Description
This luscious Passion Fruit Tart features a crisp vegan shortcrust pastry filled with a smooth, tangy passion fruit curd made from fresh passion fruit pulp, sugar, and non-dairy milk. The tart is chilled to perfection, offering a refreshing, tropical dessert that’s dairy-free and vegan-friendly, making it ideal for warm weather or anytime you crave a bright, flavorful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegan Shortcrust Pastry
- 1 batch vegan shortcrust pastry (see note 1)
Passion Fruit Filling
- 240 g passion fruit pulp (extracted from approximately 12 passion fruits, see note 2)
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 240 ml non-dairy milk (soy, oat, or almond)
- 50 g cornstarch (see note 3)
- 100 g vegan butter (block-style, cold, and cut into cubes, see note 4)
Instructions
- Bake and cool the pastry: Prepare the vegan shortcrust pastry according to your recipe, then blind-bake it as directed (step 5 of your pastry recipe). Once baked, allow the tart shell to cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.
- Prepare the passion fruit pulp: Slice off the tops of the passion fruits and squeeze out the pulp and seeds into a food processor. Blitz for about 30 seconds to separate the juice from the seeds.
- Sift the juice: Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to separate the passion fruit seeds from the juice, collecting the smooth pulp liquid.
- Simmer passion fruit and sugar: In a large saucepan, combine the passion fruit pulp and granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat until it begins to simmer, whisking frequently to dissolve the sugar.
- Make cornstarch slurry: In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and non-dairy milk until smooth to form a slurry.
- Thicken the filling: Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering passion fruit mixture. Continue to cook on medium heat (reduce to low on gas stoves), whisking constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula without running off.
- Incorporate the vegan butter: Place the cold vegan butter cubes into a large mixing bowl and strain the hot passion fruit curd through a fine-mesh sieve on top of the bowl, pressing with a spatula to extract all the curd. Whisk thoroughly into the butter until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Fill the tart shell: Pour the passion fruit filling into the cooled tart base and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Using a turntable can help achieve an even top.
- Chill the tart: Refrigerate the tart for at least 6 hours or overnight to allow the filling to set completely. The tart should feel firm to the touch on top.
- Garnish before serving: Optionally, decorate the tart with fresh passion fruit pulp or slices and pipe whipped coconut cream for an extra indulgent finish.
- Store leftovers: Keep any uneaten tart in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. It will remain fresh for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Note 1: Use your preferred vegan shortcrust pastry recipe or a store-bought vegan version. Blind-bake the crust to prevent sogginess when filled.
- Note 2: Fresh passion fruit offers the best flavor, but you can substitute with high-quality passion fruit pulp puree if fresh fruits are unavailable.
- Note 3: Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent; make sure it is well incorporated with the non-dairy milk to avoid lumps.
- Note 4: Use cold, block-style vegan butter for the best texture and creaminess in the curd.
- For a richer tart, use soy or oat milk due to their higher protein content compared to almond milk.
- This tart is best served chilled and enjoyed within 4 days for optimal freshness.
