Vegan Custard Tart
With plenty of vanilla flavor in every bite, this vegan custard tart is a crowd-pleasing dessert. Made with pantry staples in less than an hour, it features a buttery golden-brown crust and the creamiest vanilla custard. Enjoy with a dusting of nutmeg and fresh berries!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cup (187 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 and 1/2 tbsp (90 g) vegan butter (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated white sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Custard
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk (I used soy milk)
- 3 tbsp (36 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp (15 g) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (12 g) potato starch
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/16 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/8 tsp kala namak salt (optional)
- seeds from half of a vanilla bean (optional, for extra vanilla flavor)
- 2 tbsp (28 g) vegan butter
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to
350 °F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch (20 cm) metal pie pan with vegan butter. Set aside. - Combine the crust ingredients. Add the flour, butter, sugar, water, vanilla extract, and salt to a stand mixer or mixing bowl.
- Knead. Using the flat beater attachment, knead for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. It should form a smooth dough. Shape it into a thick disc.
- Flatten. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and top with another sheet of paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough to about 1/4 inch (5-7 mm) thick. Next, press the dough into the pan.
- Cut off the excess dough. Roll a rolling pin along the edges of the pan to trim the excess dough.
- Prick the bottom. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust 12-14 times.
- Fill with weights. Cover the bottom of your pie crust with a round piece of parchment paper, then top it with ceramic pie weights (or dried beans).
- Bake. Bake for 15 minutes or until the sides are slightly golden brown. Carefully remove the weights and the parchment paper, then bake for another 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely.
Custard
- Combine all of the ingredients. Add all of the custard ingredients except the butter to a saucepan and whisk until the starches are dissolved. Then, add the butter.
- Thicken. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until the custard reaches a boil and thickens.
- Pour into the crust. Immediately pour the hot custard into the baked pie crust and quickly flatten it into an even layer. Allow it to cool at room temperature for at least 40 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator. Chill overnight before enjoying.
- You can decorate it with ground nutmeg or cinnamon, chocolate shavings, and/or fresh berries! You can store this custard tart in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The crust will soften a bit after 3 days.
Notes
Flute the edges. For a nicer-looking crust, use a knife to flute the edges of the dough before baking. It's a great way to make your tart look a bit more elegant ;)
Dissolve the starches in cold milk. It's essential to whisk both the cornstarch and the potato starch into cold (or room-temperature) milk. Adding them to hot milk will yield a grainy texture.
Pour the custard immediately. As soon as the custard has thickened, pour it into the baked crust without waiting. If it sits too long, it will firm up and may form a skin.
