Vegan Strawberry Tart with White Chocolate
This strawberry tart with white chocolate filling is delicious and actually quite easy to make. The shortcrust pastry is flaky and buttery and the filling is creamy and smooth - all that without coconut cream or cashews! And the strawberries are basically a cherry on top, complimenting it all.
I was so pleased when I made this tart. It is just so beautiful to look at, yet actually quite easy to make. And so tasty! I love how spelt flour makes the pastry tastes interesting and it goes so well with the white chocolate filling and strawberries.
You know it’s funny when it comes to food photography - I can see how far I’ve come but I also can see how far I need to still go. It’s actually never-ending journey but a very exciting one. Lately I started to plan my photoshoots a lot - I draw how I would like the scene to look, I write down all the props I’ll need, what background I’ll use.. And it does work in the way that it is all less stressful. I still think thorough the shoot about different way how to take photos and I still do other things but that’s a process. The thing is sometimes I am so pleased with the outcome and sometimes I am not pleased at all. So my goal is to be happy with majority of photos I take. I know that there will still be room for improvement, that goes without saying but I just can’t wait to be in place where I am mostly happy about my photos.
what kind of ingredients do you need?
WHOLEMEAL SPELT FLOUR - I love the slightly nutty flavour of spelt flour, it is more interesting than all purpose flour and it goes so well with this filling! But if you only have all purpose flour, use this recipe for pastry (it is the same pastry, just with all purpose flour)
VEGAN BUTTER - which you can replace with coconut oil (preferably with no flavour) but I’ll be honest - I prefer to bake with vegan butter. The flavour is in my opinion a bit better and so is the texture. It is also easier to work with. I either use Naturli block butter or vegan Flora.
VODKA - the not so secret ingredient when it comes to making pastry. If you are adding vodka instead of cold water, you can add more so the rolling out is easier - without the danger of having tough tart tin. Besides, most of the alcohol evaporates in the oven.
SILKEN TOFU - is a magical ingredient! It is basically a cream but healthier and not so heavy. Perfect! Just be sure to actually use silken tofu, it wouldn’t work with firm tofu.
Step by step pictures how to make this delicious tart
Sift flour, icing sugar and salt into a medium bowl. Add cubed butter (straight from the fridge) and rub until it resembles wet sand.
Add tablespoon by tablespoon of vodka, after each try to bring the dough together (don’t knead it). After every tablespoon try to press small piece of dough and see if it holds together. If it does, press it all together, form into a ball, cover with cling foil and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour. If it doesn't, add another tablespoon of vodka and repeat.
Flatten the dough a bit with few smacks with rolling pin and then roll out until around 4 mm thick. It is easy in between two pieces of cling foil or two sheets of baking parchment.
Move the dough into a 20 cm (8 inches) tart tin and remove any excess pastry. Place back into the fridge and preheat oven to 200C/ 180C (fan). Once the oven is preheated, line tart shell with baking parchment and fill with baking beads. Bake for 15 mins, then remove baking beads and bake for another 10-15 mins. Let it cool down completely.
Mix silken tofu and vanilla extract until smooth (either with a whisk but it is easier with a hand mixer).
Melt white chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water (the bowl shouldn’t touch water).
Mix tofu mixture with white chocolate and pour into cooled tart shell. Leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour.
Decorate with sliced strawberries and enjoy!
Tips and tricks on making pastry and tarts
How to make the best homemade shortcrust pastry? There are lots of things - for first, sift flour and icing sugar. Next thing would be, use vodka instead of water - you can add a bit more vodka than you would water, so it is easier to bring the dough together and later to roll it out. And don’t knead otherwise gluten will develop too much, which might make the pastry tough. Also leave it to rest! One last thing - shortcrust pastry is not easy so if it doesn’t come out perfect, don’t beat yourself up about it. Practice makes the master.
How to roll the pastry dough? I don’t like to flour the surface and therefore add more flour so what works the best for me is to roll it out in between two pieces of cling foil. Nothing sticks and it also make it very easy to move the rolled out dough to the tart tin. You could also use two pieces of baking paper.
How to transport the rolled out dough to the tart tin? If you are using cling foil, just move it and turn around. You could also use rolling pin - roll the dough around the rolling pin and then unroll it into the tin. Press the dough into the tin but don’t stretch it. If there are any holes, just use a bit of excess dough to cover it.
What to do if I don’t have baking beads? No need to rush to the store, just use dried beans or uncooked rice (but don’t cook and eat those afterwards).
Why did my tart shell shrink in the oven? Most usually it is because you added too much water into the pastry - which is why I recommend using vodka instead.
Why is the tart shell tough? Again, very likely because you added too much water. But even if it’s tough, it is still delicious.
This tart is best serve (and eaten) on the day it was made. The reason is simple - it is because of the fresh strawberries. When they are cut and put onto the tart, they can look a bit tired next day - still delicious though. What you could do is make the pastry and filling a day ahead and just decorate it with strawberries before you serve it.
How to store this tart? In the fridge, covered with a cling foil or in a box. Eat within 4 days.
Why not to try other vegan tarts?
If you make this strawberry tart, and take photos of it, tag me on instagram - @bigbakesmanifesto and use hashtag #bigbakesmanifesto too! I love to see people making my recipes.
Makes 20 cm (8 inches) tart.
Ingredients
Pastry
100 g wholemeal spelt flour
25 g icing sugar
pinch of salt
60 g vegan butter / coconut oil (from fridge)
2-3 tbsp vodka (or iced cold water)
Filling
300 g silken tofu
75 g white chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
20 g coconut oil
optional: 1 tbsp icing sugar*
250 g strawberries - sliced
Method
Sift flour, icing sugar and salt into a medium bowl. Add butter and rub together until it resembles wet sand. (You could also do it in food processor)
Add vodka or ice cold water (tablespoon by tablespoon) to the bowl. I added 2 tbsp of water but for you it can be different - it depends on flour that you use. Combine dough gently, don’t knead. After every tablespoon try to press a small piece of the dough into ball and see if it holds together - if so, press dough together, wrap into cling foil and leave in the fridge for at least an hour (you can leave it over night). If it doesn’t hold together, add another tablespoon of water and try again.
Remove pastry from the fridge, leave it for around 10 mins to get warmer and roll out until around 4mm thick. It is easy if you roll it in between two pieces of cling foil or baking paper. Gently place pastry into a tart tin (it is easier to place into a tin if you roll it on cling foil and transfer it on the foil) and press it into the corners. Trim off any excess pastry. Place again to the fridge, for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200C/180C (fan). Take the tart tin from the fridge and line the tart with baking paper and fill it with baking beads.*
Bake for 15 mins, then remove baking beads and bake for another 10-15 mins (until golden brown). Let the tart cool down completely.
Filling
Mix silken tofu and vanilla extract with a hand mixer until smooth. You can use just a whisk but it is easier and quicker with a hand mixer.
Meanwhile place a heatproof bowl filled with white chocolate and coconut oil over a saucepan filled with water (the bowl shouldn’t touch water). Bring the water slowly to boil and melt chocolate.
Mix tofu mixture with white chocolate, optionally mix in 1 tbsp of icing sugar and pour it into the tart shell. Leave to cool down and set in the fridge (for at least an hour).
Once it’s set, decorate it with sliced strawberries. (Use either the same pattern I did or do anything you like).
Notes:
You can add some icing sugar into the filling but in my opinion white chocolate makes it sweet enough. Taste it though and decide yourself!
If you don’t have baking beads, just use either dried beans or uncooked rice. Just don’t cook it afterwards.