Name: Vegan Custard Cream Tart - Torta della Nonna
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 7 dl coconut milk; 2 dl almond milk; 160 g sugar; 70 g corn starch; a pinch of turmeric powder; a pinch of salt; 1/2 tsp vanilla powder; Lemon zest of one lemon; 400 g flour; 160 g brown sugar; a pinch of salt; 2 tsp baking powder; 1.5 dl coconut oil; 1 dl water; a handful of almond flakes

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This vegan Italian Custard Tart also named Torta della Nonna in Italian is a delicious tart made of shortcrust pastry and custard cream. The traditional recipe is obviously not vegan: shortcrust pastry has butter in it and custard cream is made of eggs and cow milk. So I made my own vegan version of it and the result is absolutely amazing!

How do I make a vegan Shortcrust Pastry?

All you need to do is placing flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl, add in water and coconut oil, knead briefly, wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Remember: the more you knead the dough the more the gluten develops and makes the pastry tough! We want our shortcrust pastry to be soft and crumbly so don’t over-knead it!

How do I make the Custard Sauce?

Place coconut milk, almond milk, cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla beans and turmeric in a food-processor or blender and process until smooth. Then pour the mixture in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until the cream is thick and glossy. Pour the cream into a glass bowl and set it over an ice bath so that the custard can cool quickly.

Quick note: It’s important to let the custard cool completely before filling the cake. Otherwise the top of the cake will break.

How do I assemble the tart?

The assembly of the tart is simple but in order for it to work out smoothly be sure to roll the pastry after it has been chilled in the fridge for 1 hour. The same applies to the custard, fill the tart only when it’s completely cold.

When both pastry and custard are ready to use start assembling the tart. Take the pastry out of the fridge and divide it into 2 pieces. One slightly larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece into a 2-3 mm-thick circle that is large enough to line the bottom and sides of the tart tin. Place it onto tart tin and press it with your fingertips so that it sticks to it.

Fill tart shell with custard and level the top. Roll the second pastry so that’s large enough to cover the top. Trim the excess pastry around the edges. Et voilá our Torta della Nonna is ready to be baked!

Almonds Flakes or Pine Nuts?

The traditional recipe calls for pine nuts but I didn’t find any so I used almond flakes. You can use the one you prefer.

If you try this vegan Italian Custard Tart, let me know! You can leave a comment, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag a photo #vegaliciously on Instagram! Buon appetito!

Vegan Custard Cream Tart – Torta della Nonna

Carlo Cao

This vegan Italian Custard Tart is a delicious tart made of shortcrust pastry and custard cream.

4.54 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Equipment

food-processor or blender

Ingredients

Custard cream

7 dl coconut milk
2 dl almond milk
160 g sugar
70 g corn starch
a pinch of turmeric powder
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
Lemon zest of one lemon

Shortcrust pastry

400 g flour
160 g brown sugar
a pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 dl coconut oil
1 dl water

Topping

a handful of almond flakes

Instructions

Puddingcreme

Add milk, sugar, cornstarch, turmeric, salt, vanilla powder and lemon zest to a food processor or blender and process for a few seconds.
Put the mixture in a saucepan and simmer over low heat while stirring constantly .
When the cream gets thicker and glossy, pour into a glass bowl and allow to cool completely.

Shortcrust pastry

Put flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl.
Add in oil and water and knead briefly with your hands until the dough is smooth.
Form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out, fill, bake

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
Lay a Ø 23cm tart tin with baking paper.
Remove the shortcrust pastry from the refrigerator and divide it into 2 pieces, in the ratio 1/3 – 2/3.
Roll out the larger piece on a flour-dusted surface into a 3mm thick circle big enough to line the bottom and sides of the tart tin.
Put the custard cream on the dough and smooth it out.
Roll out the remaining pastry and place over the custard cream. Press the edge slightly.
Using a sharp knife trim off excess pastry.
Sprinkle almond flakes or pine nuts over the cake.
Bake the tart in the middle of the oven for 45-50min.
Let it cool completely before serving.
Buon appetito!

Keyword cake, custard cream, tart, torta della nonna

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