Traditional Vegan Pineapple Custard Tart

Traditional Vegan Pineapple Custard Tart is a remake of a favourite traditional pudding enjoyed by many British school children and their parents since the 1950s! Possibly originating further back.

It’s still a firm classic for many British families and loved by many around the world in a variety of variations.

I will be posting up many more old-school traditional favourites, but off course they will all be vegan friendly. And just as tasty as the originals!

Traditional Vegan Pineapple Custard Tart

A delicious traditional dessert recreated into a vegan, plant-based treat.

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Course Dessert, Supper

Cuisine British

Equipment

Pie/tart/flan dish, my one was about 8 1/2 inch in diameter.
Saucepan
baking beans, for my baking beans I used an old packet of mixed dried beans which I store in a Kilner jar and re-use whenever I make pastry.
Rolling pin

Ingredients

400 grams custard powder
2 tbsp granulated sugar Or maple syrup, agave syrup, date, coconut sugar, caster, or soft brown sugar. Any sweetner you currently use is likely fine.
400 ml soya milk (I used Alpro soya, the one found on the shelfs not in the shop refrigerator) Or any other plant based milk you like.
600 grams tinned/ or fresh pineapple, chunks Or roughly about this amount, as tins may be different weights. Chop up the pineapple if it's in slices.
100 mls pineapple juice/syrup Drain this from the tinned pineapples
225 grams wholemeal plain flour or use plain flour. (For the pastry)
100 grams dairy free margarine I used Vitalite. (For the pastry)
25 grams granulated sugar or an alternative. (For the pastry)
baking beans/balls/uncooked rice for baking the pastry blind

Instructions

To prepare the pastry for blind baking, rub the margarine into the flour until rough breadcrumbs in texture.
Add the sugar and rub in.
Using a table spoon of water at a time, mix the water into the flour mix and bring it all together to a dough.
Don't knead the pastry too much. If too sticky just sprinkle a little more flour until its dry and easily pliable. If too dry incorporate small amounts of water until the dough is formed.
Pastry should be soft, pliable and not sticky.
Place the pastry dough on a plate or in a small bowl, wrap it in greaseproof paper or clean tea towel/flannel, and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Longer if possible.
Preheat oven to 190 Celsius/ 170 Fan/ Gas 5. Grease your pie dish.
Sprinkle some wholemeal flour onto your worktop, Roll out the chilled pastry until roughly about 3 mm thickness.
Lift the pastry by draping it around your roller and carefully place it on top of your pie dish. Using a little ball of the pastry excess nipped off at the edges, gently push the case into the pie dish. Don't worry if some pastry breaks as you lift it up just gently press it into the case and squish the pastry back together.
Using a knife, trim the overlapping pastry away. Take a piece of greaseproof paper slightly larger than your pie dish diameter and scrunch it up. Press this into the pie dish. Pour in your baking beans.
Bake for 25 minutes on the middle shelf.
Remove the pastry case from the oven. Careful pull the ends of the greaseproof paper together and funnel the beans back into their storage jar. Or leave to cool on the paper if your storage is plastic.
Using a fork prick the pastry base all over, turn the oven down to 160 F and place it back in the oven for 13 minutes (or longer depending on your oven), to bake until golden. If your pie crust/edges are already nice and golden, you could scrunch some tinfoil over the edges to avoid over baking. But I didn't do this.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
To prepare the filling, add the custard powder and sugar to a saucepan. Add about 100 mls of the milk and mix to a smooth paste. If too thick pour in a little more milk and make sure any lumps are mixed out. Gradually add the rest of the milk and the pineapple juice, stirring to avoid any lumps.
Add the pineapple chunks. Bring to the boil over a low-medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning or lumps forming.
When boiling, turn the heat down to low and gently simmer for 2- 3 minutes. Stir all the time. Custard will be nice and thick and should be coating the back of your spoon, but will still be able to be poured into your pie case. If you think your custard is overly thick just thin it up slightly by adding a little extra milk or pineapple juice and mix.
Pour and scrape the pineapple mix into the pie crust. Smooth the top. Leave to sit for an hour to cool before placing into the refrigerator for at least a few hours to set.
Enjoy! Serve with some vegan whipped cream if liked.

Keyword Comfort food, custard, Dessert, pineapple, Plant-based, pudding, traditional, Vegan

Notes:

To save time prepare the pastry a day or 2 before using. Or use ready made pastry or a ready-made crust for a super quick tart.
Link for Aqua Faber whipped cream recipe: Forks over Knives website. I made this recipe and the cream was tasty but didn’t keep its form for too long especially in a warm house! I prefer a whipped coconut cream or a squish of ready whipped vegan cream that I found in Morrisons (UK supermarket) chilled section. PS. none of my links are affiliates, they’re just what I have used!
Experiment with other fruits. I think a strawberry custard pie sounds lovely!
For a variation spread a layer of jam/preserve over the pastry before adding the fruit-custard filling. I think a layer of pineapple jam would be yum.
In my house any leftover pastry is usually made into pastry sausages for our 2 dogs. But it could also be frozen and a few jam tarts could be made at a future date.