Crème Brûlée Tart

Serving crème brûlée in a tart is such a simple concept, but it takes an already stunning dessert to the next level. This vegan crème brûlée tart is a must try for every dessert enthusiast. An indulgent treat that’s free from dairy, eggs, gluten and nuts, yet still tastes insanely good! It can be enjoyed by everyone and you won’t be able to tell there’s no eggs or dairy in there. 

There is something inherently theatrical about a crème brûlée. The sharp crack of the caramelised sugar lid yielding to a pool of velvety custard is a sensory experience few desserts can match. But what happens when you take that sophisticated French classic and nestle it into a crisp, golden crust? You get the Crème Brûlée Tart – a dessert that manages to be both rustic and refined.

Even better? This particular version reimagines the heavy, dairy-laden original as a vegan and gluten-free showstopper. By swapping out heavy cream and egg yolks for clever plant-based alternatives, we’ve created a tart that is lighter on the stomach but just as rich in flavour.

Why this crème brûlée tart works:

At its core, a crème brûlée is a study in contrasts: hot and cold, brittle and smooth. Transforming this into a sliceable tart requires a delicate balance of chemistry and culinary intuition. Here is why this specific combination of ingredients creates magic.

Traditional tart shells rely on highly refined white flour and cold blocks of butter. While delicious, they can often feel “heavy” or leave you with a post-dessert slump.

By using oat flour (simply blended rolled oats), we introduce a nutty, wholesome base that provides a more complex flavour profile. When paired with maple syrup and sunflower spread, the crust bakes into a shortbread-like consistency that is sturdy enough to hold the custard but tender enough to melt in your mouth.

The challenge with vegan custard is replicating the “mouthfeel” of egg yolks and heavy cream. We achieve this through a dual-milk approach:

• Full-fat coconut milk: This provides the essential fats and lusciousness required for a true brûlée.

• Oat milk: This lightens the mixture, ensuring the coconut flavor doesn’t overpower the delicate vanilla.

• Cornflour & agar agar: These are the “structure builders.” While cornflour provides that classic creamy thickness, the agar agar (a seaweed-derived gelatin substitute) ensures the tart sets firmly enough to produce clean, professional-looking slices.

Crème brûlée tart – A lighter take on a decadent classic:

One of the most common complaints about traditional tarts is how “rich” they are—often to the point where you can only manage a few bites. This Crème Brûlée Tart is designed to be lighter and more digestible for several reasons:

• Refined sugar-free (mostly): Aside from the iconic burnt sugar topping, the sweetness in the crust and filling comes from maple syrup. This provides a subtle caramel undertone and a lower glycemic index than white table sugar.

• No heavy dairy: By removing heavy cream, we eliminate a significant amount of saturated animal fats and lactose, which can often lead to that “weighed down” feeling after dessert.

• Heart-healthy fats: Using a sunflower-based spread and coconut milk introduces plant-based fats that are processed differently by the body compared to dairy butter.

Crème brûlée is such a yummy treat as it is, but served in a crust it tastes even better! This is a super fun dessert to make for friends and family and would go down a treat at dinner parties. Perfect to serve to people with allergies, but will also be enjoyed by everyone alike.

Made using full fat coconut milk and oat milk to make it slightly lighter and healthier. To give the filling that crème brûlée texture, I used cornflour and agar agar (which you can easily get from Amazon and health food shops) to thicken up the mixture and create a custard that’s creamy, but still firm enough to hold together. The last thing you want when slicing a tart for the filling to fall apart into a liquid mush when you serve it on a plate. 

Is this crème brûlée tart recipe allergy friendly?

In the modern kitchen, the best desserts are the ones everyone can enjoy. This tart is a “triple threat” of inclusivity:

Naturally gluten-free

By using oat flour as the primary grain, this tart is naturally free from gluten. For those with Celiac disease or high sensitivity, simply ensuring the oats are certified gluten-free makes this a safe and spectacular option. Oat flour also provides more fibre than traditional pastry flour, adding a subtle digestive benefit to your indulgence.

Completely plant-based

Moving away from eggs and dairy isn’t just for vegans; it’s for anyone looking to reduce their environmental footprint or explore the versatility of plant-based chemistry. The use of agar agar is a game-changer here—it sets more reliably than gelatin and is entirely cruelty-free.

The base is no-bake, which makes the recipe much easier. All you have to do for the base is mix 4 ingredients in a bowl and press into a tart pan, that’s it! I used oat flour because it’s higher in fibre, and I used Pure sunflower spread instead of butter to make it plant-based and vegan.

Pure spreads are perfect for people who are looking for a dairy-free alternative to butter. Whether this is driven by a dairy/lactose intolerance or for lifestyle/health reasons. Their spreads come in four different varieties – olive spread, soya spread, the new Perfect Baking spread and sunflower spread, which is the one I’m using in this recipe. 

As well as being dairy-free, Pure sunflower spread contains 70% less saturated fat compared to butter and is ideal for everyday spreading on toast or melting over vegetables. I’ve also used it in baking gluten-free and vegan crusts and cookies.

Pro-tips for the perfect “crack”

The hallmark of any great brûlée is the caramelised sugar topping. Since this is a tart, you have a larger surface area to work with than a standard ramekin, which means more of that delightful crunch in every bite.

1. The cooling phase: Ensure your filling is completely chilled and set before adding the sugar. If the custard is warm, the sugar will dissolve into a syrup rather than sitting on top to be caramelised.

2. Sugar distribution: Use a small sieve to dust the brown sugar evenly across the surface. Any clumps will burn before the rest of the sugar melts.

3. The torch technique: Move your kitchen torch in small, circular motions. You’re looking for a deep amber colour. If you don’t have a torch, a preheated oven grill (broiler) works wonders—just keep a very close eye on it!

Crème Brûlée Tart

Serving crème brûlée in a tart is such a simple concept, but it takes an already stunning dessert to the next level. This vegan crème brûlée tart is a must try for every dessert enthusiast. An indulgent treat that's free from dairy, eggs, gluten and nuts, yet still tastes insanely good! It can be enjoyed by everyone and you won't be able to tell there's no eggs or dairy in there. 

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

chill time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Calories 215 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

For the base

• 250 g oat flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 level tbsp plant-based butter melted
• 3 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

For the filling

• 235 ml full fat coconut milk
• 235 ml oat milk
• 60 ml maple syrup
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 1 1/2 tsp agar agar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• A pinch of turmeric

For the topping

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

 

• To make the base – mix the oat flour and salt in a large bowl.
• Pour in the melted spread and maple syrup and mix until you have a dough.
• Press the dough into and up the sides of a 8 1/2-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Freeze for 30 minutes while you create the filling.
• To make the filling – pour the milks into a small saucepan along with the cornflour and agar agar. Mix well to combine making sure there are no lumps.
• Add the maple syrup, vanilla and turmeric and mix again. Heat on a medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken, then remove from the heat and leave to sit for a couple of minutes.
• Pour the mixture into the chilled base and allow to cool a little before transferring it to the fridge.
• Allow to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until set.
• Sprinkle brown sugar on top and use a blowtorch flame to caramelise the sugar (see video above for demonstration).
• Enjoy!

Notes

I make my own oat flour by blending porridge oats into a fine flour in a high-speed blender. Use gluten-free oats if necessary

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 104mgPotassium: 177mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

Keyword chilled dessert, dairy-free, dairy-free dessert, gluten-free, vegan

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