Dairy-Free Chocolate Raspberry Tart Recipe

When it comes to the holidays, some of my most vivid childhood memories involve my mother making beautiful and delicious desserts that we only got during Thanksgiving and Christmas. She would put an old card table in the corner of the dining room, place a festive table cloth over it, and load it with cookies, pies and cakes. It still brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. I want my food allergic daughter to have those same visions of dessert bliss when she remembers her childhood holidays.

Unfortunately, all of my mother's holiday recipes involved a lot of butter, eggs and nuts. As a result, I've worked very hard over the last few years to re-work some of my mother's old recipes, and to invent some new ones, so I can make the holidays special for my food allergic daughter. The recipe below is not only delicious, but it's a beautiful centerpiece for any holiday buffet. I hope you and your Allergy Family enjoy it!

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

1 dairy free refrigerated pie crust (Pillsbury)*
2 cups rice milk or soy milk
¾ teaspoon granular gelatin
1 pkg (3.4oz) instant Jello-O chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
2 cups fresh raspberries

Place pie crust in a removable bottom fluted tart pan. Bake crust according to directions and allow it to cool completely. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 ½ cups of rice or soy milk over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix remaining ½ cup of milk with gelatin. When milk in saucepan starts to simmer (don't let it boil), add the milk and gelatin mixture and the pudding mix and stir until completely dissolved. Transfer pudding mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the top of the pudding mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the pudding for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, microwave the raspberry preserves until they are runny, about 30-60 seconds. Strain the preserves and discard the chunks of fruit, which will leave you with a raspberry glaze. Allow the glaze to cool.

Pour the chilled pudding into the pie crust, and artfully arrange the fresh raspberry on top of the pudding. Using a pastry brush, gently paint the raspberry glaze over the fresh raspberries to give them a nice shine. Refrigerate finished tart until ready to serve. Before serving, remove the tart from the fluted edge of the tart pan for a nicer presentation. (Serves 8)

* As always, please check the ingredient list to make sure the manufacturer hasn't

changed any ingredients.

Wheat & Soy Free Version: If you're allergic to wheat or soy, you may use 2 cups finely ground wheat free vanilla cookies and 2 Tablespoons melted vegetable shortening to make a crumb crust. Simply press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the tart pan and bake it at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Allow it to cool before adding chocolate pudding and fruit.