Description
This vegan shortcrust pastry recipe offers a tender, buttery crust made without any animal products, perfect for a variety of sweet and savory tarts. Made with cold vegan butter and a hint of vanilla, this easy-to-make dough can be par-baked or fully blind-baked to suit your tart filling needs, providing a crisp and flaky foundation.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortcrust Pastry Ingredients
- 165 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 100 g vegan butter (block-style, cold, cubed)
- 25 g granulated sugar (use organic if based in US)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Lightly grease the base and sides of a 9-inch round tart tin with oil or vegan butter, and lightly dust with flour. Optionally, line the base with parchment paper for easier removal.
- Mix and chill the dough: Combine the flour, cold vegan butter cubes, sugar, sea salt, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract (if using) in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until a loose dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it in clingfilm or place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Roll out the dough: On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough so it is about an inch larger than the tart tin’s circumference. Carefully lift the dough with the rolling pin and ease it gently into the tart tin, pressing it against the sides. Trim the edges with a knife or pastry scissors, allowing the dough to rise slightly above the tin sides. Prick the bottom several times with a fork to prevent bubbling during baking.
- Parbake the crust (optional): Cut a circle of parchment paper slightly larger than the tart and place it over the dough. Fill with dried beans, rice, lentils, or baking beads to weigh down the pastry. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes to partially cook the crust. Remove the weights and parchment paper carefully. If your filling requires further baking, follow that recipe’s directions; otherwise, proceed to blind-bake.
- Blind-bake the crust (fully bake): After parbaking, return the shell to the oven and bake at 160°C fan-forced (320°F) or 180°C conventional (356°F) for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack before removing and adding fillings that do not require baking, such as pastry cream or lemon curd.
- Storage: Store any uncooked dough disc wrapped tightly in clingfilm or in the tart tin wrapped with plastic wrap, refrigerated for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze the dough for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.
Notes
- You can use any plant-based milk for this recipe, such as almond, soy, or oat milk.
- Using cold vegan butter ensures a flaky texture in the pastry.
- Pricking the base with a fork prevents puffing and ensures even baking.
- Blind baking is essential when using no-bake fillings to avoid soggy crusts.
- For gluten-free variations, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend designed for pastry.
- Freezing dough wrapped tightly helps preserve freshness and makes future tart-making easier.
