Do you know the difference between a tart and a pie? I wasn’t sure myself until recently, when I decided that if I’m gonna be a food blogger, I should really know this kind of thing. Apparently, a pie has a sloped crust and is served straight out of the pan,  while a tart has shallow sides and can be removed from the pan before serving. So, what we have here is most definitely a tart, but I’m sure you could also make it as a pie if you like.

I made the crust using spelt flour, which I like to use in baking because it’s such a versatile wholegrain flour which isn’t as heavy as whole wheat. You could also use plain white flour if you prefer.

If fresh figs are unavailable in your area, try substituting them with a different fresh fruit – preferably something red! I think strawberries could work well here.

Crust Ingredients: (for a 25cm/10″ tart pan)
1 1/3 cups wholegrain spelt flour
1/3 cup coconut oil, at room temp.
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp brown sugar
2-3 tbsp cold water

Filling Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups coconut cream
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp agar-agar flakes
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp lime zest

Toppings:
Grated coconut, lightly toasted on a dry skillet
Lime zest
1-2 fresh figs, thinly sliced
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

To Make the Crust:

Combine all ingredients besides the water in a food processor and pulse until crumbs are formed (if a food processor is unavailable, you can use your hands for this). Add the water gradually and keep pulsing till you have a ball of dough. The dough will be very soft and sticky at this point – don’t worry, it will firm up in the fridge. Roll the ball in some flour, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to bake the crust, heat your oven to 200C/390F. Roll the dough out on a floured surface (it’s a good idea to work quickly, because coconut oil melts fast at room temperature). Place it in a tart pan, prick with a fork a few times (important!) and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

Make the Filling:

Place the water, the sugar and the agar flakes in a small saucepan and heat slowly while stirring, until the sugar and agar are dissolved (this may take a few minutes – be patient). Gradually, stir in the coconut cream, the lime juice and the zest, constantly stirring. Bring to a boil, remove from the stove and let cool for about 15 minutes – you want to keep an eye on things here and stir every once in a while, so the mixture doesn’t start gelling in the pan. Pour carefully into the crust.

When the filling begins to gel, decorate with grated coconut, lime zest, mint leaves and fig slices. (Or, be creative and decorate with whatever you like – let me know how that came out!)

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.