Passionfruit and Lemon Tart with Sugar Crust

(10 to 12 serves)

Step 1: Pastry Tart Base

Ingredients

• 150 gm flour
• 50 gm icing sugar
• 75 gm cold butter
• 1 egg (whisked)

Method

In a bowl or on a clean bench, blend the flour, sugar, and butter until you have a bread crumb consistency. 

Add three quarters of the whisked egg and work the pastry together with your fingers. Only add the rest of the egg if the dough is too dry. The pastry dough should be smooth and soft and not at all sticky. Wrap in glad wrap and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Once the pastry has rested, roll out on a lightly floured surface and place over a 25cm pie tin and mould. Blind bake in 180°C oven for 10-15 minutes until golden.

Step 2: Lemon & Passionfruit Custard Filling

Ingredients

• 4 cups cream                                    
• 1 cup sugar                                       
• 6 egg yolks                                       
• 3 whole eggs                                    
• 350mls lemon juice                          
• 170ml passionfruit pulp (whisked with pips strained off)             
• 2 lemons zested       

Method

In a sauce pan heat up the cream with the sugar and zest until dissolved.  Just stir and simmer (watch for the boil over).

In a bowl whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together.  Whisking all the time, slowly drizzle in the hot cream a little at a time until fully incorporated.  Next add the lemon juice and passionfruit pulp.  Mix together then strain through a sieve. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes and skim any froth off the top.

Pour into the pre-baked pastry case.

Cook in a low heated oven, at 120°C for approximately 45-50 minutes.  The tart is ready when it’s mostly set but has a slight jelly wobble in the centre about the size of an egg. Remove from the oven and let it cool at room temperature before refrigerating. If slightly overcooked the tart will still be fine but may crack in places.

To Serve

Slice the pie into even portions. Place each portion on an oven proof or steel tray. Sprinkle a light coating of castor sugar over each portion. Using your ‘gas gun’ caramelise the top of each piece until golden. Place in the centre of the plate, add a dollop of whipped cream and maybe some passionfruit or berries to garnish.

Note: The tart is just as delicious without the toffee sugar crust.

Match with

The luscious dessert needs something sweet but with a bit of crispness.

Muscat-des-Beaumes-des-Venise. Jaboulet, Perrin, Chapoutier
Chill a bottle of limoncello - two good NZ producers are Vin Alto and Lemonz.