Raspberry Chia Jam Tarts (Vegan, Gluten Free)

The jam can be made 1-2 days in advance. In a medium sized pot add the raspberries and heat on medium. Mash the raspberries with a fork. Once it starts bubbling let it cook for about 5 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Take it off the heat and add the maple syrup, lemon juice, ground chia seeds and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Transfer to a glass bowl or jar and let cool. Once cool, cover and place into the fridge to thicken overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Generously grease 12 small tart tins (2.5" diameter) with melted coconut oil.
In a medium sized bowl add the almond flour, tapioca starch and sea salt. Stir until there are no clumps. Pour in the maple syrup and melted coconut oil. Mix until combined. The dough should be quite moist and slightly sticky.
Take about one tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball in your hands. Press the ball evenly into a tart tin to form the crust. The crust should not be thicker then 1/8". If your fingers get sticky have a bowl of water beside you to dip your fingers in. Use a pairing knife to trim the excess dough from the top of the tarts. Smooth the edges with your finger. Repeat for the remaining the tarts.
Spoon the raspberry chia jam into each tart shell, filling them all the way to the top. Smooth out the surface. The filling will sink down a bit as they bake. Place the tarts on a baking tray. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges are a fairly dark golden brown.
Let the tarts cool for 20 minutes. Once they are cool enough to touch turn the tarts upside down and gently wiggle the sides of the tarts to release them. Let them continue to cool on a cooling rack.
The tarts are best eaten the same day. The crust will be crisp on the outside. If stored overnight keep them in a sealed container in the fridge. The crust will be softer the next day. Serve them straight from the fridge so that the tarts hold their shape. They can be stored for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

*If you have whole chia seeds grind 2 tablespoons in a spice grinder. 2 tablespoons of whole chia seeds is equal to 4 tablespoons ground chia seeds.

* The yield of this recipe depends on the size of the tarts. The tins that I used were 2.5" diameter and 1" deep.