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Vegan Christmas Pudding

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Vegan Christmas pudding – this vegan version of the classic British steamed Christmas pudding is rich, moist, fruity and boozy but not overly dense or heavy. It is easy to make and can be cooked in advance and matured for up to six months or eaten right away instead.

vegan Christmas pudding on a white plate on a cream cloth.

Christmas pudding is quite divisive, some people love it, some hate it. I am firmly in the ‘love’ camp though I do get why lots of people don’t like it; it does tend to be quite dense and heavy.

This vegan one is a little bit lighter than a lot of recipes, but is still rich and moist. It is packed with juicy rum soaked dried fruit and is lightly spiced and perfectly festive.

It is the perfect way to round off your Christmas dinner and I think that this vegan pudding is just as good as, if not better than, the classic suet and egg laden version.

Christmas pudding may seem tricky to make but it is actually incredibly simple. It does take five hours to steam so you need to make sure that you start making it fairly early in the day; but it is all hands off time while it is cooking.

It can be stored for up to six months before Christmas (see instructions below for how to store it), or made as little as a couple of days in advance. On the day it will take an hour to steam before serving.

vegan christmas pudding with a spoonful removed on a white plate on a cream cloth with glasses of rum in the background and pine cones.

How To Make Vegan Christmas Pudding:

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

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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 start making this vegan Christmas pudding the day before you want to steam it as the fruit needs to soak overnight.

Mix together dried raisins, currants and chopped dried dates and apricots (or use a different selection of dried fruits as you like) with the zest and juice of an orange and some rum, brandy or sherry, cover and leave to soak overnight. I give it a stir every now and again to ensure that the fruit is equally coated.

step 1 - soaking the dried fruit.

The next day, stir a peeled and grated cooking apple into the fruit mixture; Bramley apple is best but Granny Smith will do if you can’t get hold of them.

Next, stir in self-raising flour, fresh breadcrumbs, light brown soft sugar and mixed spice (pumpkin spice) followed by aquafaba, melted refined coconut oil, non-dairy milk and chopped almonds.

The aquafaba and coconut oil are absolutely the best replacements for the eggs and suet/butter that are usually used in Christmas pudding so I don’t recommend subbing them for anything else. As long as you use refined rather than virgin coconut oil your pudding won’t taste like coconut.

step 2 - making the pudding mixture

Grease a 1.2 – 1.4 litre pudding basin and place a disc of baking parchment in the bottom to prevent the top of the pudding from sticking.

Spoon the pudding mixture into the greased basin and pack it down firmly then level the top. It is ok if the mixture comes almost all the way up to the top of the basin as it doesn’t rise much but make sure that there is at least a centimetre gap at the top.

Make a fold in the middle of a square of baking parchment and the same again in a square of tin foil. Place the baking parchment on top of the pudding basin with the fold in the middle, followed by the tin foil. Press the foil over the edge of the pudding basin.

Tie a length of string very tightly around the foil – there should be a lip on the pudding basin; tie the string just under that. Tie a length of string across the top of the basin to make a handle. Trim off the excess foil and parchment, leaving at least a centimeter below the string.

step 3 - preparing the pudding basin

Place a saucer upside down in a large saucepan to act as a trivet and place the pudding basin on top. Pour boiling water into the pan so that it comes about halfway up the pudding basin, don’t let it touch the foil.

Place the lid on the pan and place over a low heat. Cook at a gentle simmer for five hours (it will do the pudding no harm to leave it to cook for a little longer however). Check every now and again to see if the water needs topping up but resist the urge to take the lid off the pan too often.

When it is cooked, the pudding should be a deep brown colour and be firm to the touch with a little bit of bounce. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.

step 4 - steaming the pudding

Once the pudding is done steaming, remove it from the pan and leave it to cool then remove the baking parchment and tin foil and replace them with fresh ones. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months, feeding it occasionally with rum or brandy.

On Christmas day, steam the pudding in the same way for one to two hours before serving it.

close up of vegan christmas pudding topped with pine cones and red berries.

Top Tips:

You can vary the dried fruit to suit you as long as you keep the same overall weight (450g). Dried cranberries, cherries and blueberries and chopped dried figs would be great options.

Christmas pudding is traditionally made on Stir Up Sunday, which is the last Sunday before the season of Advent; but it can be made any time up to six months in advance of Christmas, and as little as a couple of days beforehand if needed.

Traditionally, everyone in the household is meant to take a turn stirring the pudding mix and make a special wish for the year ahead.

This recipe uses fresh rather than dried breadcrumbs; to make fresh breadcrumbs simply remove the crusts from a couple of slices of slightly stale white bread, weigh out 70g worth and blend them in a food processor until finely chopped.

The aquafaba and coconut oil are absolutely the best replacements for the eggs and suet/butter that are usually used in Christmas pudding so I don’t recommend subbing them for anything else. As long as you use refined rather than virgin coconut oil your pudding won’t taste like coconut.

Any leftover Christmas pudding will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks and can be reheated as needed. It can also be frozen for up to one year provided it is well wrapped.

How To Store Christmas Pudding:

This vegan Christmas pudding can be stored for up to six months provided you make it with alcohol and feed it every week or two with a little more alcohol.

Once the pudding is done steaming, allow it to cool then remove the tin foil and baking parchment and replace them with fresh ones. Store it in a cool, dark place (like a cupboard). Every two weeks, take off the foil and parchment and drizzle over a tablespoon of rum or brandy.

The pudding will drink it up and become more rich and moist for Christmas.

If you want to make the pudding without alcohol then you will not be able to store it for more than a couple of weeks as it is the alcohol that preserves it.

The pudding can also be frozen for up to a year. Thaw overnight before heating it through to serve.

close up of vegan christmas pudding with a spoonful removed.

How To Flame A Christmas Pudding:

When serving a Christmas pudding, traditionally you are supposed to set it alight with flaming brandy first. This is totally optional of course but it is quite a spectacle!

To light your pudding, once it has had it’s second steaming, turn it out onto a wide serving plate with a lip; you don’t want to end up with flaming alcohol running over the edge of the plate and onto the table!

Place about 2-3 Tbsp of brandy, rum or vodka in a metal ladle. Hold the bottom of the ladle over a candle, tealight or gas hob to heat up the alcohol.

Carefully tilt the ladle sideways slightly so that the alcohol catches light (or use a match) then gently pour the flaming alcohol over the pudding and turn out the lights so that everyone can see the flames!

What To Serve With Vegan Christmas Pudding:

Traditionally, Christmas pudding is served with either brandy sauce or brandy butter, but it is also great with ice cream, custard or cream.

To make a vegan brandy sauce, place 3 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) in a pan and gradually whisk in 400ml non-dairy milk (soy or oat would be the best options here). Whisk in 75g caster sugar then bring the pan to the boil, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens.

Remove from the heat and stir in 3 Tbsp brandy (or rum), the seeds from 1 vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste) and 100ml plant based cream (such as soy or oat). Serve the sauce warm with the pudding.

More Vegan Christmas Recipes:

vegan Christmas pudding on a white plate on a grey cloth in front of a grey background with glasses of rum, a jug of custard and pine cones.

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

*All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe then please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full.*

vegan Christmas pudding on a white plate on a light grey cloth.
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Vegan Christmas Pudding

Vegan Christmas pudding - this vegan version of the classic British steamed Christmas pudding is rich, moist, fruity and boozy but not overly dense or heavy. It is easy to make and can be cooked in advance and matured for up to six months or eaten right away instead.

Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword pudding
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Soaking Time: 12 hours
Servings 8 people
Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

  • 150 g (5.3oz) raisins
  • 100 g (3.5oz) currants
  • 100 g (3.5oz) chopped dried dates
  • 100 g (3.5oz) chopped dried apricots
  • 4 Tbsp brandy/rum/sherry
  • finely grated zest and juice of 1 medium orange
  • 1 medium cooking apple (about 220g unpeeled weight) (Bramley is best) peeled, cored and grated
  • 100 g (3/4 cup + 2Tbsp) self-raising flour
  • 70 g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs*
  • 100 g (1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp) light brown soft sugar
  • 1 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin spice)
  • 75 g (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp) melted refined coconut oil
  • 3 Tbsp aquafaba (the liquid drained from a tin of chickpeas)
  • 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk
  • 40 g (1.4oz) chopped almonds (optional)

Instructions

  1. You need to start making this vegan Christmas pudding the day before you want to steam it as the fruit needs to soak overnight. Mix together the raisins, currants and chopped dried dates and apricots with the rum/brandy/sherry and the orange zest and juice. Cover and leave to soak overnight. I give it a stir every now and again to ensure that the fruit is equally coated.

  2. The next day, stir the peeled, cored and grated cooking apple into the fruit mixture.

  3. Next, stir in the self-raising flour, fresh breadcrumbs, light brown soft sugar and mixed spice followed by the aquafaba, melted refined coconut oil, non-dairy milk and chopped almonds.

  4. Grease a 1.2 - 1.4 litre pudding basin and place a disc of baking parchment in the bottom to prevent the top of the pudding from sticking. Put the kettle on.

  5. Spoon the pudding mixture into the greased basin and pack it down firmly then level the top. It is ok if the mixture comes almost all the way up to the top of the basin as it doesn't rise much but make sure that there is at least a centimetre gap at the top.

  6. Make a fold in the middle of a square of baking parchment and the same again in a square of tin foil. Place the baking parchment on top of the pudding basin with the fold in the middle, followed by the tin foil. Press the foil over the edge of the pudding basin.

  7. Tie a length of string very tightly around the foil – there should be a lip on the pudding basin; tie the string just under that. Tie a length of string across the top of the basin to make a handle. Trim off the excess foil and parchment, leaving at least a centimeter below the string.

  8. Place a saucer upside down in a large saucepan to act as a trivet and place the pudding basin on top. Pour boiling water into the pan so that it comes about halfway up the pudding basin, don't let it touch the foil.

  9. Place the lid on the pan and place over a low heat. Cook at a gentle simmer for five hours (it will do the pudding no harm to leave it to cook for a bit longer than that). Check every now and again to see if the water needs topping up but resist the urge to take the lid off the pan too often.

  10. When it is cooked, the pudding should be a deep brown colour and be firm to the touch with a little bit of bounce. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.

  11. Once the pudding is done steaming, remove it from the pan and leave it to cool then remove the baking parchment and tin foil and replace them with fresh ones. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months, feeding it occasionally with rum or brandy.

  12. On Christmas day, steam the pudding in the same way for 1-2 hours before serving it. See instructions in the post above for how to flame it.

Recipe Notes

  • For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely and read the post above for all of the tips and information. As always, I highly recommend 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.
  • *To make fresh breadcrumbs simply remove the crusts from a couple of slices of slightly stale white bread, weigh out 70g worth and blend them in a food processor until finely chopped.
  • You can vary the dried fruit to suit you as long as you keep the same overall weight (450g). Dried cranberries, cherries and blueberries and chopped dried figs would be great options.

vegan christmas pudding pinterest image

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

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Vegan pumpkin pie – this vegan version of the classic American dessert is easy to make and indistinguishable from the original. It consists of a creamy, custardy spiced pumpkin filling with crisp pastry; you would never be able to guess that it is eggless and dairy free!

vegan pumpkin pie on a metal plate on a grey background with maple pecans.

Pumpkin pie is one of those incredibly American dishes that just hasn’t really caught on here in the UK, and I have to admit that I have never really been a huge fan of it; until I baked this amazing vegan pumpkin pie that is!

This recipe totally changed my mind about pumpkin pie, after rapidly devouring multiple slices I was an absolute convert!

The filling is perfectly spiced, sweet, but not too sweet and just the right level of creamy and custardy, while still being firm enough to cut into neat slices.

The crisp pastry is a lovely contrast to the soft, smooth filling, and a few maple roasted pecans added just before serving make it even more moreish!

Three slices of vegan pumpkin pie on a metal plate.

The secret to the perfect set custard-like texture of the pumpkin filling is silken tofu. Don’t run away! I promise you can’t taste the tofu at all!

I tested various different types of fillings, some using coconut milk, some yogurt; but for me, the tofu based one blew all of the others clean out of the water!

You need to use firm silken tofu, which is the shelf-stable kind, not the fridge kind. In the UK it can usually be found either in the international section of the supermarket (by the soy sauce), or next to the tinned beans.

This vegan pumpkin pie is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving if you are in the US, or just for any Autumnal celebration!

close up of vegan pumpkin pie topped with maple pecans.

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Pie:

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

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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.*

This vegan pumpkin pie ideally needs to chill in the fridge overnight so start the day before you want to serve it.

Start by making the pastry. Place plain flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined.

Add cold diced vegan block butter or coconut oil (or a mixture of both) and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and no lumps of fat remain.

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

step 1 - making the pastry

Cover the pastry and pop it in the fridge for half an hour until it has firmed up. If you are using coconut oil the pastry will firm up very quickly and it will be unworkable if it gets too cold so keep a close eye on it.

Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface until it is large enough to line a 23cm/9 inch round pie dish or a 25cm/10 inch round tart tin.

Gently transfer the pastry to the dish and press it right into the corners. Crimp the edges or trim off the excess pastry as you prefer and prick the base all over with a fork.

step 2 - lining the pie dish

The coconut oil version is quite delicate but if it cracks then you can just press it back together with your fingers.

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 15 minutes or so, until it is golden and crisp.

step 3 - blind baking the pastry

While the pastry is baking prepare the filling, it is super quick and easy!

Just place silken tofu (drain off the excess water first), tinned pumpkin puree, cornflour (cornstarch), sugar, maple syrup, spices, vanilla and salt in a blender and blitz until totally smooth.

It is quite a thick mixture so you may need to scrape down the sides a couple of times. If your blender has a tamper tool then that will come in handy.

step 4 - making the filling.

Once the pastry case has finished blind baking, pour the filling into the case and spread it level. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set but still has a slight wobble in the middle.

step 5 - baking the pie

If you use a 9 inch pie dish it will take nearer the 45 minute mark to cook through, and if you use a wider, shallower 10 inch tart tin it will take less time to cook.

Once the pie is baked, leave it to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating it overnight.

close up of a slice of vegan pumpkin pie with a forkful removed.

Top Tips:

Make this vegan pumpkin pie the day before you want to serve it as it needs to chill in the fridge overnight.

The pastry can be made with either a vegan block butter/margarine (NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking), or with refined coconut oil; or you can even use half and half if you like. The coconut oil version is a bit more delicate and difficult to work with but both kinds are delicious.

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).

I used individual spices in my pie but you can swap them for 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice blend instead.

For the filling you need to use firm silken tofu, which is 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.

Let the pie cool completely at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill. This prevents the pie from cracking. 

Any uneaten pie can be frozen for up to two months.

The maple pecans are optional but delicious; they also make a great snack!

Side view of vegan pumpkin pie.

Can I Make It In Advance?:

Yes! This vegan pumpkin pie will keep in the fridge for up to five days. The maple pecans can be made in advance as well and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Don’t add them to the pie until just before serving however as the maple coating will begin to melt after a while.

More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes:

vegan pumpkin pie on a grey background with a bowl of maple roated pecans, two forks and a blue cloth.

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

*All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe then please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full.*

vegan pumpkin pie on a metal plate on a grey background with maple pecans.
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Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Vegan pumpkin pie - this vegan version of the classic American dessert is easy to make and indistinguishable from the original. It consists of a creamy, custardy spiced pumpkin filling with crisp pastry; you would never be able to guess that it is eggless and dairy free!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pie
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Chilling Time 12 hours
Servings 10 people
Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Pastry:

  • 250 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 50 g (1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 150 g (5.3 oz/ 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp) vegan block butter/margarine (or 125g (4.5 oz) refined coconut oil) cold and diced
  • 1 Tbsp cold vodka optional
  • a little cold water as needed

Pumpkin Filling:

  • 425 g (one 15oz can) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 250 g (8.8 oz) firm silken tofu (drain off the excess liquid)
  • 150 g (3/4 cup) caster/granulated sugar
  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
  • 40 g (4 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Maple Roasted Pecans (optional):

  • 200 g (2 cups) pecans
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp demarera sugar
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

Pumpkin Pie:

  1. Start by making the pastry. Place the plain flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined.

  2. Add the cold diced vegan block butter or coconut oil (or a mixture of both) and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and no lumps of fat remain.

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

  4. Cover the pastry and pop it in the fridge for half an hour until it has firmed up. If you are using coconut oil the pastry will firm up very quickly and it will be unworkable if it gets too cold so keep a close eye on it.

  5. Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface until it is large enough to line a 23cm/9 inch round pie dish or a 25cm/10 inch round tart tin.

  6. Gently transfer the pastry to the dish and press it right into the corners. Crimp the edges or trim off the excess pastry as you prefer and prick the base all over with a fork. The coconut oil version is quite delicate but if it cracks then you can just press it back together with your fingers.

  7. Place the pastry base in the freezer for twenty minutes while you preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

  8. 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.

  9. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil and rice/beans and return the tart shell to the oven for 15 minutes or so, until it is golden and crisp. Place the baked shell on a wire rack and turn the oven down to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

  10. Place the pumpkin puree, silken tofu, cornflour (cornstarch), sugar, maple syrup, spices, vanilla and salt in a blender and blitz until totally smooth.

  11. Pour the filling into the case and spread it level. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set but still has a slight wobble in the middle. If you use a 9 inch pie dish it will take nearer the 45 minute mark to cook through, and if you use a wider, shallower 10 inch tart tin it will take less time to cook.

  12. Once the pie is baked, leave it to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature then refrigerate it overnight before serving.

Maple Pecans:

  1. Heat the oven to 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

  2. In a bowl, toss together the pecans, cinnamon, salt, sugar and maple syrup. Make sure that the pecans are well coated.

  3. Spread the pecans out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven, give them a good stir and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until they feel dry to the touch

  4. Leave to cool on the tray then transfer to an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

  • For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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.
  • Make this vegan pumpkin pie the day before you want to serve it as it needs to chill in the fridge overnight.
  • The pastry can be made with either a vegan block butter/margarine (NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking), or with refined coconut oil; or you can even use half and half if you like. The coconut oil version is a bit more delicate and difficult to work with but both kinds are delicious.
  • 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).
  • I used individual spices in my pie but you can swap them for 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice blend instead.
  • For the filling you need to use firm silken tofu, which is 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.
  • Let the pie cool completely at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill. This prevents the pie from cracking.
  • Any uneaten pie can be frozen for up to two months.
  • The maple pecans are optional but delicious; they also make a great snack!

three slices of pumpkin pie.

vegan pumpkin pie pinterest image

Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

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Vegan lemon blueberry cheesecake – this delicious eggless and dairy free baked cheesecake is easy to make and tastes amazing! The perfect dessert for Summer! Post sponsored by Tala.

Vegan lemon blueberry cheesecake on a metal plate with blueberries.

Tala recently challenged me to make a Summer baking recipe using their fantastic bakeware. I was keen on the idea of making a cheesecake because I realised that I hadn’t yet posted a vegan cheesecake recipe!

This vegan lemon and blueberry cheesecake is the perfect dessert for Summer, it is creamy, tangy and fruity and tastes just like a non-vegan cheesecake!

A slice of vegan lemon blueberry cheesecake on a glass plate with a forkful removed.

The filling is made using silken tofu (hear me out!), cashews and coconut cream, with a little flour and cornflour to thicken in place of the eggs and plenty of lemon juice and zest to add that cheesecakey tang.

You can’t taste the tofu at all, it just helps to provide a silky smooth texture and is low fat and high protein as a bonus! You need to get firm silken tofu which is the shelf stable kind, not the kind you would find in the fridge section. Most supermarkets have it, or you can easily find it online.

The cashews and coconut cream provide richness and make for that perfectly creamy, dense texture that is classic of a baked, rather than set, cheesecake.

Obviously the most important part of a cheesecake is the base (no crustless cheesecakes here please!), a biscuit base is of course the best kind, so that is what I have gone for here. I used supermarket own brand digestive biscuits which appear to be vegan friendly (McVities are not) to keep things traditional, but you could also use gingersnaps, Biscoff, Oreos or another vegan friendly variety.

The cheesecake is topped off with an easy blueberry compote which works wonderfully with the lemon flavour of the cheesecake and provides contrast to the dense, creamy texture. It also makes it look very pretty!

close up of the side of vegan lemon cheesecake topped with blueberry compote

How To Make Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake:

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

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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 start the day before you want to serve the cheesecake as it is best if it is refrigerated overnight.

Start by crushing your choice of biscuits for the base, you can do this in a food processor or put them in a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin.

Tip the crushed biscuits into a mixing bowl – this Indigo and Ivory Corn Design 30cm one by Tala is beautiful, sturdy and my new favourite mixing bowl!

Pouring crushed biscuits into a blue Tala mixing bowl.

Add in melted vegan block butter (not the spreadable kind in a tub) and stir until it resembles wet sand. Tip this mixture into a good, non-stick 20cm/8 inch round springform cake tin like this performance one from Tala, spread it out evenly and pack down firmly with the base of a glass.

Pouring melted butter into a blue Tala mixing bowl

Bake the base in a preheated oven for 10 minutes then set aside to cool.

The prepared cheesecake base

To make the filling, soak some raw cashew nuts in boiling water for half an hour, drain well then add to a blender along with silken tofu (no need to press it but do drain off any excess liquid first), coconut cream, lemon zest and juice, sugar, cornflour, flour, vanilla extract and salt.

This Indigo and Ivory Cook’s Dry Measure by Tala is perfect for accurately measuring out dry ingredients like sugar and flour, and it is a very attractive piece of equipment too!

Tala cooks dry measure

Blend until the mixture is totally smooth, you don’t want any pieces of cashew left. Let it settle for 5 minutes to allow some of the air bubbles to pop.

Meanwhile, wrap the bottom of the springform tin in a double layer of tin foil; the tin is going to be sitting in water so make sure that the top of the tin foil is high enough that no water is going to come over the top. Put the kettle on.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked base then bash the tin on the worktop a couple of times to burst any remaining air bubbles.

Pouring the cheesecake mixture into a Tala springform cake tin.

Place the tin in a roasting tray and place it in the oven. (I find it easier to add the water once the tray is in the oven so you don’t tip any over the top of the foil carrying it to the oven).

Pour boiling water into the roasting tin so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the tin. Be very careful that none goes over the top of the tinfoil.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. When it is ready it should be set but still jiggle if you tap it. Switch the oven off but leave the cheesecake in there (it’s fine to leave it in the water bath) and leave it to cool down slowly for an hour or so then allow it to cool completely at room temperature before you cover it and place in the fridge overnight.

Tala kitchen timer

(I am terrible at keeping track of how long things have been in the oven for, so this lovely Tala kitchen timer from their Indigo and Ivory range is proving to be very useful for me!).

While the cheesecake is baking make the blueberry sauce, simmer fresh blueberries, sugar and lemon juice until the berries have softened then add a little cornflour mixed with cold water and simmer for another couple of minutes until it has thickened. Leave to cool then refrigerate.

Pouring sugar into a pan of blueberries

vegan baked cheesecake on a metal platter on a grey background with blueberries, blueberry compote and forks.

How To Prevent Cheesecake From Cracking:

Cracking is a very common problem when it comes to baked cheesecakes and while it doesn’t affect the taste at all it can be very annoying. Here are all my tips to try to prevent your cheesecake from cracking:

  1. Get all of the air bubbles out of the batter – air bubbles in the cheesecake mixture can rise to the surface and cause cracks. Give the mixture a bit of time to settle after blending and then once you have poured it into the tin, give the tin a good bash on the worktop a couple of times to burst any remaining bubbles.
  2. Use a good non-stick springform tin like this 20cm one from Tala, if the cheesecake sticks to the sides of the tin, cracks can form as it cools and shrinks.
  3. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath – a water bath provides an even temperature and makes the oven humid which helps to prevent cracks. (See recipe instructions for how to make a water bath).
  4. Don’t over-bake the cheesecake – overbaking can cause the cheesecake to dry out which is a major source of cracks. The cheesecake is ready when it is set, but still jiggly if you tap it.
  5. Don’t open the oven door  – avoid opening the oven door until the cheesecake is almost done as drafts and drops in temperature can cause cracks.
  6. Leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven – cooling down too quickly can cause cracking so once the cheesecake is done, switch the oven off and leave it in there for an hour or so to cool down slowly. Then allow it to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.

How To Fix A Cracked Cheesecake:

Even if you follow all of the steps above, sometimes your cheesecake may crack anyway but don’t be disheartened, all is not lost!

The easiest way to fix a cracked cheesecake is to simply top it with something – like the blueberry sauce on this vegan lemon and blueberry one, that way you won’t be able to see the cracks. Fruit compote, chocolate ganache or sliced fresh fruit all work well.

Otherwise, once your cheesecake has chilled in the fridge overnight (or for at least four hours), you can dip a palette knife in boiling water, dry it with a tea towel and gently smooth over the cracks. Dip and dry the knife as needed. You wont get a perfectly smooth top, but it definitely helps!

A slice of baked vegan lemon cheesecake topped with blueberry compote on a glass plate.

More Vegan Berry Recipes:

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan lemon blueberry cheesecake on a metal plate with blueberries.
5 from 1 vote
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Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Vegan lemon blueberry cheesecake - this delicious eggless and dairy free baked cheesecake is easy to make and tastes amazing! The perfect dessert for Summer!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American, vegan
Keyword cheesecake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling Time: 12 hours
Servings 10 people
Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Base:

  • 250 g (9oz) vegan friendly digestive biscuits (or another variety of biscuit/cookie) crushed
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) vegan block butter (not the spreadable kind in a tub) melted

Filling:

  • 80 g (1/2 cup) raw cashews soaked in boiling water for 30 mins then drained
  • 450 g (16 oz) firm silken tofu* excess water drained off
  • 280 ml (1 cup + 3 Tbsp) coconut cream**
  • finely grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 120 ml (1/2 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3-4 lemons)
  • 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
  • 30 g (1/4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 20 g (2 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Blueberry Compote:

  • 250 g (9oz) fresh blueberries
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp water divided
  • 50 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
  • 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

Instructions

  1. You need to start the day before you want to serve the cheesecake as it is best if it is refrigerated overnight. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

  2. Place the crushed biscuits in a bowl and mix in the melted vegan butter. It should resemble wet sand. Tip this mixture into a good, non-stick 20cm/8 inch round springform cake tin, spread it out evenly and pack down firmly with the base of a glass.

  3. Bake the base in the preheated oven for 10 minutes then remove and set aside to cool.

  4. To make the filling, place the soaked and drained cashews in a blender along with the silken tofu, coconut cream, lemon zest and juice, sugar, flour, cornflour, vanilla extract and salt and blend until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Let it settle for 5 minutes to allow some of the air bubbles to pop.

  5. Meanwhile, wrap the bottom of the springform tin in a double layer of tin foil; the tin is going to be sitting in water so make sure that the top of the tin foil is high enough that no water is going to come over the top. Put the kettle on.

  6. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked base then bash the tin on the worktop a couple of times to burst any remaining air bubbles. Place the tin in a roasting tray and place it in the oven.

  7. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the tin. Be very careful that none goes over the top of the tinfoil.

  8. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. When it is ready it should be set but still jiggle in the middle if you tap it. Switch the oven off but leave the cheesecake in there (it's fine to leave it in the water bath) and leave it to cool down slowly for an hour or so, then allow it to cool completely at room temperature before you cover it and place in the fridge overnight.

  9. While the cheesecake is baking make the blueberry sauce, place the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and 1 Tbsp of the water in a pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the berries have softened then mix the cornflour with the remaining Tbsp water, add it to the pan and cook while stirring for another minute or so until it has thickened.

  10. Remove from the heat, allow to cool then refrigerate overnight.

  11. Once the cheesecake is chilled, run a knife around the edge to make sure it isn't sticking to the tin then undo the clip and remove the rim of the tin. Pour the chilled blueberry compote over the top and serve.

Recipe Notes

* Silken tofu is the kind that comes in a shelf stable tetra pack, NOT the kind of tofu you would find in the fridge section of the supermarket. Make sure you get one that is labelled 'firm' rather than 'soft'.

You can also swap the tofu for vegan cream cheese if you prefer.

** I used coconut cream that comes in a carton. If you aren't able to get hold of coconut cream then you can use a tin of full fat coconut milk - don't shake or stir it; use all of the solid white part then top up to the 280ml line with the leftover liquid.

For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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

close up of vegan lemon blueberry cheesecake

This post is sponsored by Tala, thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to continue doing what I love – playing with food and making a mess of my kitchen.

Blueberry Frangipane Tarts (Vegan)

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Vegan blueberry frangipane tarts – these delicious little eggless and dairy free blueberry bakewell tarts are a perfect Summer treat! Lovely for dessert or Afternoon tea.

Vegan blueberry frangipane tarts on a dark baking tray.

These individual vegan blueberry frangipane tarts are like a blueberry version of a bakewell tart. They consist of crisp shortcrust pastry filled with almond frangipane, blueberry jam, fresh blueberries and flaked almonds.

They make a great dessert, particularly if you serve them with ice cream or custard, are lovely as part of an afternoon tea, or they are perfect just eaten as a snack with a cup of tea or coffee.

blueberry frangipane tarts on a metal background with a forkful removed.

Vegan Frangipane:

The recipe for this perfect vegan frangipane is adapted from one by the very talented Lazy Cat Kitchen.

The eggs are replaced with the magic ingredient that is aquafaba (the liquid drained from a tin of chickpeas) which works perfectly to create a frangipane that is textured somewhere between a cake and a baked custard.

I use melted vegan block butter in place of the usual dairy butter; during testing I tried using both melted and creamed vegan butter and the melted version had a far superior, less greasy texture, so definitely go with melted.

You can also use melted coconut oil in place of the butter, though butter gives a better, more traditional flavour. I use Naturli vegan block for all of my baking, but Stork block or Vitalite block will also work.

Frangipane doesn’t usually contain a raising agent, but I added a teeny bit of baking powder to replace the lift that would usually be provided by the eggs.

Blueberry bakewell tarts in a line on a metal background with blueberries and flaked almonds.

How To Make Vegan Blueberry Frangipane Tarts:

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

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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.*

To make the pastry, place plain flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.

Add cold, diced vegan block butter and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in a little cold vodka (or water), until the pastry comes together into a ball.

Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap it, and place it in the fridge for half an hour to chill.

step 1 - making the pastry

Divide the chilled pastry into 6 even pieces (I slice it into triangles with a bench scraper) and roll each one into a ball. Roll each ball out thinly on a floured surface so that it is large enough to line an 8-9cm/3.25-3.5in loose bottomed tart tin.

Carefully lift the pastry into the tin and press it right into the corners and up the sides. Roll over the top with a rolling pin to trim off the excess pastry. Reserve the trimmings.

Repeat with the rest of the balls of pastry then gather together the trimmings, divide in half and roll each into a ball. Roll out as before and line another two tart tins. You should get 8 tarts in total.

step 2 - lining the tart tins

Prick the pastry cases all over the base with a fork then place them in the freezer for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Line each of the frozen pastry cases with a square of tin foil, pressing it right into the corners. Fill each one with baking beans or dried rice then bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the tin foil and beans/rice and return the pastry cases to the oven for 5 minutes then remove and set aside.

step 3 - blind baking the tarts

To make the frangipane, whisk together melted vegan butter and sugar then whisk in flour and cornflour followed by the aquafaba. Finally, mix in the ground almonds, baking powder and almond and vanilla extracts.

step 4 - making the frangipane.

Spread a heaped tsp of blueberry jam over the base of each tart shell then spread a couple of heaped Tbsp of the frangipane over the top, making sure that the jam is fully covered. The frangipane will puff up a little in the oven so don’t fill them more than 3/4 full.

Scatter some fresh blueberries over each one, making sure that they aren’t too close to the edge as any juice that seeps out can cause the pastry to stick to the tin if it bubbles over.

Finally, scatter over some flaked almonds then bake the tarts for about 30-35 minutes, until nicely browned.

step 5 - baking the tarts.

Close up of a blueberry frangipane tart sliced in half.

Variations:

These vegan blueberry frangipane tarts will work with pretty much any kind of fruit you like, just vary the jam to suit you and top with cherries, strawberries, blackberries, currants, sliced apple, pear or apricots.

You can also bake it as one large (approx 25cm) tart instead of mini ones, in which case it will take around 45 minutes to bake.

Tips For Making The Best Vegan Blueberry Frangipane Tarts:

Blueberry jam: You can use either home-made or shop bought blueberry jam. I made my own using this lovely recipe from Camilla at Fab Food 4 All.

Crisp pastry: For the best, crispy pastry, make sure that you don’t overwork it or let it get too warm. Freezing the tart shells prior to blind baking them 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).

Aquafaba: To get aquafaba, just use the liquid drained from a tin of chickpeas or white beans.

Butter: You MUST use the solid block kind of vegan butter/margarine, not the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking. Some examples of brands are: Naturli vegan block (my favourite), Stork block, Vitalite block, Tomor block, Earth Balance buttery sticks.

How long will they keep?: The tarts will keep for about three days in an airtight container at room temperature. If it is very warm out they may be best stored in the refrigerator.

Blueberry frangipane tarts on a metal background and a wire rack with a pot of blueberry jam.

More Vegan Tarts And Pies:

 

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Vegan blueberry frangipane tarts on a dark baking tray.
5 from 2 votes
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Vegan Blueberry Frangipane Tarts

Vegan blueberry frangipane tarts - these delicious little eggless and dairy free blueberry bakewell tarts are a perfect Summer treat! Lovely for dessert or Afternoon tea.

Course Dessert
Cuisine British, vegan
Keyword tarts
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Pastry:

  • 200 g (1 +2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 50 g (1/2 cup) ground almonds
  • 50 g (1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 150 g (5.3 oz / 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp) vegan block butter (NOT the spreadable kind. I use Naturli Vegan Block) cold and diced
  • 1 Tbsp cold vodka (or water)

Frangipane:

  • 70 g (2.5 oz / scant 1/3 cup) melted vegan block butter (I use Naturli Vegan Block)
  • 110 g (1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp) caster sugar
  • 35 g (1/3 cup + 2 tsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 5 g (1/2 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) aquafaba
  • 175 g (1 + 3/4 cups) ground almonds
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp almond extract
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

To Finish:

  • about 8 heaped tsp blueberry jam
  • about 110 g (4oz / 3/4 cup) fresh blueberries
  • large handful flaked almonds

Instructions

  1. To make the pastry, place the flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.

  2. Add the diced cold butter and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the cold vodka (or water), until the pastry comes together into a ball.

  3. Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap in clingflim (or an environmentally friendly alternative) and place in the fridge for half an hour.

  4. Divide the chilled pastry into 6 even pieces and roll each one into a ball. Roll each ball out thinly on a floured surface so that it is large enough to line an 8-9cm/3.25-3.5in tart tin.

  5. Carefully lift the pastry into the tin and press it right into the corners and up the sides. Roll over the top with a rolling pin to trim off the excess pastry. Reserve the trimmings.

  6. Repeat with the rest of the balls of pastry then gather together the trimmings, divide in half and roll each into a ball. Roll out as before and line another two tart tins. You should get 8 tarts in total.

  7. Prick the pastry cases all over the base with a fork then place them in the freezer for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

  8. Line each of the frozen pastry cases with a square of tin foil, pressing it right into the corners. Fill each one with baking beans or dried rice then bake for 15 minutes.

  9. Remove the tin foil and beans/rice and return the pastry cases to the oven for 5 minutes then remove and set aside.

  10. To make the frangipane, whisk together the melted vegan butter and the sugar then whisk in the flour and cornflour followed by the aquafaba. Finally, mix in the ground almonds, baking powder and almond and vanilla extracts.

  11. Spread a heaped tsp of blueberry jam over the base of each tart shell then spread a couple of heaped Tbsp of the frangipane over the top, making sure that the jam is fully covered. The frangipane will puff up a little in the oven so don't fill them more than 3/4 full.

  12. Scatter some fresh blueberries over each one, making sure that they aren't too close to the edge as any juice that seeps out can cause the pastry to stick to the tin if it bubbles over.

  13. Finally, scatter over some flaked almonds then bake the tarts for about 30-35 minutes, until nicely browned.

  14. Leave to cool in the tins for 20 minutes before turning out. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

You will need 8 approx 8-9cm/3.25-3.5in tart tins.

For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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.

Vegan blueberry tarts arranged on a metal background with fresh blueberries and flaked almonds.

Vegan Strawberry Tart With Coconut Pastry Cream

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Vegan strawberry tart with coconut pastry cream – crisp coconut oil pastry filled with vegan coconut milk creme patisserie and topped with fresh strawberries. The perfect dessert for Summer! Egg and dairy free. Post sponsored by Portmeirion.

Vegan strawberry tart on a green platter with a bowl of strawberries and glasses of Pimms.

The lovely people at Portmeirion recently challenged me to create a summery al-fresco sharing dish to show off their beautiful Atrium range of British made pottery.

As soon as I saw the stunning green Atrium embossed platter I decided I had to make a strawberry tart as I knew it would look so perfect displayed on it. And it does!

Close up shot of fresh strawberries piled on top of a vegan tart with coconut pastry cream.

The arrival of Summer means more al fresco dining; and garden parties, barbecues and picnics are a perfect excuse to get people together over some good food. Dining with friends and family is so important but we don’t do it often enough.

This year Portmeirion are focusing on getting people together with their #GetTogether campaign. All you need is some good food for a lovely gathering, but taking the table out into the garden on a sunny day and adding some nice crockery and flowers will turn a get together into something really special.

Tag your photos with #GetTogether on Instagram to be added to Portmeirion’s gallery.

A slice of vegan strawberry tart on a floral plate.

Vegan Strawberry Tart:

Strawberry tart is a French patisserie classic, but given that it usually contains lots of eggs and dairy it’s not exactly vegan friendly.

Thankfully, it’s not too difficult to create a vegan version that is still absolutely delicious; and pretty easy to make too!

To make the pastry, cold coconut oil makes a perfect swap for butter and results in wonderfully crisp pastry. It is quite delicate pastry to work with, and can be prone to cracking, but you can just press it back together if it does, no harm done.

For the pastry cream, full fat coconut milk gives a really smooth, creamy result; with cornflour (cornstarch) to thicken it and a bit of vegan butter (you can also use coconut oil) to replace the richness usually provided by the egg yolks and to help the pastry cream set.

To finish, I think that it needs nothing more than a scattering of fresh sliced strawberries. But if you want a neat, beautiful tart like the kind you would find in a patisserie, then you can arrange the halved strawberries in concentric circles and brush them with a little redcurrant jelly or apricot jam that you have warmed through in a pan until it is runny to glaze.

This vegan strawberry tart is the perfect Summery dessert to end a garden party or barbecue with; it goes wonderfully with a glass of champagne or Pimms!

Vegan strawberry tart, glasses of champagne and Pimms and strawberries and cream on a grey background.

Portmeirion Atrium Range:

The Atrium range from Portmeirion is an absolutely beautiful range of British made crockery which is perfect for eating alfresco, as well as dinner parties and just every day dining.

As well as being really stylish, the products are all very sturdy and high quality so there is no need to worry about taking them outside. And they are dishwasher and microwave safe too!

A floral patterned jug full of cream with a bowl of strawberries.

Find out more about the Atrium range:

Embossed Platter

Embossed Large Jug

Champagne Flutes

Stemless Wine Glasses

Floral Cream Jug

Floral Side Plates

Geometric Bowls

A large embossed green jug with flowers in it.

How To Make Vegan Strawberry Tart:

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

*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend 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.*

Start by making the pastry case as it needs to be blind baked. Place plain flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.

Add cold, diced coconut oil and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make sure that no lumps of coconut oil remain. If you don’t have a food processor then you can rub the coconut oil in by hand but it might take you a while!

Add some cold vodka and water and blend again until the pastry starts to come together. You can add a drop more water if needed. Bring the pastry together into a ball with your hands.

step 1 - making the pastry.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle big enough to line a 25cm/10 inch tart tin. (If the pastry is too soft then you can pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up a little but don’t let it get too cold or it will be hard to roll out.)

Very carefully lift the pastry into the tart tin and press it right into the corners. It is quite delicate but if it cracks then you can just press it back together with your fingers. Roll over the top of the tin with a rolling pin to trim off the excess pastry.

Prick the bottom all over with a fork then place it in the freezer for 20 minutes while you heat up 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.

Bake for 25 minutes then remove the tin foil and rice/beans and return the tart shell to the oven for 15 minutes or so, until it is golden and crisp. Once it is cool it can be stored in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Step 2 - blind baking the pastry

Vegan Pastry Cream:

To make the coconut pastry cream; place some cornflour (cornstarch) in a pan and gradually whisk in full fat coconut milk (the tinned kind), making sure that there are no lumps of cornflour – you don’t want lumpy creme pat!

Add soy milk (or another non dairy drinking milk), sugar and vanilla extract. (Vanilla bean paste is best if you can get it).

Place the pan over a medium-low heat and stir constantly until it comes up to the boil and becomes very thick. Once it has thickened, cook while stirring for one minute, no more.

step 3 - cooking the pastry cream

Remove the pan from the heat and add some vegan block butter or coconut oil (it must be block butter such as Naturli Vegan Block, Stork or Vitalite block or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. The spreadable kind in a tub is too soft.).

Stir until it is melted and smooth then transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with baking parchment directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and pop it in the fridge until it is completely cold. It can be made a day or two in advance.

Step 4 - adding the butter

Once cold, the pastry cream may have set quite firm. Just give it a really good stir with a wooden spoon and it will become smooth and creamy. If it is lumpy then you can press it through a sieve to remove the lumps.

To serve, fill the tart shell with the pastry cream and top with a pile of freshly sliced strawberries. You can also use any other kind of fruit that you like too.

Close up of vegan strawberry tart on a green plate.

Coconut Oil Pastry:

Coconut oil pastry is wonderfully crisp and delicious. It is a little more awkward to work with than pastry made with butter or margarine however.

It is utterly un-workable with when it is too cold as it becomes extremely hard and crumbly. I like to make the pastry and roll it out right away, THEN chill it thoroughly before baking.

It can be made in advance and stored, well wrapped, in the fridge. You will need to let it come up to room temperature for at least an hour before rolling it out however. If it is still too cold you can give it a good squeeze with your hands to help soften it.

I find that it is best made in a food processor, as the cold coconut oil is tough to rub in by hand – it is do-able but will take you a while!

I also have a (not-so) secret ingredient to help create perfectly crisp and flaky pastry – vodka! Adding too much liquid to pastry to bring it together can make it tough. But unlike water, alcohol doesn’t contribute to the formation of gluten (which leads to leathery crusts); it also evaporates very quickly in the oven, leaving you with crisp, tender pastry.

You can’t taste it at all in the pastry and if you don’t have vodka then gin, whisky, rum or brandy will all work too.

Close up of the side of a vegan strawberry tart to show the pastry.

Can I Make This Vegan Strawberry Tart In Advance?:

Both the tart shell and pastry cream can be made up to a couple of days in advance of serving. Store the tart shell in an airtight container and the pastry cream covered in the fridge.

Once assembled the tart should be eaten the same day, the fresher the better. But any leftovers will keep in the fridge for a day of two.

You might also like my vegan no-bake chocolate tart with stem ginger and my vegan blueberry pie.

If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

Close up of vegan strawberry tart on a green plate.
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Vegan Strawberry Tart

Vegan strawberry tart with coconut pastry cream - crisp coconut oil pastry filled with vegan coconut milk creme patisserie and topped with fresh strawberries. The perfect dessert for Summer! Egg and dairy free.

Course Dessert
Cuisine baking, British, vegan
Keyword tart
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Pastry:

  • 200 g (1 + 2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 50 g (scant 1/2 cup) ground almonds
  • 50 g (1/2 cup) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 125 g (4.5 oz) cold coconut oil diced
  • 30 ml (2 Tbsp) cold vodka
  • 1 Tbsp cold water (plus extra as needed)

Coconut Pastry Cream:

  • 60 g (6 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 400 ml (one 14 oz can) full fat coconut milk (the tinned kind, NOT the drinking variety)
  • 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) soy milk (or another non-dairy drinking milk)
  • 100 g (1/2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla bean paste is best)
  • 60 g (1/4 cup) vegan block butter (or coconut oil)
  • 500 g (1 lb) fresh strawberries sliced

Instructions

  1. To make the pastry, place the plain flour, ground almonds, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.

  2. Add the cold, diced coconut oil and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make sure that no lumps of coconut oil remain. If you don't have a food processor then you can rub the coconut oil in by hand but it might take you a while!

  3. Add the cold vodka and 1Tbsp water and blend again until the pastry starts to come together. You can add a drop more water if needed. Bring the pastry together into a ball with your hands.

  4. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle big enough to line a 25cm/10 inch tart tin. (If the pastry is too soft then you can pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up a little but don’t let it get too cold or it will be hard to roll out.).

  5. Very carefully lift the pastry into the tart tin and press it right into the corners. It is quite delicate but if it cracks then you can just press it back together with your fingers. Roll over the top of the tin with a rolling pin to trim off the excess pastry.

  6. Prick the bottom all over with a fork then place it in the freezer for 20 minutes while you heat up the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

  7. Line the chilled pastry case with tin foil, making sure that you press it right into the corners, then fill it with baking beans or dried rice.

  8. Bake for 25 minutes then remove the tin foil and rice/beans and turn the oven down to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Return the tart shell to the oven for 15 minutes or so, until it is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

  9. To make the coconut pastry cream; place the cornflour (cornstarch) in a pan and gradually whisk in the full fat coconut milk, making sure that there are no lumps of cornflour. Add the soy milk, sugar and vanilla extract.

  10. Place the pan over a medium-low heat and stir constantly until it comes up to the boil and becomes very thick. Once it has thickened, cook while stirring for one minute, no more.

  11. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vegan block butter or coconut oil. Stir until it is melted and smooth then transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cover with baking parchment directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and pop it in the fridge until it is completely cold.

  12. Once cold, the pastry cream may have set quite firm. Just give it a really good stir with a wooden spoon and it will become smooth and creamy.

  13. To serve, fill the tart shell with the pastry cream and top with the freshly sliced strawberries. Ideally the tart shouldn't be assembled until shortly before serving.

Recipe Notes

You will need a 25cm/10 inch round tart tin; preferably with a loose bottom.

This post is sponsored by Portmeirion, thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to continue doing what I love – playing with food and making a mess of my kitchen.

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