This is a good one to try on vegan food skeptics & almond lovers, it’s indistinguishable from the non-vegan versions out there! A melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust is covered in raspberry preserves, filled with frangipane (a bit like a light marzipan) and then sprinkled with slivered almonds.
I love the subtle sweetness of the frangipane paired with the tartness of the raspberries, they compliment each other so nicely. Compared with other desserts like a frosted layer cake, the Bakewell is lower in sugar and filled with wholesome almonds. By no means am I calling this a “healthy” dessert, although it does taste much more indulgent than it really is.
The custard powder I use is accidentally vegan. The brand is one that my mom always had around the house when we were kids, called Bird’s (not sponsored). It’s available in most grocery stores here in Canada. If you can’t find vegan custard powder, using cornstarch will get very similar results in this recipe. I use custard powder in many of my recipes instead of egg-based custard, such as my Nanaimo Bars, Banana Cream Pudding Parfaits, and Overnight Creme Brulée French Toast. I hope you enjoy this tart as much as we do!
Vegan Bakewell Tart
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup refined coconut oil
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Filling:
- 1 ½ cups finely ground almonds
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp refined coconut oil
- 3 tbsp vegan custard powder
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 5 tbsp seedless raspberry preserves
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds
- confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Sift the flour, confectioner’s sugar, cornstarch and salt into a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Using a fork or working it with your hands, mix in the refined coconut oil until the mixture is well blended. Don’t be alarmed that it is not holding together like other dough.
- Press firmly into a 9″ fluted flat tart pan; start with the sides and then finish with the base, making the crust as even as possible. I use my hands plus the back of a big spoon. Gently poke some holes into the crust sides and base using a fork about every inch or two. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is just becoming golden, turning once to ensure even baking.
For the filling:
- Place all of the filling ingredients EXCEPT for the raspberry preserves into a high-speed blender, and blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally.
- Spread the raspberry preserves over the baked shortbread crust, then gently pour the almond mixture over the preserves. Smooth the almond filling with the back of a large spoon taking care not to mix the preserves into it so the layers remain separate. Sprinkle the top with almond slices and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden, turning half way through baking.
- Let the tart cool completely before removing the sides of the tin. Dust with confections sugar, and serve.