Vegan Salted Caramel Tart
Salted caramel tart is a timeless French dessert: a crisp, buttery shortcrust shell holding a luxuriously smooth, rich caramel filling, perfectly balanced with a hint of flaky sea salt that amplifies the deep, sweet flavour. This 100% vegan version replaces dairy butter, cream, and eggs with plant‑based ingredients, achieving the exact same silky texture, golden amber colour, and iconic sweet‑salty contrast without any animal products at all.
Shared by james
Time
150 min
Serves
7
Difficulty
medium
đź›’ Ingredients
- #Vegan Shortcrust Pastry;
- 150 g plain all‑purpose flour.. 50 g icing sugar.. 80 g cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes
- 1–2 tbsp unsweetened plant milk.. Pinch of fine sea salt
- #Salted Caramel Filling;
- 150 g plain all‑purpose flour.. 50 g icing sugar.. 80 g cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes
- 1–2 tbsp unsweetened plant milk.. Pinch of fine sea salt
- #Salted Caramel Filling;
- 200 g caster sugar.. 60 g vegan butter
- 200 ml full‑fat coconut cream (chilled top layer from a can works best)
- ½–¾ tsp fine sea salt (adjust to taste).. 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water (optional, for extra stability)
- #Finishing;
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon) for sprinkling
- Vegan whipped cream (optional)
👩‍🍳 Instructions
- 1
Make the pastry: In a bowl, mix flour, icing sugar, and salt. Add cold vegan butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Gradually add plant milk and bring together into a smooth dough — do not overwork. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- 2
Blind‑bake: Roll out the dough and line a 20–22 cm tart tin. Trim edges, prick the base all over with a fork, line with parchment, and fill with baking beans/rice. Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 15 minutes, remove the beans, then bake for a further 5–7 minutes until pale golden and crisp. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- 3
Make the caramel: Place sugar in a heavy‑based pan over medium heat. Let it melt slowly without stirring — swirl the pan gently until it turns a deep golden amber.
- 4
Combine: Carefully stir in the vegan butter until fully melted and combined. Slowly pour in the coconut cream (it will bubble vigorously), whisking constantly. Add fine sea salt, vanilla, and the cornstarch slurry (if using). Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until smooth and thickened.
- 5
Set: Pour the warm caramel evenly into the cooled pastry case. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Let cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 2–3 hours until fully set.
- 6
Serve: Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before serving, slice, and add vegan whipped cream if desired.