Strawberry Tart

This strawberry tart with custard is a classic Italian-inspired dessert made with a crunchy, flaky, and tasty tart crust that is quick and easy to make in just about 10 minutes without needing to roll it out.

We bake the crust in the oven until crunchy, then fill it with our silky, creamy, lemon vanilla custard, which we make dairy and egg-free.

With little practice, you can make this strawberry tart in less than 1 hour, from start to finish. There's no kneading, no resting, and no waiting before eating!

It's a delicious treat that will wow anyone thanks to its bright colors, crunchy crust, sweet, creamy filling, and the strawberries' fresh sweet flavor and juicy texture.

And the best part? You can serve it to your vegetarian and vegan friends and family as the recipe is egg and dairy-free.

Strawberries

Use fresh strawberries; frozen strawberries won't work for this recipe.

You can replace strawberries with other fresh fruit like peach, kiwi, and blueberries or a mix of fruits like our fruit tart.

We like to add some fresh mint leaves on top of the tart for color and a fresh mint aroma.

For the pie crust

Flour

We recommend using all-purpose flour to make the crust.

You can also use whole-wheat flour, but you'll have to add 1 extra tablespoon of water.

We haven't tried gluten-free flour.

Sugar

You can use white or brown sugar.

Vegetable oil

Canola oil or sunflower oil is best. You can replace them with any other neutral-flavored vegetable oil.

Oil is much easier to work with than butter as it doesn't melt. Also, it produces a lighter and crunchier crust that you'll love in this recipe.

Water

Water helps make the crust flakey, light, and crisp as it bakes. Cold tap water is fine.

Aromas

You can use the zest of fresh citrus fruit like lemon, lime, and orange. We used lemon here.

Baking powder

Since there are no eggs will use baking powder to make the crust crumbly and flakey. Do not skip this! It makes all the difference in a dairy-free and egg-free crust.

For the custard

Milk

We love using half coconut milk and half almond milk to make a rich, silky, and super creamy vanilla custard.

You can replace this combination with any milk of your choice, including soy milk, dairy milk, almond milk, and more.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch helps us thicken the custard.

Sugar

You can use white or brown sugar.

Turmeric

Turmeric acts as a food coloring, and you won't taste it. You'll only need ⅛ of a teaspoon to make your custard beautifully yellow.

Substitute yellow food coloring for turmeric.

Aromas

We use lemon peel to match the flavor of the custard to that of the crust. We also add vanilla extract or the seeds of a vanilla pod.

You can substitute orange peel or lime peel for the lemon peel.

Equipment

You need a 9-inch or 10-inch (24- or 26cm) tart or pie pan.

1. Make the crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line the bottom of your tart pan with parchment paper and brush the sides with oil.

To a bowl, add flour, salt, and baking powder; whisk to combine and set aside.

To a large mixing bowl, add grated lemon zest, sugar, oil, and water, and mix with a spatula.

Add the dry ingredients and stir until the flour absorbs the liquids and you get a dough ball.

Don't overmix it, or the crust won't be flaky. They should be just combined.

Transfer the dough to the center of your prepared tart pan and flatten it with your hands, covering the bottom and sides.

Trim the dough in excess, if any, then pierce the bottom and sides with a fork to prevent the tart from bubbling in the oven.

Bake at 350°F or 180°C for 18 minutes, then take it out of the oven, let it cool down for 10 minutes, and remove it from the tart pan before applying the custard.

2. Make the custard

You can make the custard while the tart bakes.

To a saucepan, add all ingredients for the custard: coconut milk, non-dairy milk, sugar, cornstarch, lemon peel (not lemon zest), vanilla extract, and turmeric.

Whisk well until the cornstarch is dissolved.

Bring the pot on the stove and whisk on medium heat until the custard thickens; then discard the lemon peel.

The whole process should take you about 3 minutes. Now let the custard cool down for 10 minutes, occasionally whisking to prevent it from lumping up.

3. Build the strawberry tart

Pour the custard into the crust and spread it out with a spatula.

Slice each strawberry lengthwise into three slices, then apply the strawberry slices to the custard, as shown in the picture.

Top with mint leaves or edible flowers, and enjoy.

There are many easy and delicious variations of this tart:

• Lemon tart
• Apricot tart
• Blueberry tart
• Apple tart
• Fruit tart
• Crostata with jam
• Kiwi tart
• Mini apple tarts

Make ahead: it's best to make the tart the same day you eat it to preserve the crunch and flakiness of the crust.

Room temperature: if you eat this tart on the same day, then you can leave it out in the open, covered, on your kitchen counter.

Refrigerator: to store it for longer, keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The longer it stays in the refrigerator, the softer the crust gets as it absorbs moisture.

Freezer: you should not freeze the finished tart; however, you can freeze the dough wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before use.

In the mood for something sweet and easy? Check out these delicious fruit-packed desserts:

• Apple cake
• Pear cake
• Lemon blueberry cake
• Blueberry pound cake
• Orange cake
• Carrot cake

All our cakes and desserts are eggs and dairy-free, suitable for vegans and vegetarians.