Vegan Fruit Tart

A beautiful, light and creamy, no-bake tart that will put you in a summer mindset without the hassle of baking a pie!

I have fond memories of visiting a good friend in France and eating our way through Paris. One of the classic desserts that I tried and loved while there was a fruit tart: it was rich, creamy, and loaded with tons of fresh fruit. What wasn't to love?

I wanted to make a lighter, healthier (and easier) version of that French classic dessert, so I created this beauty. It happens to be dairy-free, gluten-free, and it doesn't require any baking!

It's much lighter, while still tasting creamy and sweet, but not too sweet. With the addition of almond extract it has a slight almond flavor that is a lovely complement to the fresh fruit.

We start by making a raw date and almond crust that is very versatile and can be used as a base for a variety of other vegan sweets, like in this No Bake Tahini Cheesecake.

It takes just a few minutes to combine in your food processor, and you let it chill in the fridge while you make your pastry cream. I use almond milk as the base of our cream, and cornstarch helps to thicken it up.

This recipe uses simple ingredients, makes a beautifully stunning presentation, and is easily customizable (use your favorite fresh fruit)!

Making pies can be a bit of a pain, so this is a great alternative for a summery vegan tart without the hassle of making pie crust and turning on the oven (similar to this Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse Pie). Just refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jump to:

• ⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
• 💭 Expert Tips
• 🍓 What You'll Need
• 🔪 How To Make This Recipe
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 📖 Vegan Fruit Tart Recipe

⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy enough for beginners
• Makes a beautiful presentation for a special occasion or in the heat of summer
• No-bake, dairy-free, and gluten-free
• Not too sweet
• Customizable
• Chewy crust with a thick and creamy custard filling
• Make ahead options (see below)

💭 Expert Tips

• Make ahead: Make the filling and crust up to two days in advance. Store them separately (covered) in the refrigerator.
• How to store: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze the crust. I don't recommend freezing this tart simply because the texture of the pastry cream will get a bit wonky when thawed. However, you could freeze the date-nut crust and use it a later date. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• Keep an eye on your pastry cream mixture. It will start to thicken fairly quickly and you want to whisk it continuously while cooking.

• Use fresh fruit if possible. I don't recommend using frozen fruit for this recipe due to the high water content.
• Make individual tarts using mini-tart pans. This recipe should make 8 mini-tarts.
• Brush fruit with a thin layer of apricot jam to preserve their bright colors and give them a beautiful glossy finish. It helps to thin it out with a small amount of water before using.
• Substitute any plant-based milk. Although I haven't recipe-tested this myself, you should be able to easily substitute soy or oat milk in this recipe with success. Let me know if you try it!

🍓 What You'll Need

For the Crust:

• Whole medjool dates - These provide natural sweetness to our crust and overall tart, like in my Vegan Chocolate Avocado Mousse. Try to use pitted if possible. I recommend soaking your dates in warm water for around 10 minute to soften them up before using.
• Toasted almonds - Gives a nutty crunch to our crust and adds protein and healthy fats. Using toasted almonds (rather than raw) gives the crust a deeper, richer flavor. If you use salted almonds, you don't need to add additional salt here.
• Salt - Only necessary if using unsalted almonds
• Water - We just add a little bit at a time, to help bind our crust.

For the Vegan Pastry Cream:

• Almond milk - You can also use soy milk or oat milk here if you prefer.
• Cornstarch - This helps to thicken our pastry cream
• Granulated sugar - We don't use a lot of sugar, but we need a decent amount to sweeten our filling.
• Vanilla extract - Adds rich flavor
• Almond extract - I love the flavor of almond extract, especially when making desserts with almonds. If you aren't a fan, you can skip it.
• Vegan butter - Ensures a silky smooth filling for our tart.
• Salt - Just a pinch is all that's needed to help bring out the other flavors.

For the Tart Topping:

• Kiwi - I love the flavor of kiwi. If they aren't in season where you live, you can skip it.
• Strawberries - Use whichever berries are in season or available. If you have strawberries to spare, try my Strawberry Cornbread Cake!
• Blueberries - No slicing necessary! Use extra berries in my Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake.
• Apricot jam (optional) - We use apricot jam to cover our fruit and give it a beautiful polished look (and prevent browning). However, if you plan on serving your tart immediately, this step isn't necessary.

🔪 How To Make This Recipe

(See recipe card below for printable instructions)

Make the Crust:

In a food processor, pulse the almonds, dates, and salt (if using unsalted nuts) until coarsely chopped. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together.

Press the dough into a 9-inch tart pan, pressing the mixture all the way up the sides of the pan. Chill the crust until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Make the Vegan Pastry Cream:

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of almond milk, cornstarch, and sugar. Mix until well incorporated.

In a medium saucepan, gently heat 2 cups of almond milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat.

Pour in the cornstarch slurry and whisk vigorously.

Return to the stovetop and continue to cook over medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes, until mixture starts to thicken and bubbles form. Whisk in vegan butter until completely melted.

Set aside to cool for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally. The mixture will continue to thicken as it sets up.

Assemble Vegan Tart:

Pour pastry cream onto chilled crust and spread evenly using the back of a spoon or rubber spatula.

Arrange sliced fruit in desired pattern on top of pastry cream. If using apricot jam, use a pastry brush to lightly brush on top of fruit. Serve cold.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.