Vegan Scottish Border Tart

Vegan Scottish border tart is a a yummy teatime treat.

Mixed dried fruit, walnuts, flaked almonds, and cherries are baked within a crisp shortcrust pastry case. Before being topped with a water icing, sprinkled with lemon zest and a scattering of toasted almonds. A flax egg is used to bring all the yumminess together.

Scottish Border tart is a popular bake that is served in bakeries and tearooms throughout Scotland but especially common in the border area.

The Scottish borders are the towns and villages that are adjacent to the England-Scottish border line.

The borders are a lovely area to visit with stunning lochs, hills and crammed with history from old forts, abbeys, castles, grand estates, posh houses to visit and battlegrounds of old.

And lots of yummy traditional food that I want to recreate using plant-based goodness.

But then I am biased on account of being Scottish!

Origin of the Scottish Border Tart

The border tart is also known as Eyemouth tart as it is claimed that this is where it originated.

The border tart likely has been around for hundreds of years.

Tarts are essentially a filling baked over pastry. Kind of like an open pie.

Pies and tarts have been common since at least medieval Britain so the Border tart that is popular today probably evolved from a medieval fruit based tart.

Vegan Scottish Border Tart

Serves 8 slices.

Perfect for afternoon tea, picnics, parties, buffets, pack lunches or just with your usual cup of tea or coffee.

Having a Hogmanay new years celebration? Or looking for a dessert for a Robert Burns Day meal? Serve up some slices of Scottish border tart for an authentic pudding.

Short of time? For a faster bake use shop-bought vegan shortcrust pastry. Or prepare the pastry one or two days in advance.

Vegan Scottish Border Tart

A traditional Scottish bake that is popular in wee Scottish tearooms and coffee shops.

Enjoy a slice of this fruity, sweet, nutty, and crisp tart with a nice cup of tea wherever you are in the world.

Especially good as part of a Scottish Hogmanay or Robert Burns day spread or buffet.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Pastry chill time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert, Party, pudding, Snack

Cuisine: British, Scottish

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Jacq

Equipment

• Flan or pie tray either a circle size 7-9 inch diameter or rectangular around 13 x 4 in rectangular flan dish
• Mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Small fry pan, optional for toasting flaked almonds

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 200 grams plain flour sifted
• 100 grams plant-based margarine I use Vitalite
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• Few tbsp water

Filling:

• 50 grams light brown sugar 4 packed tablespoons. Or dark brown sugar/caster/granulated.
• 50 grams plant-based margarine 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. I used Vitalite.
• 130 grams dried fruit 1 cup. I use a dried fruit mix. Alternatively use any combination of dried fruit but chop up larger pieces such as apricots.
• 60 grams glace cherries About 11 whole glace cherries. Some quartered and some halved.
• 40 grams walnuts 1/2 a cup. Rough chopped.
• 30 grams flaked almonds 4 1/2 tablespoons.
• 1 tbsp flax meal Plus 3 tbsp of water. Otherwise known as ground or milled flax seeds.
• 2 tbsp plant-based milk I use either soya or oat.

Iced topping:

• 100 grams icing sugar (Icing)
• 1-2 tbsp water (Icing)
• 1 rind lemon, grated (Icing)
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds optional. For scattering over finished tart. Check the recipe notes for tips on toasting the almonds.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 170 Fan/180 Celsius/ 375 Fahrenheit/Gas 5.

  Grease the flan dish with some plant-based margarine.
• Prepare the flax egg by mixing 1 tbsp of flax meal with 3 tbsp of cold water, Set aside until required or for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare the pasty

• Place the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.

  Add the sugar and mix.
  
• Rub in the margarine until mix resembles breadcrumbs.
  
• Add between 2-3 tbsp of water a little at a time. Just enough water to bring the mix into a pastry dough, that is not sticky.

  Just sprinkle more flour and knead gently if its too sticky.

  Gently knead the pastry into a ball.
  
• Rest the pastry in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.

  You don't need to cover the pastry, unless you are preparing the pastry a few hours in advance.

  If so wrap the pastry with some greaseproof paper or a clean tea towel or muslin.

Prepare the tart filling:

• Cream the sugar and margarine together in a mixing bowl.
• Add the flax egg to the creamed margarine.

  Whisk with a fork till until well combined.

  Add the plant milk and mix.

  Don't worry if the mix looks split or curdled. It will be fine once baked.
• Add the mixed dried fruit, glace cherries, almonds and walnuts.

  Mix well.

Build and assemble the tart:

• Remove the pastry from the fridge.

  Flour your work surface and rolling pin.

  Roll out the pastry until thin but not too thin that it breaks up.
  
• Using the rolling pin, wrap the pastry gently around lift up the pasty and gently drop into your flan tin.
  
• Press down gently.
  
• Trim the edges with a cutlery knife.
  
• Add the filling and spread out the top to a neat layer.
• Place in the middle shelf of the oven, or the shelf below the middle one. As if the tart is too close to the top of the oven the dried fruit can burn.
• Bake for 25-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden. The exact time will depend on your oven.

  Fan ovens will bake quicker.

  Check after 20 minutes.

  If the filling is browning too quick just turn your oven down to the next setting.
• Leave in the tin until cool.
• Gently remove the tart from the tin.

Prepare the icing:

• Place the icing sugar in a mixing bowl.

  Add 1-2 tbsp of water to the icing sugar to create a drizzling consistency.

  Don't add too much water at once as it will become too runny. If this happens just add more sieved icing sugar and mix until the correct thickness.
• Using a spoon drizzle the icing sugar over the tart.

  Sprinkle the lemon zest over.

  And toss the toasted almond flakes over.
  
• Leave the icing to set before slicing into 8 slices.

Notes

***Please note: In the UK a 1 cup measurement equals 250ml. For baking recipes it is best to use a kitchen scale to ensure better accuracy. Thanks!***

 

The following nutritional data is for guidance only and is not a strict analysis as ingredients vary. 

 

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal

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Vegan Scottish Border Tart Recipe Notes

• Border tart will keep fresh wrapped in parchment/baking paper or kitchen foil and placed in a covered container for up to 5 days. Possibly a few days longer if kept in the fridge.
• Slices of Border tart can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap up well and place a piece of parchment paper between each slice to prevent freezer burn. It will also make it easier to remove individual slices.
• To toast the flaked almonds for the tart topping: Toast the almonds by dry frying/toasting in a little non-stick pan over a medium heat until parts of the almonds are golden. Shake and stir the almonds often to prevent burning. After the pan heats you can lift it off the heat and shake/stir the almonds as they will continue to brown. 

Looking for more traditional vegan bakes?

A batch of these cute British Fairy Cakes are ideal for a birthday party spread, celebration, BBQ or picnic. And great for kids to bake for Mothers Day.

A slice of this traditional banana bread with chocolate chips is perfect for elevenses, an afternoon teatime treat, or even for a quick breakfast bite.