delicious gluten-free and plant-based Buddha bowl from simple ingredients.

How to Make a Buddha Bowl

We’re not sure where the term Buddha Bowl originated, and there doesn’t seem to be any set of rules for how to make one.

Black Bean Buddha Bowl with Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce from Minimalist Baker →

Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce

Sauces are one of our favorite versatile ways to add MEGA flavor to just about any meal.
Inspired by one of our favorite meals at Prasad (a dreamy Portland, OR cafe), this 5-ingredient, 5-minute, 1-bowl tahini sauce does exactly that!
To prepare, whis…

Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce

Sauces are one of our favorite versatile ways to add MEGA flavor to just about any meal.

Inspired by one of our favorite meals at Prasad (a dreamy Portland, OR cafe), this 5-ingredient, 5-minute, 1-bowl tahini sauce does exactly that!

To prepare, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and fresh grated ginger (fresh ginger is key for best flavor!). Then thin with a little water until a pourable sauce is achieved.

Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce from Minimalist Baker →

Is hummus gluten-free?

I am writing this post because WE LOVE HUMMUS! We are almost too ashamed to confess that we haven’t eaten any hummus before starting to eat plant-based. I know… What have we been missing all along? If you don’t know hummus either…

I am writing this post because WE LOVE HUMMUS! We are almost too ashamed to confess that we haven’t eaten any hummus before starting to eat plant-based. I know… What have we been missing all along? If you don’t know hummus either. Here is a quick intro to What is hummus made of? Is hummus gluten-free...

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The post Is hummus gluten-free? appeared first on My Pure Plants.

Best Chickpea Burgers

These chickpea burgers are a hugely satisfying plant-based dinner! Here they’re painted with BBQ and served topped with vegan bacon and spicy mayo. Eating plant based food doesn’t mean giving up the burger! Veggie burgers can be seriously satisfying, and that doesn’t mean processed meat substitutes. These vegan chickpea burgers full of whole foods can be your new go-to! They’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of nuance from smoked paprika. Painted them with BBQ sauce and served with shiitake bacon and spicy mayo, they’re pretty darn tasty (if we do say so ourselves). Ready to get cooking? What’s in these chickpea burgers? True story: Alex and I tried a vegan burger from one of those popular plant-based meat companies that’s in the news these days. It tasted good, but we both ended up with a stomach ache afterwards. Something about them did a number on us (maybe because we don’t yet understand the effects of this processed food). So it’s back to homemade veggie burgers over here! Not only are these burgers tasty, they’re filled with healthy whole foods. Here’s what’s in these vegan chickpea burgers (nothing weird, promise!): Mashed chickpeas: you’ll use […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

These chickpea burgers are a hugely satisfying plant-based dinner! Here they’re painted with BBQ and served topped with vegan bacon and spicy mayo.

Chickpea burgers

Eating plant based food doesn’t mean giving up the burger! Veggie burgers can be seriously satisfying, and that doesn’t mean processed meat substitutes. These vegan chickpea burgers full of whole foods can be your new go-to! They’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of nuance from smoked paprika. Painted them with BBQ sauce and served with shiitake bacon and spicy mayo, they’re pretty darn tasty (if we do say so ourselves). Ready to get cooking?

Vegan chickpea burgers

What’s in these chickpea burgers?

True story: Alex and I tried a vegan burger from one of those popular plant-based meat companies that’s in the news these days. It tasted good, but we both ended up with a stomach ache afterwards. Something about them did a number on us (maybe because we don’t yet understand the effects of this processed food). So it’s back to homemade veggie burgers over here! Not only are these burgers tasty, they’re filled with healthy whole foods.

Here’s what’s in these vegan chickpea burgers (nothing weird, promise!):

  • Mashed chickpeas: you’ll use a potato masher or fork to mash them by hand
  • Onion, carrot and red onion: grate these down so they integrate well; you can use a hand grater, food processor or high-speed blender
  • A little flour: It’s needed to hold these babies together (trust us!). You can use gluten-free flour if you need to, or all-purpose or whole wheat.
  • Tahini: this sesame paste holds it all together! (What’s tahini?)
  • Cumin and smoked paprika. Big flavor comes from cumin, and a back-end smoky nuance from smoked paprika.
  • BBQ sauce, for painting (optional). Use your favorite store-bought version, or our homemade BBQ sauce. (Check the label to find an organic version without high fructose corn syrup.)
BBQ chickpea burgers

They’re pan fried, then baked.

