This Vegan Rhubarb and Custard Tart is made with creamy dairy-free custard, flaky pastry, and roasted rhubarb. It's easy, delicious, and perfect for spring desserts. Get the recipe below.
There’s something undeniably nostalgic about rhubarb and custard. This vegan rhubarb and custard tart brings that classic flavour combination into a completely dairy-free dessert that’s just as indulgent as the original. With a crisp, buttery pastry, silky vanilla custard, and sweet yet tart roasted rhubarb, it’s the perfect showstopper for spring and summer baking.
This recipe is ideal whether you’re a seasoned vegan baker or just starting out. The plant-based custard sets beautifully thanks to agar agar, while the pastry is tender and flaky without any dairy. Plus, roasting the rhubarb enhances its natural sweetness and creates a gorgeous topping that looks as good as it tastes.
Whether you’re making it for a dinner party, afternoon tea, or just because you love rhubarb, this tart is guaranteed to impress!
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Ingredients
Get your shopping list at the ready as you're going to need the following ingredients:
For the shortcrust pastry case
- Plain flour
- Caster sugar
- Vegetable shortening (e.g. Trex)
- Non-dairy butter (e.g. Flora)
- Water
For the vegan custard filling
- Soy milk
- Cornflour
- Caster sugar
- Vanilla pod
- Agar agar powder
For the roasted rhubarb
- Fresh rhubarb stalks
- Caster sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe does involve quite a few steps. I've broken them down for you below but you can also find the full instructions in the recipe card.
1. Make the shortcrust pastry
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar.
- Add the vegetable shortening and non-dairy butter.
- Rub the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Gradually add cold water and bring together into a dough.
- Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Bake the shortcrust pastry
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface.
- Line a pie dish with the pastry and prick the base with a fork.
- Add baking paper and baking beans.
- Bake for 15 minutes until just turning golden.
- Remove the baking beans and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes until golden all over and crisp.
3. Prepare the roasted rhubarb
- Wash and trim the rhubarb.
- Cut into strips to fit your tart.
- Lay on a lined baking tray and sprinkle with sugar.
- Cover and bake for 25–30 minutes.
- Cool completely and reserve any syrup.
4. Make the vegan custard
- Heat soy milk in a saucepan.
- Split the vanilla pod, scrape seeds, and add both to the milk.
- In a bowl, mix cornflour and sugar.
- Gradually whisk in warm milk to avoid lumps.
- Return mixture to the pan.
- Dissolve agar agar in water and add to the pan.
- Heat gently, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling.
- Pour into the baked tart shell.
5. Assemble the tart
- Arrange cooled rhubarb strips over the custard.
- Drizzle with reserved syrup before serving.
- Chill until ready to serve!
Hint: Always chill your pastry thoroughly before rolling it out. This prevents shrinkage and ensures a crisp, flaky crust!
Substitutions
- Soy milk: Swap for almond, oat, or coconut milk but note this will give the custard a slightly different flavour.
- Caster sugar: Use coconut sugar or maple syrup but note this will adjust texture slightly.
- Agar agar: Can be replaced with vegan gelatine alternative, but agar gives the best firm set.
- Vegetable shortening: Use all vegan butter if preferred but note that the texture will be slightly softer.
Variations
You can elevate this recipe even further with one of these variations:
- Sweeter: Add strawberries to the rhubarb for a sweeter twist.
- Citrusy: Infuse the custard with orange zest for a citrus note.
- Miniature: Make mini tartlets instead of one large tart.
- Crunchy: Add a crumble topping or chopped nuts for extra texture.
Equipment
The equipment list isn't quite as long as the ingredients list but there is quite a bit of kit you will need. They are:
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Pie dish or tart tin
- Baking paper
- Baking beans
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Oven tray
Storage
You can store the Vegan Rhubarb and Custard Tart in the fridge for up to 3 days but keep it covered to prevent the custard from drying out.
This tart is not suitable for freezing, as the custard texture may change.
Top tip
To keep the beautifully vibrant pink rhubarb colour, avoid overcooking it. Bake it just until tender so it holds its shape and colour on top of the tart.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! It's perfect made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.
The agar agar needs to reach boiling point to be activated. Ensure the agar agar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches a gentle boil.
Yes, but thaw and drain it before roasting.
The recipe
Vegan Rhubarb and Custard Tart
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 300 grams plain flour
- 1.5 tablespoon caster sugar
- 75 grams vegetable shortening e.g. Trex
- 75 grams non-dairy butter e.g. Flora
- 100 ml cold water
For the custard
- 350 ml soy milk
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 0.5 teaspoon agar agar powder
For the rhubarb
- 3 stalks rhubarb
- 50 g caster sugar
Instructions
For the tart crust
- Add the flour, sugar, vegetable shortening and non-dairy butter into a mixing bowl. Rub the shortening and non-dairy butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Slowly add the water and bring the mixture together until it forms a ball.
- Cover the dough with clingfilm and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours to rest.
- Just before the dough has finished resting, pre-heat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
- When the dough has finished resting take it out of the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface.
- Carefully line your pie dish with the pastry and press it gently into all of the corners and grooves then gently prick the base all over with a fork.
- Lay a piece of baking paper over the pie crust and then fill it with baking beans.
- Place the pie crust into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until it is just turning golden. Remove the baking beans then cook for a further 10 - 15 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through.
For the rhubarb
- Wash the rhubarb stalks and cut them into strips to fit horizontally across the top of your tart.
- Line a baking dish with some baking paper and lay out the rhubarb stalks. Coat them in the caster sugar and cover the dish with baking paper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes and allow to cool completely.
- Reserve the syrup for serving.
For the custard
- Place the soy milk into a pan. Split the vanilla pod scrape out the seeds and place the pod and seeds in the pan with the soy milk.
- Put the cornflour and sugar into a bowl. Slowly pour some of the vanilla-infused milk to the cornflour and sugar mix, stirring each time to make sure there are no lumps.
- When you have a smooth mixture, pour it back into the saucepan and place it on to a medium heat.
- In the meantime dissolve the agar agar in a tablespoon of water. As the mixture heats up, add the agar agar and stir to ensure it heats evenly and lumps don't form.
- Heat until the mixture begins to bubble then pour into the tart case.
To assemble
- Arrange the rhubarb strips on top of the tart.
- Serve the tart with a drizzling of the reserved rhubarb syrup.
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