This vegan Manchester tart is a retro British school dinner recipe, consisting of crisp pastry filled with raspberry jam, desiccated coconut and custard.
It is light, creamy and not too sweet, yet extremely comforting and satisfying, and it's easy to make too!
What Is Manchester Tart?
Manchester tart is a variation on an earlier recipe by the Victorian cookery writer Mrs Beeton - Manchester pudding, which consisted of puff pastry topped with jam and custard and a sprinkling of sugar.
It later evolved to become a shortcrust pastry case filled with raspberry jam, custard and desiccated coconut, topped with a maraschino cherry. It was a staple dessert served in British school canteens during the 1960s-1980s. Interestingly, it was also apparently listed as one of the top five favourite foods of children in the East End of London during the Second World War.
Some recipes include a layer of sliced banana under the custard, that is really not for me, but do feel free to include it if you are so inclined.
This vegan Manchester tart may be a fairly simple recipe but it is honestly one of my absolute favourites. The combination of the smooth, creamy custard, sweet, tangy raspberry jam, rich coconut and crispy, buttery pastry is just pure perfection!
Ingredient Details:
Custard powder: This is what sets the custard. Most custard powders are vegan friendly (such as Bird's, which is what I used), but do check the packet just in case.
Vegan single cream: I find that vegan custard made solely with milk tastes a bit lean and is lacking the richness that you would get from using egg yolks and/or full fat milk, so I use part milk, part single cream. I used Oatly, but Alpro would also be good. You could also use full fat coconut milk.
Non-Dairy Milk: I recommend using unsweetened soy milk as it has a neutral flavour and creamy texture. If you can't use soy then a creamier milk like cashew or oat would be best.
If your milk is sweetened then you may want to reduce the sugar a little to compensate.
Vegan butter: For the best results you really need to use a block butter/margarine, not the spreadable kind in a tub. I use Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Butter.
Sugar: You will need both icing (powdered) sugar and either caster or granulated sugar. This vegan Manchester tart cannot be made with sweeteners or liquid sugars.
Jam: Raspberry jam is traditional, either with or without seeds.
Desiccated coconut: You want to make sure that you use unsweetened coconut, sweetened would make the tart far too sweet.
Glacé cherries: Also known as candied cherries, you can either use natural coloured ones or the bright red dyed cherries. While traditional recipes seem to top the tart with a single cherry, that seems unfair for a tart this size, so I decorate it with one per slice.
Plain flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour is best for the pastry.
Ground almonds: Adding some ground almonds (almond flour) to the pastry gives it a better flavour and texture. You can just use more plain flour instead if you want though.
How To Make Vegan Manchester Tart:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: To make the pastry, mix the flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Step 2: Add the cold vodka and mix to combine. Gradually add enough cold water to bring the pastry together into a ball. Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Step 3: Roll the pastry out into a circle big enough to line a 25cm round tart tin. Press the pastry right into the corners then roll over the top with a rolling pin to trim off the excess. Prick the base with a fork.
- Step 4: Freeze the pastry case for 20 minutes then line it with baking parchment or tin foil, and fill with baking beans or dried rice.
- Step 5: Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil and baking beans and return the tart shell to the oven for a further 10 minutes until pale golden.
- Step 6: Spread the jam over the base of the cooled pastry case and sprinkle over half of the coconut.
- Step 7: To make the custard, place the custard powder in a saucepan and whisk in a splash of the milk to make a smooth paste.
- Step 8: Whisk in the rest of the milk, the cream, sugar and vanilla extract.
- Step 9: Place the pan over a medium heat and stir constantly until it comes up to the boil and thickens.
- Step 10: Stir for a couple of minutes until it has cooled slightly then scrape it through a fine mesh sieve to make sure it is free from lumps.
- Step 11: Pour the custard into the pastry case and gently spread it level.
- Step 12: Sprinkle over the rest of the coconut then refrigerate the tart for at least 4 hours until it is set.
Top Tips:
USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
It is important to chill the pastry before rolling it out, otherwise it will be too soft and you will struggle to roll it.
For the best, crispy pastry, make sure that you don’t overwork it or let it get too warm. Freezing the tart shell prior to blind baking it helps to make the pastry crisp and stops it from shrinking too much.
If you want to save time you can use shop bought shortcrust pastry instead. Many are vegan friendly - Jus Roll pastry is vegan (apart from the 'all-butter' one).