These chickpea burgers are lightly pan-fried to get a crispy crust, then baked to cook them through. Why the two steps? When we tried them baked only, the texture wasn’t quite what we wanted. Pan frying adds a nice crispness to the outside of the burger without it getting too dried out in the oven.

When you make your chickpea burgers, shape them so they’re about 3-inches in diameter and about 3/4-inch thick. This will help them to stay together when pan frying and get an even golden brown. We had a 3-inch round biscuit cutter that we used to shape them this size.

Serve with shiitake bacon for extra wow.

It’s totally optional, but you’ve got some time while the chickpea burgers are on the oven. Why not whip up a unique topping? This shiitake bacon is just that: vegan bacon made out of shiitake mushrooms. It sounds a little odd, but once you taste the salty, smoky flavor, you’ll understand! Since Alex and I first made it as a loaded potato soup topping, I’d been dying to try it on a burger. It’s absolutely worth it! It’s only 5 ingredients, and it’s not hard to do while the burger bake.

Shiitake bacon

Creamy sauce makes chickpea burgers shine! (Or really, any veggie burger.)

These chickpea burgers are made perfect with a creamy sauce. Because veggie burgers don’t have the same natural fat like beef burgers, they can taste dry. You really need to add a creamy sauce to get the right textures on a bun. Here we’ve used Spicy Mayo, which also adds richness making for an overall enhanced experience! Here are a few more creamy sauce toppings you could try:

Make ahead and reheating instructions

These vegan chickpea burgers save well, making them great for making ahead! You could meal prep them on a weekend and then refrigerate them for eating throughout the week. Here’s what we’d recommend:

  • Store in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. When you reheat them, place them in a 375 oven and reheat until heated through (about 10 minutes or so).
  • Freeze for 1 to 2 months. These burgers freeze well, so pack them in a sealed container and store for a few months. You can also make a double recipe if you know you’d like leftovers and do the freezing option. Let them thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat as per above.
Chickpea burgers (vegan veggie burgers)

Ways to serve chickpea burgers

You don’t have to serve these burgers with BBQ sauce, of course! There are lots of great topping suggestions: here are a few ways we thought of:

This recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour.

Print
Chickpea burgers

Best Chickpea Burgers (Plant Based!)


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 14 minutes
  • Cook Time: 26 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 burgers

Description

These chickpea burgers are a hugely satisfying plant-based dinner! Crispy on the outside, they’re painted with BBQ and topped with vegan bacon and spicy mayo.


Ingredients

For the chickpea burgers*

  • 15-ounce can chickpeas (1½ cups cooked)
  • 1 large carrot
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup all purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil, for frying

For serving


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Use a potato masher or fork to mash them in a bowl until they’re mostly mashed with some chunks. Use a large size grater to grate the onion and carrot, then finely grate the garlic OR place them all in a food processor and process until finely minced. Add them to the bowl with the chickpeas. Stir in the tahini, flour and spices. Mix with a spoon and then your fingers until a sticky dough forms. Form 4 round patties and place them on a cutting board, about 3 inches wide by about 3/4 inch thick (we had a 3-inch circle biscuit cutter, which you could use if you have one).
  3. In a medium frying pan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Carefully add the patties to the pan. If you have one, top with a splatter screen. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown, turning down the heat as necessary.
  4. Transfer the patties to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and baked through.
  5. Remove the patties from the oven and let them cool for at least 15 minutes to firm up. Paint liberally with BBQ sauce. Top with toppings (make sure to have a creamy rich topping like the Spicy Mayo to enhance the flavors and textures. The burgers save well in the refrigerator, so they’re great to make ahead and eat throughout the week. They also freeze well!

Notes

If you’d like more servings, double the ingredients and pan fry in batches, then bake 8 burgers on the same tray. The burgers stay well refrigerated or frozen (see Step 6).

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chickpea Burgers, Vegan Burger, Vegan Chickpea Burger, Veggie Burger, Veggie Burger Recipe

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes