Vegan Lemon Tart

Vegan lemon tart -  this vegan version of a classic tarte au citron is tangy, creamy, intensely lemony and utterly delicious. It consists of a crisp pastry shell filled with a baked lemon custard; you would never be able to guess that it contains no eggs or dairy!

Lemon tart or tarte au citron is one of my all time favourite desserts, and one that I hadn't had for many years since becoming vegan.

Given that the original uses so many eggs, as well as lots of cream and butter, it doesn't seem like the easiest recipe to veganise but I was determined to give it a shot!

I've had great sucess using silken tofu as an egg replacer in various recipes previously and it worked extremely well here too.

It took me a few lemon tarts to get all the ratios right but I finally cracked it and created a vegan lemon tart recipe that (to me at least) tastes almost exactly like I remember.

It is intensely lemony, with a smooth, creamy texture and crisp pastry. It is a very elegant dessert that is perfect for pretty much any occasion!

This is a baked vegan lemon tart, rather than one where the filling is cooked in a saucepan and then added to a pre-baked tart shell and chilled to set.

You absolutely could do that with the filling if you prefer, it is very similar to lemon curd; but I do think that the texture is nicer when it is baked instead.

What Do I Need To Make Vegan Lemon Tart?:

Silken tofu: silken tofu is a great egg replacer in this kind of recipe, providing a creamy, custardy texture without imparting any flavour. I don't think that there is a good substitute for the tofu I'm afraid.

Coconut cream: coconut cream replaces the double cream that is usually used in non-vegan lemon tarts. I buy it in a carton (Blue Dragon brand) but you can also use just the thick white part from a tin of chilled full fat coconut milk. In both cases use mostly the solid white part rather than the clear liquid.

You can swap the coconut cream for soy, oat or cashew cream; or if you are in the UK then the Elmlea Plant Double cream (not single) would be perfect.

Cornflour (cornstarch): I use cornflour to thicken and set the tart in place of the eggs. You may be able to use arrowroot instead but I haven't tested it.

Caster sugar: either caster or granulated sugar will work. I don't recommend swapping the sugar for a liquid sweetener (such as maple syrup) as that will affect the set.

Lemon juice and zest: Fresh really is best. It will work with bottled lemon juice but the flavour just isn't quite as good.

Vegan butter/margarine: a bit of melted vegan block butter/margarine makes the filling extra creamy and delicious. I tested it without but the tart definitely tastes better with it and it also helps the set so I don't recommend omitting it. You will also need some for the pastry.

Ground turmeric: this is totally optional but a pinch of ground turmeric gives the tart more of a lemony yellow colour in place of the egg yolks. You only need a little bit, the tart becomes more yellow as it bakes so don't overdo it.

How To Make Vegan Lemon Tart:

(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)

Start by making the pastry. Place the plain flour, icing sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk to mix or place them in a food processor and pulse until combined.

Add the cold diced vegan block butter and rub it in using your fingers or blend with the food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and no lumps of fat remain.

Add a tablespoon of cold vodka (or water) and mix; drizzle in a little cold water as needed to bring the pastry together into a ball.

Cover the pastry and pop it in the fridge for half an hour until it has firmed up a bit.

Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out thinly on a floured surface until it is large enough to line a 25cm/10 inch round tart tin.

Gently transfer the pastry to the dish and press it right into the corners. Trim off the excess pastry and prick the base all over with a fork.

Place the pastry base in the freezer for twenty minutes while you preheat the oven.

When the pastry is nice and cold, line it with tin foil, making sure that you press it right into the corners, then fill it with baking beans or dried rice. Make sure you spread them right into the corners.

Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil and rice/beans and return the tart shell to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until it is pale golden and crisp.

While the pastry is baking prepare the filling. Place the lemon juice, silken tofu, coconut cream, cornflour, sugar, melted butter and a pinch of ground turmeric (for colour) in a blender and blitz until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Stir in the lemon zest.

When the pastry case has finished baking, carefully pour in the filling and place it back in the oven.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling is set but still has a wobble. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely before refrigerating. Once cool, chill the tart for at least 4 hours before serving

Top Tips:

For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.

You need to use firm silken tofu, NOT regular tofu. It is most commonly the shelf-stable kind, not the fridge kind. In the UK it can usually be found either in the ‘Asian’ section of the supermarket (by the soy sauce), or next to the tinned beans. I use Mori-Nu or Clearspring. Make sure you drain off the excess liquid (no need to press it though).

For the pastry it is important to use a vegan block butter/margarine – the kind that comes in a foil wrapped block, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking. I use Naturli Vegan Block but Stork, Vitalite or Tormor blocks are also fine (not the tub versions).

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.

Using a bit of vodka instead of water to bind the pastry also helps to keep it crisp, as vodka has a lower water percentage. You can use water if you don’t want to use vodka though (you can’t taste it and the alcohol burns off during baking).

Let the tart cool completely at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill. This helps to prevent it from cracking. You may still end up with a slightly cracked tart, but this doesn't affect the flavour at all.

Ideally you should make this vegan lemon tart the day before you want to serve it as it needs to chill in the fridge for at least four hours, preferably longer.

The filling for this vegan lemon tart could also be used to make lemon meringue pie or lemon bars.

Can I Freeze This Vegan Lemon Tart?:

Yes, any leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Allow to defrost overnight or for at least several hours in the fridge before serving.

More Vegan Tarts And Pies:

Vegan Bakewell tart

Vegan pumpkin pie

Blueberry frangipane tarts

Vegan strawberry tart with coconut pastry cream

No-bake chocolate stem ginger tart

Blueberry pie with coconut oil crust

Starry mince pie tart

Mini vegan apple pies

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