Delicious & Easy Vegan Strawberry Custard Tart: A Perfect Eggless Summer Dessert

Prepare to delight your taste buds with this incredible Vegan Strawberry Custard Tart! It’s a surprisingly simple yet utterly elegant dessert that perfectly captures the essence of summer. Imagine a luscious, creamy, eggless custard nestled within a crisp, flavorful almond butter crust, generously topped with an abundance of vibrant fresh strawberries. This delightful tart offers all the comfort of a classic strawberry cream pie, reimagined for a plant-based diet, making it a light, refreshing, and absolutely delicious treat for any occasion.

If you’re planning any intimate gatherings or summer parties, this easy strawberry tart recipe is an absolute must-add to your menu. Its make-ahead nature allows for stress-free entertaining, and it’s the ideal way to celebrate the bounty of seasonal summer berries and stone fruits. While we’ve highlighted strawberries here – making it perfect for Canada Day festivities – feel free to get creative! Incorporate raspberries and cherries for a burst of mixed berry flavor, or even add blueberries for a patriotic Fourth of July dessert. The versatility of this vegan custard tart ensures it will be a crowd-pleaser no matter the occasion.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Strawberry Custard Tart

This dessert isn’t just delicious; it’s also incredibly rewarding to make and enjoy. Here’s why this vegan strawberry custard tart will become your new favorite:

• Effortlessly Elegant: Despite its impressive appearance, this tart is surprisingly easy to prepare, making you look like a pastry pro with minimal fuss.
• Perfectly Plant-Based: Completely vegan and eggless, it’s suitable for various dietary needs without compromising on flavor or texture.
• Crispy & Nutty Crust: The almond butter crust offers a delightful crunch and rich, nutty flavor that beautifully complements the creamy filling.
• Creamy, Dreamy Custard: Our simple, eggless custard recipe delivers a wonderfully smooth and rich consistency that’s incredibly satisfying.
• Fresh Summer Flavors: Topped with an abundance of fresh, juicy strawberries, it’s a light, refreshing, and seasonally perfect treat.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: The crust and custard can be prepared in advance, freeing up your time on the day of serving.
• Versatile & Customizable: Easily adapt the fruit topping to include your favorite summer berries or stone fruits.

Essential Ingredients for Your Vegan Strawberry Custard Tart

While this recipe might seem a bit sophisticated, it actually requires just a handful of simple ingredients – 11 to be precise – to create a truly spectacular dessert. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

• Almond Butter: Forms the base of our deliciously crispy and nutty crust, providing rich flavor and binding the ingredients.
• Coconut Oil: Helps create a tender, flaky crust while also contributing to the crust’s structure and flavor.
• Coconut Sugar: A natural sweetener for the crust, offering a hint of caramel notes.
• Salt: Enhances all the flavors in the crust, balancing the sweetness and richness.
• Whole Wheat Flour: Provides structure to the crust, making it sturdy yet crumbly.
• Full Fat Coconut Milk: The star of our creamy, rich custard, providing a luxurious texture and subtle coconut flavor.
• Unsweetened Vanilla Cashew Milk: Adds another layer of creaminess and a delicate vanilla essence to the custard. Other nut milks work too!
• Maple Syrup: Our natural liquid sweetener for the custard, giving it a lovely sweetness.
• Cornstarch: The essential thickener for our eggless custard, ensuring it sets beautifully.
• Fresh Strawberries: The star topping, adding vibrant color, natural sweetness, and a refreshing burst of flavor.
• Sliced Almonds: An optional but highly recommended garnish, adding extra crunch and nutty notes.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Vegan Custard Tart with Strawberries

Creating this stunning vegan strawberry custard tart is an enjoyable process. Follow these detailed steps to achieve a perfect dessert every time.

1. Prepare the Crispy Almond Butter Crust

The foundation of our tart is a simple yet incredibly flavorful almond butter crust. It comes together quickly and bakes to a beautiful golden crisp.

