A velvety smooth tart with a real punch of perfumed Passionfruit.

Passionfruit Tart

Ingredients:

Serves 10, makes 1 X 26cm/10″ tart

Pastry

250g plain flour

100g icing sugar, sifted

a good pinch of salt

100g salted butter at room temperature, diced

2 medium eggs, beaten

 

Passion fruit custard

21 small passionfruit (you need 250ml passionfruit pulp from the fruits)

150g caster sugar

6 eggs

150ml double cream

 

Method

Pastry:

Sieve the flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl, add the salt. Cut butter into cubes and add these to the flour. Work together using your fingertips until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the beaten egg.  Work, first with a fork and then by hand to form a soft, but not sticky dough. On a lightly floured work surface form the dough into a neat ball. Cover with cling and chill for two hours.

On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough into a circle 3mm thick. Line a fluted, lose based tart tin, trim the edges. Place the tin onto a flat baking sheet, loosely cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 200c/gas 6.  Line the pastry case with a scrumpled piece of baking parchment and fill with baking beans or coins. Bake blind for 12-15 minutes. The sides of the pastry case should be set after this time; remove the baking parchment and beans or coins and cook the case for a further 5 minutes to set the base. It should be lightly golden brown.

Remove the set case from the oven.

Make the custard:

Place a sieve over a measuring jug. Cut the passionfruits in half and scoop the seeds and pulp into the sieve. Work the seeds with the back of a wooden spoon to extract the pulp.  you should have around 250 ml of juice.

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat together with the sugar. Pour in the passionfruit juice and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the cream. Set the custard aside for half an hour to allow the air bubbles to dissipate.

Preheat the oven to 170c.

Pour the rested custard into the tart case, pinch out any air bubbles between a thumb and finger. Place the tart on the baking sheet into the hot oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 140c/gas 1.  Bake the tart for 25 minutes. The custard should be just set but still shiver when moved.

Remove the tart from the oven and cool completely before removing it from the tin to a serving plate. Refrigerate if not using immediately but return to room temperature for serving.

The tart in the picture is decorated with edible spring primroses.

Serve at room temperature with whipped or pouring cream.