Vegan Seaweed Chocolate Pop Tarts

 

This week marks the last of Catie's brilliant recipes for Tasty Tuesday, and she is going out with a modern twist on an old favourite - the pop tart!  Catie tips the 'artisan pop tart' as the new 'cronut', and after tasting her vegan seaweed chocolate variety, we're inclined to agree!  Thanks so much Catie for being part of Tasty Tuesday this month!  Remember you can follow all of Catie's adventures at The Staple Store, and keep an eye out for her new project launching soon in Melbourne's CBD - A Staple Place. - Lucy

Vegan Chocolate Pop Tart with Seaweed Salt by Catie Gett of The Staple Store.  Small bowl by Dawn Vachon, Takewai x Dress Up mug from Craft Victoria, Speckled plate by Sarah Schembri also from Craft Victoria, Elson Napkin from Country Road. Styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

When I was asked to contribute to TDF's Tasty Tuesday column I had a little flutter of un-coolness (the feeling of being on the outer edge of popular culture). This happens pretty often, being so busy working in The Staple Store, and with the imminent opening of A Staple Space, my field of vision has narrowed to all things Staple. So I asked one of my girls that just returned from New York (the epicenter of cool): ‘What’s the new cronut?’ Her answer was artisan pop tarts. I think my mum let us eat these once. I had to look up Google images to do them justice. I don’t really remember what they tasted like, but I’m pretty sure these taste better and are better for you. When I was asked the other day what is the worst food (for me) that I think of the most, I answered chocolate croissants; and just so you know, these puppies now rival chocolate croissants for top place. What is really cool, in my insular Staple world, is Australian seaweed. I have just started using Tasmanian Wakame and Kelp in everything.  With this amazing ingredient I’ve made chipotle mole spice mix, vegan dashi, and just recently I’ve also started adding it to sweet dishes, in combination with with Pink Lake salt. It is an amazing source of iodine, which is notoriously low in the Australian diet. And because iodine has a very low therapeutic dose, deficiencies can be reversed by simply adding wakame powder instead of salt to most dishes.

Vegan Chocolate Pop Tart with Seaweed Salt ingredients. Recipe by Catie Gett of The Staple Store. Wooden Plate from Mr Kitly, Saucer by Dawn Vachon, Gold Bowl from Mr Kitly. Styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

Ingredients

For the dough 2 cups organic flour (I used Lauke bread making flour, it makes for a more elastic dough) 3 tbsp of coconut/rapadura/ brown sugar 1 teaspoon of sea weed salt (1:3 seaweed flakes to pink lake salt) or sea salt ½ cup of partially melted coconut oil 1/4-1/2 cup of icy cold water For the chocolate ganache 100g block of vegan chocolate (I used the dark chocolate from Loving Earth, but lots of cooking chocolates are vegan) 1/2 cup of coconut oil A little saucer of coconut/almond or soy milk for brushing the pastry

Catie rolling the dough for the Pop Tart pastry. Recipe by Catie Gett of The Staple Store. Wooden Plate from Mr Kitly. Styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

Method

For the dough Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the coconut oil and combine with your fingers. Add the water slowly until the dough comes together. On a floured surface kneed the dough for about 10 minutes. Split the dough into two even portions. Pop them into an air tight container and refrigerate for one hour or over night. Meanwhile make the chocolate filling. For the chocolate filling Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a medium heatproof bowl and warm over a simmering pot of water. Gently stir until smooth. Refrigerate until stiff but still spreadable, about 30 minutes checking and stirring regularly. To assemble the tarts Heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll 1 dough portion out into a flat sheet, re-flouring the surface and rolling pin so the dough dosen’t stick. Cut the sheet into 6 equal rectangles. Transfer the rectangles to the baking sheet, leaving a thumb space between each. Brush the edges with milk and prepare the other portion of dough to the same dimensions as the first, prick the dough with a fork about 12 times on each sheet. Spoon one heaped tablespoon of the chocolate filling onto each rectangle (reserve some for drizzling on the top after baking). Spread the filling into an even layer, leaving a thumb wide border (tip: if the dough is stretching or is breaking, pop the tray into the fridge for 10 minutes to harden). Place the other sheet of pastry on the top and press the edges down, crimp the edges with a fork, so none of the chocolate goodness will escape in the baking process. Brush the pastry with your preference of milk. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and flaky. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Once cooled, gently melt the rest of the chocolate in a warm bath. Drizzle evenly over each pop tart. If you don’t eat them all straight away, don't I actually think they taste better the next day! HUGE THANKS to Catie for another delicious recipe!  Do check out Catie's website and instagram for more of her nutrition philosophies, wit and wisdom... we'll miss you Catie!

So delicious! Speckled plate by Sarah Schembri, Elson Napkin from Country Road. Recipe by Catie Gett of The Staple Store. Styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.