This French Passion Fruit Tart is an incredibly fresh and delicious dessert that combines a Pâte Sucrée (sweet shortcrust pastry) and a Passion Fruit Crémeux (passion fruit cream filling).
4largeEgg Yolksat room temperature (approx 80 grams)
120grCaster Sugar
5gr (1 1/2 teaspoon )Gelatin Powderplus 1 tablespoon cold water
120grUnsalted Butter, cubedat room temperature
Meringue Topping (optional)
2largeEgg Whites(approx 60 grams)
60grCaster Sugar
1pinchFine Table Salt
Instructions
Pâte Sucrée Pastry
Place the soft butter and sifted icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape the bowl with a spatula if / when required.
Add the egg and almond meal. Mix until well combined, stopping to scrape the side of the bowl when required.
Add sifted flour and salt. Mix on low speed, stopping as soon as a rough dough comes together (see note 1).
Bring the pastry together and place it between two large sheets of baking paper / parchment paper. Slightly press on the pastry ball to flatten it. Roll the pastry to a thickness of about 4 mm or 1/6 inch (see note 2). Place the flat pastry on a large baking sheet and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
Remove the baking paper and place the pastry over a 24 cm (9,5-inch) tart tin with removable bottom. Gently press the pastry down into the corner of the tart tin to create a 90 degree angle (see note 3).
Cut off any excess pastry with a small pairing knife. Place back in the fridge to chill and rest for at least 2 hour, preferably overnight (or for up to 24 hours).
reheat your oven on 160 degree Celsius / 325 degree Fahrenheit. Dock the pastry (prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork) and place the pastry in the freezer while the oven is preheating. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and feels dry to the touch (see note 4). Place on a wire rack and leave to cool down completely.
Passion Fruit Crémeux
Place the passion fruit puree in a medium saucepan. Turn on low to medium-low heat and bring to a simmer.
In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Slowly pour the hot passion fruit over the egg/sugar mixture while continuously whisking. Pour the whole mixture back in the saucepan.
Place back on the stove over a low-heat. Continuously stir with a heatproof spatula or whisk for about 5 minutes, or until the custard mixture has slightly thickened (see note 5). Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, mix the gelatine powder with a little bit of very cold water. Once it has solidified into a thick paste (2 to 3 minutes), add it to the hot passion fruit custard. Whisk well until the gelatine has completely melted.
Transfer the mixture into a clean bowl or large jug. Leave to cool down for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the temperature of the custard has dropped to about 40 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) (see note 6).
Add the soft butter cubes into the passion fruit custard a little bit at a time, whisk well until the butter has been completely incorporated before adding more.
Once all the butter has been incorporated, pour the liquid passion fruit crémeux into the baked tart shell. Very gently tap the pan to pop any air bubbles. Place in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours (preferably overnight) or until the filling has set.
Meringue Topping (optional)
Place the egg whites, caster sugar and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Whisk to combine then place over a double-boiler. On a medium heat, continuously whisk for 5 to 10 minutes or until the egg whites have reached the temperature of 70 degrees Celsius (about 160 degrees Fahrenheit). The mixture should have turned white, thickened and increased in size (see note 7).
Remove the bowl from the double-boiler and whip on medium to high speed, either using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Continue to whip until you reach stiff peaks and the meringue is glossy and fluffy.
Transfer the Swiss meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle. Piped over the set passion fruit tart in your preferred pattern then use a kitchen blowtorch to toast the meringue (optional). You can also just spread the meringue straight onto the tart if you don't want to pipe it. Finish with a few leaves of fresh mint (optional).
Notes
You wan to avoid mixing the pastry for too long or it will develop too much gluten, making it hard to work with later on. Optionally at this stage, you can do a "fraisage" (or "frasage") to finish combining the pastry. With the palm of your hand, gently press the dough against your kitchen table and move it forward. Pick it back up and place back over the centre of the pastry. Keep on going until the dough is very smooth.
If the pastry is too hard to be handled (cracks quickly, is too stiff), leave it at room temperature for a few minutes to let it soften a bit. If it gets too soft, place back in the fridge for a few minutes. This pastry is very forgiving so even if it cracks or breaks, you can simply use the warmth of your fingers to put it back together!
I do not use beans, rice or baking weights to bake the pastry. As long as it has been properly chilled and rested, it will not move in the oven.
The exact time can vary based on the exact temperature of your stove and the size of your pan. Make sure not to let the mixture boil or the egg yolks might curdle and turn the crémeux lumpy. There are two ways to check that the crème anglaise base is properly cooked:
- Coat the back of a spoon with the custard. Carefully draw an horizontal line (it will be hot) and tip the spoon down. If the line stays clear, the custard is thick enough and ready to be used.- Use a thermometer to check that the cream has reached the temperature of 82 to 84 degree celsius (180 to 184 degree Fahrenheit).
It is very important to let the custard cool down before you add the butter. If too hot, the butter will melt into the custard (rather than emulsify) which could make the whole mixture split or look greasy.
If you rub some of the mixture between your fingers, you shouldn't feel any grains of sugar anymore; it should have completely melted into the egg whites.