Plant-Based Rice Pudding Tart
Prep. Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Baking Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time:
Approximately 4 hours (including chilling)
Serves:
One 9-inch (23cm) tart, serves 8
Gemma Costa's ingenious MasterChef: The Professionals creation transforms humble rice pudding into a sophisticated Mediterranean tart - entirely plant-based. A crisp vegan shortcrust shell holds creamy Arborio rice pudding cooked al dente like risotto with coconut milk and lemon zest, topped with a dry frangipane-style biscotto crust that bakes into an irregular crisp biscuit layer. Sharp triple-blanched candied lemon zest and golden caramelized almond flakes add texture and bite, while a bright agar agar lemon gel cuts through the richness. Marcus Wareing praised the pastry, rice, and frangipane concept; Monica Galetti called the sharp candied peel the perfect foil for the tart's sweetness. A rare dish that earned universal standing-ovation praise from both judges.
Chef's Notes: Addressing the Judge Feedback
This is a rare recipe in our collection - one where the judges had virtually no criticisms. Both Marcus and Monica gave overwhelming praise. Our recipe therefore preserves Gemma's original concept faithfully, with only minor elaborations for the home cook.
What the judges loved and how this recipe preserves it:
"Beautiful pastry case, light, melt in the mouth" - The shortcrust uses frozen vegan butter and minimal handling for maximum flakiness. Blind-baking on a preheated baking sheet ensures a crisp, dry base with no soggy bottom.
"Fabulous rice. It's just there. You just got it." - The two-stage cooking method (par-boiling, then finishing in coconut milk) achieves Gemma's "al dente, like risotto" texture. Arborio rice is essential - its amylopectin starch creates creaminess while the grains maintain their bite.
"Almond biscotti-style frangipane - love that idea. It's like a dry biscuit." — The frangipane biscotto topping is crumbled over raw to bake into an irregular, crisp crust. The combination of almond flour with a small amount of oil (rather than a large amount of butter) and no eggs produces that dry, biscuit-like texture Marcus admired.
"The lemon gel just cuts through the richness" - Agar agar creates a plant-based gel with clean, sharp lemon flavor. The gel is deliberately tart to provide essential contrast.
"Super sharp candied lemon peel... that would put hair on your chest" - Triple-blanching removes bitterness while preserving intensity. The candied zest should be assertively lemony - don't be tempted to make it sweeter.
Troubleshooting Guide
Problem: Pastry is tough and dense
Cause: Overworking the dough or warm butter
Solution: Keep butter frozen until use; handle as little as possible; stop mixing as soon as dough just holds
Problem: Pastry shrinks during baking
Cause: Dough wasn't rested enough, or was stretched during lining
Solution: Rest dough 30+ minutes; press into tin gently without stretching; rest again 15 minutes before baking
Problem: Rice pudding is mushy
Cause: Overcooked rice, too much liquid
Solution: Par-cook only to firm al dente; the rice continues cooking in the tart. It should be slightly underdone when you assemble
Problem: Rice pudding is too stiff
Cause: Too little liquid, overcooked
Solution: Add a splash more oat milk during stovetop cooking. Pudding should flow slowly off a spoon before going into the shell
Problem: Frangipane topping is soft, not crisp
Cause: Underbaked, or too much liquid in mixture
Solution: The topping must feel dry and firm to the touch. If still soft after 30 minutes, continue baking in 5-minute increments
Problem: Lemon gel didn't set
Cause: Agar wasn't fully dissolved, or too much acid during cooking
Solution: Agar must reach a full boil and simmer 1–2 minutes. Add lemon juice off heat. If it fails, re-melt and try again
Problem: Lemon gel is too firm / rubbery
Cause: Too much agar powder
Solution: Reduce agar to ¾ teaspoon. Break up with a fork or blend briefly for a softer consistency
Problem: Candied zest is bitter
Cause: Insufficient blanching
Solution: Always blanch three times in fresh boiling water to remove pith bitterness
Problem: Caramelized almonds are burnt
Cause: Sugar heated too quickly
Solution: Use medium heat and stir constantly. Remove from pan immediately once golden
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Shortcrust pastry can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Candied lemon zest keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or refrigerated in its syrup for 2 weeks.
Caramelized almonds can be made 2–3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Lemon gel can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Break it up again with a fork before serving.
The assembled tart (without candied zest and almonds) keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Add garnishes just before serving.
Fully garnished slices are best enjoyed within a few hours, as the candied zest and caramelized almonds soften with time.
Variations
Citrus Swap: Replace lemon zest in the filling with orange or bergamot zest for a different Mediterranean flavor profile. Adjust the gel and candied zest to match.
Spiced Version: Add a cinnamon stick and 2 whole cloves to the coconut milk while cooking the rice pudding. Remove before filling the tart.
Chocolate Frangipane: Replace 2 tablespoons of the almond flour in the biscotto topping with cocoa powder for a chocolate-almond crust.
Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free flour blend for both the shortcrust and the biscotto topping. Add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum to the pastry for binding.
Individual Tartlets: Divide among six 4-inch tartlet tins. Reduce blind-baking time to 12 + 6 minutes; reduce final bake to 18–22 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
MAKE THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY:
1. Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk briefly to blend.
2. Add the frozen cubes of vegan butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Work quickly — cold butter is essential for a flaky, light crust.
3. Drizzle in the ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a butter knife after each addition. Stop adding water as soon as the dough just begins to hold together when pressed. It will look crumbly — that is correct.
4. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and press it together into a flat disc. Do not knead. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
BLIND-BAKE THE TART SHELL:
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (fan 160°C / 325°F). Place a baking sheet on the middle rack to preheat.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to approximately 3mm (⅛-inch) thickness. Carefully drape it over a 23cm (9-inch) fluted tart tin with a removable bottom. Press gently into the corners without stretching. Trim excess pastry by rolling a rolling pin over the top edge.
7. Prick the base lightly with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or dried rice.
8. Blind-bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, then bake for a further 8–10 minutes until the base is light golden and feels dry to the touch. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 165°C / 325°F (fan 150°C / 300°F).
PREPARE THE RICE PUDDING FILLING:
9. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the Arborio rice and a pinch of salt. Cook at a gentle boil for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is par-cooked and still noticeably al dente — it should have a distinct bite at the center. Drain any remaining water.
10. Return the rice to the pan over low heat. Add the coconut milk, oat milk, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
11. Cook gently, stirring frequently, for 12–15 minutes. The rice should absorb most of the liquid and become creamy but retain a pleasant al dente texture. The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon but still flow slowly. It will firm up further as it bakes and cools.
12. Pour the rice pudding into the blind-baked tart shell and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool for 10 minutes while you prepare the biscotto topping.
MAKE THE FRANGIPANE BISCOTTO TOPPING:
13. In a bowl, combine the almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Whisk to blend.
14. Add the oil, oat milk, and almond extract. Stir with a fork until a crumbly, slightly cohesive dough forms. It should resemble damp sand that holds together when pressed.
15. Using your fingers, crumble the biscotto mixture evenly over the top of the rice pudding filling in an irregular layer. Some areas should be thicker, some thinner — this creates textural contrast where the frangipane bakes into a dry, biscuit-like crust.
BAKE THE TART:
16. Place the tart on the preheated baking sheet. Bake at 165°C / 325°F for 25–30 minutes, until the frangipane topping is golden brown and feels firm and dry to the touch — it should have the texture of a crisp biscuit, not a soft cake.
17. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the tin on a wire rack. The tart must be fully cool before unmolding and garnishing.
MAKE THE CANDIED LEMON ZEST:
18. Using a sharp vegetable peeler or channel knife, cut long thin strips of zest from the lemons, avoiding the white pith. Slice into fine julienne strips.
19. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Blanch the zest strips for 2 minutes, then drain. Repeat this blanching process two more times with fresh water each time. This triple blanching removes bitterness while preserving the sharp citrus punch.
20. In the same saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
21. Add the blanched zest strips. Simmer gently over low heat for 15–20 minutes until the strips become translucent and the syrup thickens.
22. Using a fork, transfer the candied strips to parchment paper, separating them so they do not clump. Allow to cool and dry. They should be glossy, slightly tacky, and intensely lemony.
MAKE THE CARAMELIZED ALMOND FLAKES:
23. Place the flaked almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
24. Sprinkle the sugar over the almonds. Continue stirring as the sugar melts and coats the almonds in a thin golden caramel, about 2–3 minutes more. Watch carefully — the transition from golden to burnt happens quickly.
25. Immediately pour the caramelized almonds onto parchment paper. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt. Allow to cool completely, then break apart any clusters.
MAKE THE LEMON GEL:
26. In a small saucepan, combine the water and agar agar powder. Whisk thoroughly — the agar must be fully incorporated before heating.
27. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 1–2 minutes until the agar is completely dissolved.
28. Remove from heat. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then add the lemon juice. Adding the lemon juice after removing from heat preserves its brightness and prevents the acid from weakening the agar's setting power.
29. Pour into a shallow dish or small container. Allow to set at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
30. Once set, use a fork or small whisk to break the gel into a smooth, spoonable consistency — it should be glossy and slightly wobbly, like a loose jam.
ASSEMBLE AND SERVE:
31. Carefully unmold the cooled tart from its tin and place on a serving board or plate.
32. Arrange the candied lemon zest strips artfully across the top of the biscotto crust.
33. Scatter the caramelized almond flakes over and around the candied zest.
34. Serve slices with a generous spoonful of lemon gel on the side or dolloped on the plate. The gel's sharp acidity is essential — it cuts through the richness of the coconut rice pudding and the sweetness of the tart.
