Jazzy BWB Tart

Every meal finds its perfect completion with dessert. As the saying goes, "there is always space in the stomach for dessert," and we celebrate this truth every chance we get.

In the early days of the pandemic, we were among the few able to travel with our special pass to distribute food to the homeless. I trained and inspired four local full-timers, and in December, I purchased food stock for a year in preparation for an impending crisis. My pantry was well-stocked, and during lockdown, I kept the volunteers active with a feeding program, setting up our greenhouse, and taking morning swims in the ocean even in winter.

To keep the volunteers motivated, I devised this unique three-layered tart using ingredients available at home. Though somewhat complex to make, our local full-timers absolutely loved it. This tart has now become a special feature at our gatherings.

The first layer is crafted with black rice, coconut milk, and rice syrup. Black rice offers a uniquely rich aroma and unforgettable taste that forms the foundation of this dessert.

The second layer is prepared with gram flour cooked with coconut milk and sweetened with rice syrup, maple syrup, honey, or dark brown sugar, creating a smooth, creamy texture.

The third layer incorporates carob powder set with agar agar and sweetened with dark brown sugar, presenting a rich, chocolate-like finish that completes this explosion of flavor.

This dessert is exceptionally healthy and nutritious—practically a complete meal in itself. It is vegan, gluten-free, and made with slow-burning rice syrup, making it ideal even for people managing diabetes. Optional additions include lemongrass for the gram flour layer and spearmint essence oil for the carob powder layer, while the black rice layer is best left untouched to savor its unique, natural flavor.