Strawberry & Vanilla Tart

Create a stunning vegan strawberry tart by layering sweet pastry, berry compote, pastry cream, and vanilla chantilly cream, then garnishing with fresh strawberries.

The Sweet Pastry

In a large mixing bowl, sift in the flour. Add the sugar, lemon zest and cold plant-based butter cubes. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir in the vanilla extract and cold water, mixing with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Press the dough into a smooth ball. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, but avoid making it too wet.

Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps to firm up the dough, making it easier to roll out.

Lightly flour a clean surface and your rolling pin. Roll out the dough to around 3-4mm thick. Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough to a 9inch pie dish, pressing it gently into the edges. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges.

Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Place parchment paper over the dough and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes. Remove the beans/rice and parchment paper, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden.

Making Strawberry Compote

Place the half of the chopped strawberries in a saucepan. Add the sugar and juice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the strawberries are all soft and just starting to fall apart and the liquid thickens, between 6 to 8 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the water and cornstarch together then add to the saucepan. Stir until the compote thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the other half of freshly chopped strawberries and allow to cool completely in a separate bowl.

Vanilla Pastry Cream

Add soy milk (350g), light brown sugar, cream, salt, agar powder and vanilla exact in a medium saucepan. Bring the ingredients to boil, while waiting, combine the soy milk (130g) with corn flour in a small bowl. Once at a boil, add the soy milk and cornflour mixture to the saucepan and cook for another minute, continuously whisking until thickened.

Remove the pastry cream from the heat and pour into a bowl. Cover the surface with cling film and allow to cool down to around room temperature, the cream should be warm not piping hot. Add the butter in small chunks and either emulsify with hand blender or whisk by hand.

Chantilly Cream

Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla together in a bowl using a electric whisk or by hand until the mixture forms soft peaks.

Assembly

Once the tart shell is completely cooled, spoon an even layer of strawberry compote on the base. Rest in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the compote to semi set. This helps create defined layers in your tart. Next, spread an even layer of pastry cream on top of the berry compote. 

Gently spread a layer of Chantilly cream over the pastry cream. Garnish the tart with fresh strawberry slices or whole berries. 

Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Chef Tips

Cool Each Component: Ensure the pastry crust, compote, pastry cream, and Chantilly cream are fully cooled before assembly to prevent sogginess.

Even Layers: Spread each layer evenly to create a balanced tart.

Chill Before Serving: Chilling helps the tart set properly, making it easier to slice and serve.