This easy blueberry almond tart features sweet juicy berries baked over a layer of almond cream in a fuss-free, flakey puff pastry crust for a simple yet impressive vegan dessert.
Thank you to Stahlbush Island Farms for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.
If you’re new to making pastry desserts, this vegan puff pastry tart is the perfect pie recipe to start with. This vegan blueberry pie is easy to make, has no fussy steps…and it is meant to look rustic so the pressure for perfection is off!
This free-form tart is also known as a galette or sweet crostata, and is basically an open-faced pie. It’s a ruggedly good looking, quick dessert but impressive enough for serving company!
You may be wondering how this vegan blueberry tart stands out from all the others. Well, under those perfectly baked berries, is a luscious layer of vegan frangipane (aka almond cream)!
It’s All About the Fillings
Blueberries and almonds together is a delicious flavor pairing – they complement each other beautifully. This peach almond tart is another example of how delicious fruit and almonds are together! And let’s not forget the classic (gone vegan!) Bakewell tart featuring frangipane with raspberries.
Frangipane is an almond cream of sorts. If you like marzipan, you’ll love frangipane which is more custard like in texture. Traditionally made with eggs, egg-free frangipane can be made using eggless custard powder or cornstarch to thicken. For the almond flavor, we use both ground almonds and almond extract.
Not only is the frangipane delicious, but it also helps keep the pastry crisp. No soggy bottomed pie here! The frangipane is a tasty barrier between the juicy blueberries and the puff pastry pie crust.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Adaptable – I use blueberries here, but feel free to use your favorite berries or berry mix. Frozen berries or fresh berries both work. Use puff pastry or regular pie pastry – homemade or store-bought!
- Quick & Easy – Blend up the almond filling, spread over the pastry, and top with the blueberry mixture. Pop it in the oven and you’re done! No special equipment or pastry chef skills needed to ace this simple and easy vegan tart recipe.
- Dairy-free, Egg-free, and Vegan – Perfect for everyone to enjoy! Use gluten-free pastry if needed.
How to Make This Blueberry Almond Tart
The following is an overview of how easy it is to make this vegan blueberry tart. Detailed step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
1. Make the fillings. For the almond cream layer, combine the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. It’s that easy! For the blueberry tart filling, toss the blueberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and a touch of vanilla. Have your oven preheating during this time.
2. Assemble the tart. Roll out the puff pastry, and spread the almond filling over the pastry. Pile the blueberry mixture onto the almond filling, and fold the pastry up about over the edge of the filling. Brush the crust with milk, then sprinkle with almond slices or coarse sugar.
3. Bake! The tart is done when the center is bubbling, and the pastry is golden brown. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, slice, and serve!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy blueberry galette:
- Ground Almonds – Used as a base for the frangipane (almond cream) layer. If you don’t have finely ground almonds, you can use blanched sliced or slivered almonds, and run them in the food processor for a minute or so. Scrape down the sides as needed, until they are ground up. Take care not to over process them so you aren’t left with greasy almond butter.
- Plant-Based Milk – Use whichever type you like best, I use soy. The milk is used for making the easy almond filling, and is also brushed on the tart crust as an egg wash substitute. It helps with browning the pastry, and allows the sliced almonds or coarse sugar to stick to the pastry.
- Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar is neutral tasting so those berry flavors shine. If your berries aren’t very ripe, you can increase the sugar by a tablespoon or two (12-24 g).
- Vegan Butter – I prefer using vegan butter blocks/sticks for a richer flavor over vegan butter sold in tubs (the water content is higher in the later). If you don’t have any butter, you can use coconut oil instead – to avoid having coconut flavor in the frangipane, use refined coconut oil which has been deodorized and so is neutral in flavor.
- Custard Powder – Bird’s custard powder is an egg-free, dairy-free powder which contains cornstarch (corn flour) with a bit of color and flavor to create that unique custard look and taste when simmered with milk. It’s been around for decades and is readily available online and in most grocery stores in the pudding section. If you don’t have custard powder, you can use an equal amount of cornstarch.
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract – This flavor extract enriches the almond taste in the filling.
- Salt
- Puff Pastry – Several brands like Tenderflake and Pepperidge Farm make accidently vegan puff pastry and are sold in the frozen section of many grocery stores. Pie dough (store-bought or homemade pie crust) can also be used to make a blueberry galette – you’ll need one pie crust worth of dough. The pie pastry will naturally be thinner; bake at a lower temperature (375°F/190°C/gas mark 5) for about 40-45 minutes.
- Blueberries – I used Stahlbush Island Farms‘ frozen blueberries which are flavorful and available year round. Fresh blueberries also work well if you’re looking for a vegan blueberry recipe to use up those summer berries. Other types of berries like raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or a mix of thereof, can be used instead of blueberries.
- Cornstarch (Corn Flour) – Cornstarch thickens the blueberry juices as the tart bakes. Tapioca powder and arrowroot powders work but create a less desirable texture.
- Lemon Juice – Compliments and brightens the blueberry flavors.
- Sliced Almonds – Not essential but when sprinkled over the tart crust, adds some visual and textural interest and flavor! If you don’t have any sliced almonds, you can sprinkle coarse sugar over the crust instead, or just leave it plain.
