Beetroot Tartlet with Cashew Crème & Crispy Shallots
Sweet, earthy, and no butter required — just good soil and patience.
I pinched this idea from a proper Perthshire farmer's market one October, watching folk queue for roasted veg like it was theatre. Beetroot here grows fat and sweet in the cool earth, and cashews soak up cream like they were born for it. No dairy needed — this crème is all nut, all silky, all Scottish autumn.
How to Cook It
- 01
Soak the cashews
Tip 150g raw cashews into a bowl, cover with boiling water, let them sit for at least 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). They'll soften into custard. Drain well when ready to blitz.
~240 min - 02
Make the pastry
Rub 120g wholemeal flour with 60g cold coconut oil until breadcrumb-textured. Add pinch of salt, then 2–3 tbsp cold water until just holding. Don't overwork — it'll toughen. Chill 20 minutes. Roll thin, press into 6 tartlet tins, prick the base. Bake blind at 190°C for 12–15 minutes until light golden.
~35 min - 03
Roast the beetroots
Scrub 3 medium beetroots, wrap separately in foil, roast at 190°C for 30–35 minutes until a knife slides through like butter. Cool slightly, slip the skins off (wear gloves, they stain like fury). Slice into thin rounds.
~35 min - 04
Whip the cashew crème
Drain soaked cashews, blend with 100ml fresh water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and pinch of salt until silky smooth. Taste and adjust — it should be nutty, bright, no gritty bits. If too thick, loosen with splash more water.
~5 min - 05
Crisp the shallots
Peel 2 small shallots, slice paper-thin (mandoline, if you've got one). Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a pan, fry shallots low and slow for 8–10 minutes until caramelised and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt.
~10 min - 06
Assemble
Spoon cashew crème into each cooked tartlet shell. Arrange beetroot slices overlapping on top. Scatter crispy shallots across, grind fresh pepper, finish with tiny pinch of sea salt. Serve at room temperature.
~5 min
“These tartlets sit beautiful on a slate or simple white plate — no fuss needed. The deep purple beetroot against pale crème is enough theatre. Scatter shallots last so they stay crispy. Serve at room temperature; cold makes the pastry greedy, warm makes the crème split. One tartlet per person is plenty for an amuse-bouche — they're rich and earthy.”
First bite: buttery pastry gives way to bright, nutty cream. Then the beetroot — sweet, mineral, grounding. Those crispy shallots cut through with a sharp caramel bite. It lingers earthy and clean, no heaviness. Exactly what you want in early autumn.
The bubbles bounce off the earthiness; acidity clears the palate between bites. Toast the local vignerons.
Apple and beetroot are old friends — clean, crisp, no sugar needed.
- ·Cashews must be raw and unsalted — roasted ones turn gritty when blitzed, and salt throws off the seasoning.
- ·Don't skip the blind bake; soggy pastry ruins the tartlet before anyone tastes it.
- ·Make the cashew crème last — it splits if it sits around, and tastes best fresh and cold.
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