FAQ's:
Keep the tart in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days though it is best eaten on the day it is made.
The pastry case can be made and blind baked up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
The custard needs to be poured into the tart case while it is warm so that it sets, otherwise it will be too runny to slice, so unfortunately it cannot be prepared in advance of assembling the tart.
No, this tart cannot be frozen. The custard is set with cornstarch and freezing cornstarch set mixtures can cause them to break down and become runny.
Custard powder is essentially just cornflour (cornstarch) with some flavourings and colourings so you can just use an equal weight of cornflour (cornstarch) instead. Increase the vanilla extract to 3 teaspoons and add an optional pinch of turmeric for colour.
More Classic British Recipes:
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Vegan Manchester Tart
Equipment
- 25 cm/10 in round loose bottomed tart tin
- baking beans
- fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 200 g (1 + ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 50 g (½ cup) ground almonds (almond flour)
- 30 g (⅓ cup) icing (powdered) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 130 g (½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) vegan block butter cold
- 1 Tablespoon cold vodka or water
Custard:
- 45 g (6 Tablespoons) custard powder*
- 350 ml (1 ½ cups) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- 250 ml (1 cup) vegan single cream (I use Oatly)
- 70 g (⅓ cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
To Assemble:
- 200 g (⅔ cup) raspberry jam
- 100 g (1 ¼ cups) unsweetened desiccated coconut divided
- 10-12 glace cherry halves
Instructions
- To make the pastry, mix the flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and no lumps of butter remain.200 g (1 + ⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, 50 g (½ cup) ground almonds (almond flour), 30 g (⅓ cup) icing (powdered) sugar, ¼ teaspoon table salt, 130 g (½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) vegan block butter
- Add the cold vodka (if using) and mix to combine. Gradually add enough cold water to bring the pastry together into a ball (about 1-2 Tablespoons). Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for about an hour until firm enough to roll out.1 Tablespoon cold vodka or water
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle big enough to line a 25 cm/10 in round loose bottomed tart tin. Press the pastry right into the corners then roll over the top of the tin with a rolling pin to trim off the excess.
- Prick the base of the pastry shell all over with a fork then place it in the freezer for 20 minutes until solid. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/gas mark 5.
- Line the pastry case with baking parchment, pressing it right into the corners, then fill with baking beans or dried rice, making sure that the sides are propped up.
- Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil and baking beans and return the tart shell to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes until very pale golden and dry to the touch. If the sides look like they are getting too dark before the base is cooked, cover them with strips of tin foil. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Once the pastry has cooled completely, spread the jam evenly over the base then sprinkle over half of the coconut.200 g (⅔ cup) raspberry jam, 100 g (1 ¼ cups) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- To make the custard, place the custard powder in a saucepan and whisk in a splash of the milk to make a smooth paste. Try and make sure that there are no lumps. Whisk in the rest of the milk, the cream, sugar and vanilla extract.45 g (6 Tablespoons) custard powder*, 350 ml (1 ½ cups) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy), 250 ml (1 cup) vegan single cream (I use Oatly), 70 g (⅓ cup) caster or granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Place the pan over a medium heat and stir constantly with a balloon whisk until it comes up to the boil and thickens. Remove from the heat and continue to stir gently for a couple of minutes just to cool it slightly.
- Use a spatula to scrape the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to ensure that it is free from lumps.
- Pour the (still warm) custard into the pastry case and gently spread it level, trying not to disturb the jam. Sprinkle over the rest of the coconut. Refrigerate the tart for at least 4 hours, until completely cooled and set.
- Optionally decorate the tart with glace cherry halves before serving.10-12 glace cherry halves
Notes
- *It is especially important to weigh this ingredient rather than using Tablespoons as a difference of a few grams can significantly change the set and texture of the custard. You can use cornflour (cornstarch) instead of the custard powder, plus an extra teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of turmeric for colour.
- See post above for tips, details, storage instructions and step-by-step photos.
- All of my recipes are developed using grams, and as with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scale rather than the cup coversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
Rosie
Just made this for the first time and it's gorgeous! Eating my first Manchester tart and living in Manchester,UK 🙂
Lucinda Baldwin
This was absolutely delicious, really crisp pastry, silky custard and satisfying sweetness from the jam. It went down really well with everybody. A great recipe!