Vegan Custard Pie with a decadent shortbread crust, coconut custard and winter fruits drizzled with sweet balsamic syrup.
I love winter produce – somehow, set against the dreary landscape of the season, they appear more so vibrant. My mind is a world of technicolor (as evidenced by my photos), so come winter, I draw consolation and inspiration in the colors of the produce, evergreen foliage, brightly colored ribbons, tinsel and mistletoe.
And so it seems fitting, that I painted the not-so-vibrant canvas of custard with the colors of fruit – and if I may say so myself, she is a beauty and may even be one of my favorite pies!
Fruits and custard have always been my thing – ever since my first taste of mangoes + vanilla custard as a child. To me, it is a religious experience in itself during the summer, as the tangy, sweet golden fruit pairs magically with the creaminess of the custard. If you haven’t tried this combination yourself, I sincerely urge you to, as soon as you can get your hands on good, summer mangoes (none of the off-season slush though!).
Custard for me though, has never been the milk and eggs kind as it is commonly made in most of the world. I grew up in India, a largely vegetarian country, and my only version of custard came in a box – essentially cornstarch, flavoring and food color that is used to thicken milk. Brown and Polsen Custard Powder, Vanilla [Affiliate link]
So when I tried the traditional version in my early 20s, I was revolted by how eggy it was.
And so I’ve happily stayed with my box custard, which is good, as it turns out that it was my lot in life to turn Vegan one day. But if you do not share my plant-based predilections, then by all means, make this recipe using your favorite traditional custard recipe, and blind baking the crust for just 10 minutes, then baking it with the custard until set. I promise you, you will love it.
This plant-based version though uses agar agar in the custard, which is quite unusual, but made necessary here because of the need for slicing. I imagine slicing through actual custard can be quite a messy affair, hence the agar agar, which holds the custard together in crisp, perfect slices, yet melts into a puddle in the heat of your mouth.
This custard is on the firmer side of things, but if you still desire the jiggle, I’d recommend using 3/4 tsp instead of the full 1 tsp listed in the recipe below.
This pie is best eaten on the day it is made (because I hate soggy pie crusts and that’s what you’ll get when you refrigerate this pie, and considering that it’s got a custard sitting on top, it cannot be reheated like traditional pies). Make the pie crust in advance and refrigerate: you can either bake it on the day of or blind bake it ahead of time, and then fill with custard on the day of.
I hope this custard finds its way into your holiday tables this year – with the muted decadence and a delicious array of fresh winter produce, it would be the perfect end to a perfect evening!
Note:
The custard powder I have always used to make my custards is Brown and Polsen [Affiliate link]. Check the ingredient list in the custard powders you buy and make sure that it doesn’t list eggs, milk or any other that conflicts with your dietary restrictions.
And when you make this delicious VEGAN Custard Pie (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!
Vegan Custard Pie
- Prep Time:20m
- Cook Time:30m
- Total Time:50m
- Serves: 8
- Yield: One 9" pie
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1/2 c icing sugar
- 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar
- 1/4 c cornstarch
- 3/4 c unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 c almond meal
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- a generous pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 c coconut oil, scoopable consistency
- 1/4 c cold water
For the custard
- 3/4 c water
- 1 tsp. agar agar
- 1 1/4 c canned coconut milk
- 2 tbsp. vanilla custard powder
- 6 tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
For the Balsamic syrup
- 1/2 c balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp. molasses
Fruits
- 1/2 apple
- 1 persimmon
- 1/2 pomegranate, seeds
- 1 small orange
- 2 -3 plums
- 5 -10 grapes
Instructions
Make the pie crust
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients (except oil and water), mixing until everything is evenly distributed.
- Add the coconut oil (must not be liquid, rather a grainy, scoopable consistency) and using a fork, cut it into the flour until it is clumpy but evenly distributed throughout.
- Add the cold water, a little at a time and bring the dough together without kneading too much. Cover and chill for 2-3 minutes (if too soft).
- Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to about the size of your pie tin (9" diameter + height of sides).
- Transfer the rolled out dough to the tin, pressing and smoothing the sides until it's molded to the tin snuggly. Trim excess off, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Position baking rack to the middle position in the oven.
- Place a piece of parchment paper to cover the top of the pie, then add pie weights (or dried lentils, chickpeas, beans, etc.) to cover heavily upto the sides.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown all over. If the edges start to burn, cover with foil.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pie tin.
Make the custard
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and agar. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring until the liquid turns from murky to transparent and clear.
- Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk to the agar liquid, saving a few tablespoons. In the remaining coconut milk, stir in the custard powder until smooth.
- Pour this dissolved custard powder to the coconut milk in the pan, and add sugar to taste. Stir well until the liquid is smooth, golden and starts to get creamy.
- The custard must taste slightly sweeter than you want it to be. This is because as it cools and sets, the sweetness will slightly reduce.
- Once the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon in a thin coating, remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the custard into the pie tin, smoothing the top and let it set at room temperature.
Make the balsamic sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and molasses. If you can't find molasses, substitute with equal amounts of brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced by half, and is syrupy. It will thicken more as it cools, so keep that in mind when you check the syrup consistency.
- If the syrup cools down too thick, simple stir in a little water until it's smooth enough to be drizzled.
Assemble
- Just before serving, place an array of sliced fruits on top of the pie. Be as creative as you like, cut out shapes, alternate colors and patters in the arrangement. Drizzle with the balsamic syrup, slice and serve.
Kristina T ESTREMERA says
Hello, I am not a fan of custard, but my dad is. That being said, I cook plant based, and am unfamiliar with custard powder. I read that it consists of sugar, cornstarch, powdered milk etc.. what could I use in place of the milk powder?
Thank you.
Tina Dawson says
Hey Kristina! I completely understand your concern. And I thank you for bringing this to my notice. I was under the impression that I linked to the Brown & Polsen custard powder I use – it has only edible cornstarch and salt (along with colors and flavors added). No eggs, no milk. I’ve linked to it in the post now. I hope it helps. Thank you and I hope you and your Dad enjoy this desert!