Be the first to Custard tart uses passionfruit juice which is readily available year-round. The sweet shortcrust pastry is quickly made in a food processor. Feel free to experiment with other fruit nectars. Plan ahead to make the filling a day in advance.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 9 large eggs
- 1-3/4 cups (350g/11 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1-1/4 cups (310mL/10 fl oz) heavy (double) cream (45 percent butterfat)
- 1-1/3 cups (350 mL/11 fl oz) passionfruit juice, strained
- Plain (all-purpose) flour for rolling
- 1 quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
- A little egg wash for glazing
- Icing (confectioners') sugar for serving
- .
- Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
- 2 cups (250g/8 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2-1/2 ounces (75 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup (90 g/3 oz) icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 2 egg yolks
Preparation:
To make the passionfruit mix, put it together the day before you wish to bake the tart (resting the custard in the refrigerator helps avoid splitting). Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until well incorporated. While stirring gently, pour in the cream. Add the passionfruit juice and continue to stir until well blended. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, salt and icing sugar in a food processor and process for 20 seconds. Add the milk and egg yolks, and process for a further 30 seconds until a mass forms. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for a few moments. Flatten the dough and form a ball. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator 1 hour.
Spray a 26-centimeter (10-inch) tart pan with a light vegetable oil. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry until it is 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) wider than the tart pan. Roll the pastry over your rolling pin and gently ease into the tart pan, pushing the sides in gently so that the pastry takes the fluting. Rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the tart case from the refrigerator and line with foil. Place uncooked rice or dried beans in the foil and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove the rice and foil, brush the tart shell with egg wash and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 140 degrees Celsius (280 degrees Fahrenheit). Return the tart case (shell) to the oven.
With the case sitting in the oven, carefully pour in the passionfruit custard. Fill the tart right to the top, using a cup or a small dariole mold. Bake for 40 minutes. Check -- the tart should be halfway set, but still be quite wobbly in the middle. If you take it out too soon, it will not set and run when you cut it; if you leave it in too long, it will set too firmly and lose its elegance. Through experience, you'll find the optimum set for the tart in your oven.
Remove the tart from the oven, balance on a cup and remove the sides of the pan. Place the tart on a wire rack and, with a palette knife, slide the base off the tart pan. This will allow the tart to cool and the pastry to crisp up rather than sweat. Invert the pastry ring back onto the tart to help hold the sides in as it cools and sets. Allow to cool for 1 hour. Carefully cut with a serrated knife and place in the middle of large white plates. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Yield: 8 servings
Recipe Source: Australian Food: In Celebration of the New Australian Cuisine by Alan Saunders (Ten Speed Press)
Reprinted with permission.
To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, salt and icing sugar in a food processor and process for 20 seconds. Add the milk and egg yolks, and process for a further 30 seconds until a mass forms. Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for a few moments. Flatten the dough and form a ball. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator 1 hour.
Spray a 26-centimeter (10-inch) tart pan with a light vegetable oil. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry until it is 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) wider than the tart pan. Roll the pastry over your rolling pin and gently ease into the tart pan, pushing the sides in gently so that the pastry takes the fluting. Rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the tart case from the refrigerator and line with foil. Place uncooked rice or dried beans in the foil and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove the rice and foil, brush the tart shell with egg wash and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 140 degrees Celsius (280 degrees Fahrenheit). Return the tart case (shell) to the oven.
With the case sitting in the oven, carefully pour in the passionfruit custard. Fill the tart right to the top, using a cup or a small dariole mold. Bake for 40 minutes. Check -- the tart should be halfway set, but still be quite wobbly in the middle. If you take it out too soon, it will not set and run when you cut it; if you leave it in too long, it will set too firmly and lose its elegance. Through experience, you'll find the optimum set for the tart in your oven.
Remove the tart from the oven, balance on a cup and remove the sides of the pan. Place the tart on a wire rack and, with a palette knife, slide the base off the tart pan. This will allow the tart to cool and the pastry to crisp up rather than sweat. Invert the pastry ring back onto the tart to help hold the sides in as it cools and sets. Allow to cool for 1 hour. Carefully cut with a serrated knife and place in the middle of large white plates. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Yield: 8 servings
Recipe Source: Australian Food: In Celebration of the New Australian Cuisine by Alan Saunders (Ten Speed Press)
Reprinted with permission.
