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
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!
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Is it possible to make it gluten free ?
I’ve never tried to but I guess that if you find a gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe you could make it gluten free. I hope this helps. Best, Carlo
I, too, am interested in a GF version in case anyone can figure out the pastry! This cake looks divine!!!
What does dl stand for in all of your recipes?
2.5 dl = 1 cup of liquid. Dl is a measurement unit we use in Europe 🙂 i hope it helps 🙂
I am going to try to make this in the next few days; with your version and experimenting with a GF version. We are hosting my husband’s family for Christmas; his father is from Lyon and is now 80 years old. I am trying your recipe; 1 because I’ve been eye-balling it for months and because I think my father-in-law would love to have some tastes of home. I’m also going to make Madeleines 🙂
I’ll let you know how it goes and thank you! I follow you on IG.
Ashley
You say baking soda in the list of ingredients but say baking powder in the instructions? Which is it?
Awww I‘m gonna change it now, it‘s baking powder as described in the ingredients! Thank you for asking 🙂
Baking powder or baking soda? You list both.
Just saw above, thanks!
Baking powder 🙂
Is it possible to use liquid vanilla instead of vanilla powder?
Sure 🙂
Hello Carlo, thank you for an amazing recipe cant wait to try it. Can you please tell is it the rugular boxed coconut milk or the full fat can one?
I usually use full fat boxed coconut milk. Both should work though.
Amazing reciepy, had so much fun making it and my friends loved it. First ever vegan dish I have done and also took an amazing picture of it. Thank you 😍😍
Can I use oat milk or any other plant based milk in this recipe?
Sure 🙂
Hello!
What is suggested temperature to bake?
Thank you!