With a custardy filling redolent of chai spices, a slightly nutty crust and lots of mango, this sweet-tangy vegan custard tart is perhaps my favourite summer dessert.
Raw cashews and coconut cream make for a luxurious filling, while citrus brightens it up and spices add cosy warmth. Mango is layered at two stages, offering a juicy burst of sweetness in each morsel. Make this for special occasions or for any summer get-together where you want to be the most beloved person in the room.
Serves 12
Ingredients
Chai spice blend
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds, blitzed in a spice grinder (or ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Crust
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (94 g) oat flour (use certified gluten-free oat flour as needed)
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (88 g) blanched almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) vegan butter, melted (or melted coconut oil if soy-free)
- 3 tablespoons (60 g) pure maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
- 1 cup (140 g) raw cashews, soaked or quick soaked, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup (80 g) tinned coconut cream (see Ingredient notes)
- ½ cup (160 g) agave nectar (or pure maple syrup; see Tips)
- 3½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds
- ½ cup (100 g) refined coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 3 ripe but firm mangoes (about 680 g; see Ingredient notes)
Optional topping
- ½ cup (62 g) fresh raspberries
- 1 small handful fresh mint leaves
Ingredient notes
You can buy tinned coconut cream or refrigerate a tin of full-fat coconut milk for 24 hours and then scoop out the solidified cream. If available, choose gold-skinned Ataulfo mangoes (a.k.a. honey mangoes) or Indian Alphonso mangoes, which are creamier and less fibrous than larger red-skinned mangoes.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175ºC. Grease the sides and bottom of a 23-cm round tart pan with a removable bottom (see Tips) with cooking spray.
- Make the spice blend. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and cloves.
- Make the crust. In a medium or large bowl, combine the oat flour, almond flour, salt and chai spice blend and stir to combine. Drizzle in the melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir until the dough comes together and is moist. Add the dough to the prepared pan and first pinch it up the sides into the fluted edges, then press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the pan, using a flat measuring cup to smooth out the surface.
- Prick the crust with a fork all over to prevent it from bubbling up during baking. Place the tart pan on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown on the edges and somewhat firm. Let cool on a wire rack and turn off the oven.
- Make the filling. Add the soaked and drained cashews to a high-powered blender. Add the coconut cream, agave, lemon juice, salt, ginger, cardamom, coconut oil, vanilla and orange zest. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as you go. If using a food processor, blend the cashews first until broken down into tiny bits, then add the remaining ingredients; it will take about 4 minutes to fully blend.
- Pour a little less than half of the filling (about 1 cup/240 g) into the cooled tart shell, using a silicone spatula to smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Peel the mangoes and slice into thin strips, about 0.5 cm thick (see Tips).
- Remove the tart from the fridge and top with half of the sliced mango, arranging it in a flat layer. Pour the remaining filling on top, smooth out and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Top the tart with the remaining mango in a flat layer, or in fancy curved lines as shown. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (when chilled longer, it has a firmer custard-like texture).
- Before serving, top each slice with a few raspberries and mint leaves (if using). Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 5 days.
Tips
- If you prefer only mildly sweet desserts, use ¼ to ⅓ cup (80 to 105 g) agave nectar in the filling.
- Don’t have a tart pan? Use a 20- or 23-cm springform pan (push the crust up the sides of the pan a bit); before unclasping, run a knife around the edges.
- To make mangoes easier to peel and slice, I refrigerate them first.
Make Ahead: This tart can be made 1 to 2 days before serving and refrigerated (don’t add berries or mint).
Other recipes you may be interested in:
Big Vegan Flavor by Nisha Vora, published by Penguin Random House (RRP $79.99).
Vegan custard tart with mango
