Summer Fruit Pizza

June 28th is Vegan Pizza Day. While we’re not really sure how this “holiday” started, it’s one day we love to celebrate! 

Pizza isn’t just for dinner! This Summer Fruit Pizza from Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley is the perfect warm weather dessert, as it makes use of all manner of fresh summer fruit and can be made without turning on a hot oven. On this colorful pie, raspberry sauce mimics marinara and crushed macadamia nuts make perfect “cheese” sprinkles. You can take the illusion even further by cutting the fruit to resemble pepperoni slices, diced green pepper, and other typical savory pizza toppings. 

 

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 cup dry pecans
  • 1/2 cup dry cashews
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup pitted dates

Raspberry Coulis Sauce:

  • 5-ounces thawed frozen raspberries (1/2 bag)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
  • 7 to 10 drops liquid stevia (or equivalent sweetener of choice), or to taste
  • Pinch of sea salt

Cheese Sprinkles:

  • 1/2 cup dry macadamia nuts or cashews
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 5 to 10 drops liquid stevia (optional)
  • Pinch of sea salt

Toppings:

  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1 medium ripe kiwifruit, peeled and diced
  • 1/3 cup diced pineapple chunks
  • 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
  • Fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

 

Preparation:

Crust: Combine the pecans, cashews, and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground (be careful not to overprocess). Add the golden raisins and pulse until incorporated. Add the dates and pulse until well-incorporated and the mixture begins to stick together. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press the mixture thinly, firmly, and evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the remaining components.

Raspberry Coulis Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until very smooth. Taste for sweetness and add more stevia if desired. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, transfer to a glass jar, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cheese Sprinkles: Combine all ingredients in a food processor (a mini one works well here) and pulse until crumbly.

Assemble: Remove the crust from the fridge or freezer and spread the Raspberry Coulis on top, leaving a thin ring of crust open around the edge. Evenly sprinkle the nut “cheese” bits across the sauce, then evenly distribute the toppings on the pizza. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Snugly wrap leftover “pizza” in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

Substitutions: 

  • Pecans: walnuts or almonds
  • Cashews: macadamia nuts
  • Toppings: any fresh berries or chopped fruit of your choice!

Chef’s Tip:

Divide the crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings between six to eight 4-inch tartlet pans to make mini fruit  pizzas.

 

Yield: 10 servings

 

 

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From Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley. ©2013 Amber Shea Crawley. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press.