• Step 1: Assemble Ingredients & Prep Pan. Gather all your crust ingredients. Grease a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom using non-stick cooking spray or a little coconut oil. This ensures easy release and perfectly clean slices.
• Step 2: Melt Wet Ingredients. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the almond butter and coconut oil. Microwave for about 30 seconds, then stir until they are fully combined and smooth, creating a runny mixture. This step makes it easier to incorporate the dry ingredients evenly.
• Step 3: Sweeten & Season. Stir in the coconut sugar and a pinch of salt. The sugar adds a subtle sweetness, and the salt balances the flavors, enhancing the overall taste of the crust.
• Step 4: Form the Dough. Add the whole wheat flour to the wet mixture. Use a fork, a spoon, or even your hands to gently incorporate the flour until a crumbly dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the crust tender.
• Step 5: Press & Chill. Press the dough mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared tart pan. Make sure to press it up and around the sides to form a neat edge. Refrigerate the crust for at least 30 minutes. Chilling is crucial as it helps the crust firm up, preventing it from shrinking during baking and ensuring a crisp texture.

• Step 6: Bake the Crust. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Before baking, use a fork to prick holes all over the bottom of the tart crust. This important step prevents the crust from puffing up unevenly while baking, ensuring a flat base for your custard. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn a beautiful golden brown.
• Step 7: Cool Completely. Remove the baked crust from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s essential that the crust is fully cooled before adding the custard to prevent the filling from becoming soggy.

2. Prepare the Silky Vegan Custard Filling

This eggless custard is surprisingly simple to make, requiring just four key ingredients and a bit of whisking to achieve a perfectly smooth and creamy texture.

• Step 8: Whisk Liquid Ingredients. Once your tart crust has cooled down, begin preparing the vegan custard. In a small saucepan, whisk together the full-fat coconut milk, unsweetened vanilla cashew milk, and maple syrup until well combined.
• Step 9: Add Thickener. Gradually whisk in the cornstarch until it is completely dissolved and no lumps remain. This ensures a smooth custard.
• Step 10: Thicken the Custard. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the custard mixture to a low boil, whisking continuously. Constant whisking is key to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan, burning, or forming lumps. This process typically takes about 10 minutes.
• Step 11: Achieve Desired Thickness. Once you see bubbles forming on the surface, continue whisking for another 1-2 minutes. The mixture will visibly thicken into a rich, creamy custard consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon.
• Step 12: Pour & Chill. Remove the thickened custard from the heat and carefully pour it into the cooled tart crust, spreading it evenly. Immediately place a sheet of wax paper directly on the surface of the hot custard. Gently smooth out any air bubbles, ensuring the wax paper fully touches the custard. This technique prevents a skin from forming on top as it cools. Refrigerate the tart for 4-6 hours to allow the custard to fully set and firm up.

3. Assemble and Serve Your Tart

The final step is the most rewarding: adding the fresh toppings and preparing your tart for serving!

• Step 13: Garnish & Serve. Once the custard is perfectly set, gently peel off the wax paper. Arrange your fresh, halved strawberries artfully on top of the custard. For an added textural contrast and nutty flavor, sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve your magnificent vegan strawberry custard tart immediately to enjoy it at its best!

Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Custard Tarts

Here are some common questions to help you master this delicious vegan dessert:

What is vegan custard made of?
Vegan custard is typically crafted using a blend of plant-based milks and natural sweeteners, thickened with a starch like cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Our recipe specifically uses full-fat coconut milk, which is key for an incredibly rich and firm custard, alongside cashew milk for added creaminess and subtle flavor. The result is a dairy-free, eggless custard that rivals its traditional counterpart in texture and taste.

How long does it take to thicken custard?
On medium heat, it usually takes approximately 10 minutes for the custard mixture to begin bubbling and show initial signs of thickening. Once you observe these bubbles, continue whisking vigorously for just another 1-2 minutes. During this short period, the cornstarch will fully activate, and the custard will rapidly thicken to the desired luscious consistency.

How long does it take for vegan custard to set?
This particular eggless custard requires a good amount of time to properly chill and set in the refrigerator. Plan for it to set for approximately 4-6 hours. For best results and the firmest possible custard, chilling it overnight is often ideal.

