Vegan Strawberry and Cream Tart

Vegan strawberry and cream tart with a cookie-like base, cashew cream filling, strawberry jam and fresh berries. Delightful and easy!

This tart combines a shortbread like base, a zesty lemon cashew cream and the delicate sweetness of strawberries. It's perfect for Easter, a Summery evening or any time of the year!

Every bite reminds me of the strawberry and cream lollies I enjoyed as a kid! However, this tart is much more sophisticated and not a sugar hit thanks to the tangy lemon and no refined sugar.

Making the vegan shortcrust pastry

The shortcrust pastry is simple and made with:

• Flour
• Vegan butter or margarine or coconut oil
• Powdered or icing sugar (granulated sugar doesn't always dissolve very well in pastry)
• A dash of water.

To make the pastry dough, mix all ingredients in a food processor or bowl. And to assemble it, you can either:

1. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and transfer it to your tart tin. This ensures a consistent thickness for your whole pastry.
2. Press it in directly (kind of easier)

Making a gluten free pie crust

To make the tart gluten free, I used almond flour/meal instead of regular flour. As almond flour and gluten-free flours (not blends) don't naturally 'stick' together, I also added used ground flax seeds and a sticky liquid sweetener (rice malt syrup).

The gluten-free base will work with vegan butter, margarine or coconut oil.

This vegan gluten free pie crust is quite delicate so can't easily be rolled out and transferred to a pie tin like normal crusts. Instead, place the mixture directly in your tart tin and press it against the bottom and sides.

I pricked the bottom of my tart crust so it doesn't puff up too much when we bake it.

Making the cashew-based filling for the vegan strawberry tart

The filling is a breeze to make. You'll need to throw all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You will need:

Raw cashews, as the main solid filling. Cashews are softer than other nuts so can easily be broken down into a smooth cream.

Canned coconut cream, as the main liquid and helps the cashews turn into a smooth cream. I used solid instead of liquid cream as the natural fats help set the tart filling.

Coconut oil to ensure the filling sets.

Rice malt syrup, as a sweetener. You can substitute this with any other liquid sweetener, or even cane sugar.

Lemon juice and zest to add flavour and cut through the sweetness and creaminess of the cashews.

For added flavour, I spread store-bought strawberry jam on my tart crust. Then I poured the cashew cream on top!

The strawberry jam adds little bursts of sweetness, colour and texture in the final tart.

Serving the vegan strawberry and cream tart

The tart is wonderful with stewed and/or fresh strawberries on top. I'd recommend adding them just before serving as cut strawberries tend to leak.

For extra wow, if you use fresh strawberries, you can experiment with different shapes and styles like below.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Alternatively, check out my other vegan strawberry recipes!

• Strawberry Cupcakes
• Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake
• Unbaked Vegan Raspberry Slice

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This post was originally published in September 2018 and updated in March 2021.

Please leave a comment below if you made this recipe, have any questions or thoughts! Your comment will help other readers and Rainbow Nourishments.