Thursday 5 May 2022

Vegan Vanilla Custard Tart


Hands up if you're a fan of custard tarts!

This vegan version is sure to put a smile on your face. The filling is silky, creamy and indulgent. The pastry is delicate and golden. For the best results, leave the tart to chill in the fridge overnight as this will allow the filling to firm up nicely and hold its shape when sliced.

Note: for a soy-free alternative, you can replace the silken tofu with coconut cream.

Ingredients

(Serves 8-10)

For the crust

- 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour

- 1/3 cup vegan margarine

- 4 tbsp granulated or caster sugar

- 1-2 tbsp cold water

For the custard filling

- 1 cup (approx. 300g) silken tofu

- 1 cup dairy-free milk (such as soya, oat or rice milk)

- 4 heap tbsp corn flour

- 2 tbsp vegan margarine

- 4 tbsp caster sugar

- 1 tbsp vanilla extract

- 1/4 tsp turmeric

- 1/4 tsp kala namak (black salt)

To garnish

- ground nutmeg


Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

To make the pastry crust, use your hand to mix the flour, margarine and sugar together until it forms a soft dough. If it is too crumbly, add a little bit of water (half a tablespoon at a time) until it comes together.

On a clean, floured surface, roll the dough out into a thin circle (about 1/4 inch). Transfer to a 9 inch tart tin and gently push the pastry down into the corners and sides to form a crust. Use a fork to prick the base of the pastry multiple times, to allow air to escape while baking. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. Set the crust aside and leave to cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes.

To prepare the custard filling, place the silken tofu, dairy-free milk, corn flour, margarine and sugar in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a non-stick saucepan and add the vanilla extract, turmeric and black salt. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir continuously (to prevent lumps from forming) for 10-15 minutes until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon.  Take off the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Pour the custard into the crust and chill in the fridge for 4-5 hours. The custard should set further during this time.

Dust the chilled custard tart with a generous amount of ground nutmeg. Enjoy!

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.