How do you prevent a skin from forming on top of custard?
Preventing a thin, undesirable skin from forming on the surface of custard is simple. The moment you pour the hot custard into the tart crust, immediately and carefully place a piece of wax paper (or parchment paper) directly onto the surface of the custard. Smooth it out gently to ensure there are no air bubbles trapped underneath and that it touches every part of the custard. This barrier protects the custard from air exposure. Once the custard is completely set, simply peel the wax paper off, and you’ll reveal a perfectly smooth, unblemished surface.

How do you store this strawberry cream tart?
To maintain optimal freshness and texture, this tart should be stored in the refrigerator. For best results, store the tart without the fresh fruit and almond topping. These delicate toppings should only be added just before serving to prevent them from becoming soggy or losing their vibrant appearance.

Can you freeze a custard tart?
Unfortunately, custard generally does not freeze well. Freezing can cause it to separate and become watery upon thawing, compromising its creamy texture. Additionally, the crust may become soft and soggy once thawed. Therefore, we do not recommend freezing this tart.

Can you make this tart in advance?
Absolutely! This recipe is perfectly suited for making in advance, which is one of its greatest advantages, especially for entertaining. Both the crust and the custard require significant cooling and setting time. You can prepare this tart up to 24 hours in advance. Just remember to hold off on adding the fresh strawberry and almond topping until right before you plan to serve it.

How long will this vegan custard tart last?
Without the fresh strawberry and almond topping, the tart will remain delicious for 2-3 days when stored in the refrigerator. After the second day, you might notice the tart crust starting to soften slightly. If you’ve already added the fresh fruit topping, it’s best to enjoy the tart within the same day to ensure the fruit remains fresh and the crust stays crisp.

Additional Recipe Tips and Ingredient Substitutions

Achieve perfection with your vegan strawberry custard tart by keeping these helpful tips in mind, and feel free to explore alternative ingredients:

• Tart Pan Size Matters: While the recipe calls for a 9-inch round tart pan, a 10-inch pan can also work, as demonstrated in this recipe. The critical factor is to ensure that you press the dough up and around the sides of the pan to a height of at least 3/4 inches. If the crust edges are too low, the creamy custard filling might spill over during pouring or setting, leading to a mess.
• Removable Bottom for Easy Serving: For the cleanest tart slices and effortless removal from the pan, a tart pan with a removable bottom is highly recommended. If you only have a standard pie plate, it will certainly work; just be prepared for a slightly less defined edge when serving.
• Don’t Skip Chilling and Pricking the Crust: Refrigerating the crust for at least 30 minutes before baking is crucial. This step helps to firm up the almond butter, preventing the crust from shrinking excessively in the oven. Additionally, remember to prick holes generously into the bottom of the crust with a fork. This allows steam to escape during baking, preventing the crust from puffing up and ensuring a perfectly flat base for your custard.
• Nut Milk Variations for Custard: This recipe uses unsweetened vanilla cashew milk for its smooth texture and mild flavor. However, other unsweetened plant-based milks will work just as well. For example, you can achieve excellent results using plain unsweetened almond milk, perhaps with an extra splash of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor. Always opt for unsweetened varieties to control the overall sweetness of your custard.
• Optional Agave Drizzle: For an extra touch of sweetness and a beautiful sheen, consider drizzling a little agave syrup over the fresh strawberries just before serving. This step is entirely optional but adds a lovely finish. If you don’t need the tart to be strictly vegan, a light drizzle of honey would also be a delicious alternative.

Other Delicious Vegan Summer Fruit Recipes You Might Enjoy

If you’ve loved this vegan strawberry custard tart, be sure to explore these other fantastic plant-based summer dessert recipes:

• Strawberry Oat Bars: A wholesome and delightful treat perfect for breakfast or a snack.
• Blueberry Cardamom Crisp: A warm and comforting dessert with fragrant spices and juicy blueberries.
• Cherry Chocolate Chip Nice Cream: A healthy and refreshing ice cream alternative made with frozen fruit.
• Healthy Peach Crisp Bars: Portable and delicious bars showcasing the sweet flavor of fresh peaches.

We’d absolutely love to hear from you! If you make this delightful vegan strawberry custard tart, please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

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