Storage & Make Ahead Suggestions
Like most pastries, this vegan blueberry almond galette is best served the day it’s made. However, the leftovers are still delicious! We enjoy it cold from the refrigerator for a quick breakfast pastry!
Refrigerator Storage: Due to the creamy almond layer, it’s best not to leave this vegan galette at room temperature for more than 3 hours. Once completely cool, store leftovers in an airtight container (or wrapped in foil or cling wrap) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The pastry will soften. To re-crisp, heat in a 350°F/177°C/gas mark 4 oven for about 5-10 minutes.
Freezer Storage: Cool the galette completely then gently transfer it (or slices of it) to an airtight container, or gently but firmly wrap in cling wrap. Freeze for up to a month to avoid the pastry absorbing odors and becoming freezer burnt.
To Prepare Frozen Baked Tart for Serving: Thaw the tart at room temperature for about 30 minutes on a baking sheet. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C/gas mark 4. Warm the tart in the oven for about 15 minutes to re-crisp the pastry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tarts and pies made with puff pastry are best served within a few hours of baking. Although they remain delicious, the puff pastry will soften over time as it absorbs moisture from the filling and the air. You may want to recrisp the pastry: preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C/gas mark 4. Heat the tart in the oven for about 15 minutes on a baking tray.
Cornstarch (corn flour) is my go-to for thickening pie fillings because of the smooth texture it creates as it thickens the berry juices, and it does so without making the filling cloudy. Tapioca powder and arrowroot powders work but create a less desirable texture.
No, defrosting blueberries (or any berry) before making the pie will result in a runny filling that will make assembling the tart very challenging and messy.
You can use most any other berries or berry blends.
1) Create a border: When layering the almond cream and berries, leave a 2″(5 cm) border of uncovered pastry, then fold this border over the edges of the fillings to act as a dam.
2) Instead of using a large baking sheet, bake the tart on a smaller tray (e.g. 9×13″ [23×33 cm]) so the sides of the tart are supported by the sides of the tray.
3) Use fresh blueberries. Frozen berries tend to leak more juice as they bake than fresh ones do. If you’re going for aesthetics and want a really tidy looking tart, fresh berries will help achieve this.
4) Preheat the oven for 15-20 minutes before baking the puff pastry tart. If the oven is not completely preheated, the pastry won’t puff properly to secure the filling. Instead, it will slump and the pie filling will leak out.
5) Use a good quality heavy baking sheet. Thinner, poor quality baking sheets will warp especially when the frozen filling is placed in the hot oven. This warping will make the tart unlevel and the berry juices will leak out.
More Vegan Berry Dessert Recipes:
- Raspberry Sweet Rolls
- Easy Blueberry Cobbler
- Berry Vanilla Layer Cake
- No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
- Oatmeal Berry Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Easy Strawberry Turnovers
If you make this Vegan Blueberry Almond Tart, please give it a rating in the recipe card and leave a comment below! Follow along on Instagram where you can tag me in your creations using my recipes! You can also follow me on Pinterest for vegan recipe inspiration and on Facebook. Thank you for reading!
Blueberry Almond Tart (Vegan)
Ingredients
For the Vegan Frangipane (Almond Cream) Layer:
- ¾ cup ground almonds* (see Notes)
- ⅓ cup plant-based milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp vegan butter (or refined coconut oil)
- 2 tbsp vegan custard powder* (see Notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
For the Blueberry Filling Layer:
- 4 cups blueberries (do not defrost if frozen)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Crust:
- 14-16 oz vegan puff pastry*, thawed according to package directions (or one sheet) (see Notes)
- 2 tbsp vegan milk
- sliced almonds
- coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the almond cream in a blender or food processor. Blend until a smooth mixture forms, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a rough rectangle about ¼” (½ cm) thick. Place the pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Place the blueberries in a medium sized bowl. Add in the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir well to evenly coat the berries.
- Spread the almond cream over the pastry with a spoon or offset spatula, leaving a 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) border of pastry uncovered.
- Carefully spoon the blueberries over the almond cream. Fold edges of the pastry up and over the edge of the blueberry filling.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the center is bubbling gently and the crust is golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. The filling will set as it cools further, allowing for tidier slices.
- Serve on its own, or with a dollop of whipped dairy-free cream or a scoop of ice cream.
- Store in an airtight container (or wrap in cling wrap or foil) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The pastry will soften. To recrisp the pastry, preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C/gas mark 4. Heat the tart in the oven for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition Info:
Notes:
Substitutions:
Ground Almonds
If you don’t have ground almonds, you can grind up your own blanched sliced or slivered almonds. Run them in the food processor or blender for a minute or so, scraping down the sides as needed, until they are ground up.Custard Powder
Bird’s custard powder is an eggless custard power. It is mostly cornstarch with flavoring and a touch of pigment for a more typical light yellow custard color. It can be found in most large grocery stores and online. If you don’t have any, you can use an equal amount of cornstarch.Puff Pastry
If you don’t have puff pastry, you can use regular pie pastry, either store-bought or homemade. Follow the pastry and assembly instructions for this galette.Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be considered an estimate rather than a guarantee. Crumbs & Caramel makes no guarantees as to the accuracy of this information.
Post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I’ll get a very small percentage in commission. There’s never any extra cost to you, and I only link to products I actually use and enjoy. Thank you for your support!