Vegan Melktart
A beloved South African classic recreated entirely plant-based! A crisp, buttery pastry shell holds a luxuriously smooth, velvety custard made from rich plant milk, gently thickened and warmed with sweet, fragrant cinnamon and pure vanilla. Soft, sweet, and wonderfully nostalgic — every bite carries that familiar home-baked warmth, free from eggs, dairy, and all animal ingredients. Chilled until perfectly firm, then dusted generously with cinnamon for that authentic, inviting finish. Simple to prepare, deliciously satisfying, and even better the next day as flavours deepen and settle.
Shared by sara
Time
180 min
Serves
5
Difficulty
medium
🛒 Ingredients
- #Buttery Pastry Shell;
- 140 g all-purpose flour.. 50 g icing sugar.. 100 g vegan butter — cold, cubed
- Pinch fine sea salt.. 1–2 tbsp ice-cold water — only if needed
- #Silky Cinnamon-Vanilla Filling;
- 500 ml unsweetened soy milk — best for creamy texture.. 40 g cornflour
- 80–100 g cane sugar or coconut sugar — adjust to taste.. 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon — plus extra generous amount for dusting.. Pinch fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp maple syrup — optional, for extra richness
- #Optional Garnish
- Toasted flaked almonds
- Light drizzle maple syrup
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Make the pastry crust: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Mix flour, icing sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add cold cubed vegan butter and rub lightly with fingertips until mixture resembles fine, damp breadcrumbs. Bring together into a smooth dough — add only tiny splashes of ice water if too dry. Press evenly across base and up sides of a 22–23 cm tart tin. Prick base all over with a fork. Bake 15 minutes until pale golden at edges. Set aside to cool completely.
- 2
Prepare the custard filling: Pour 400 ml plant milk into a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat — do not boil. Whisk remaining 100 ml cold milk together with cornflour until perfectly smooth, no lumps. Stir in sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup if using. Pour slowly into warm milk while whisking continuously. Reduce heat to low and stir constantly for 5–7 minutes until thick, glossy, and gently bubbling. Remove from heat — it will thicken further as it cools.
- 3
Set and chill: Pour warm filling carefully into cooled pastry shell. Spread surface smooth and even. Dust generously all over with extra ground cinnamon in a fine, even layer. Leave to cool at room temperature first, then place in refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours until completely firm and set through.
- 4
Serve and enjoy: Slice carefully and serve cold. Top with toasted almonds or a light drizzle of maple syrup if desired. Keeps beautifully covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.