Passionfruit Tarts

Summer is my favourite time of year. Not only for the fantastic hot weather (though Sydney really needs to pick up its game this time) but also for the sweet summer fruit that is available right now. I love that all the berries, stonefruit and tropical fruit are readily available in supermarkets and the fact that they're so cheap that I can stock up on them and use them in baking projects.

I've spoken about passionfruit before and mentioned that previously I didn't like to eat the crunchy seeds in the passionfruit. This recipe is perfect for that - you get all the passionfruit flavour without the harsh texture of the seeds.

The recipe does require you to have a lot of passionfruit to really get a punchy passionfruit flavour, but trust me, it's definitely worth it. If passionfruit isn't your thing, replace the juice with lemon or lime to make a luscious, creamy citrus tart.

Apart from the glorious passionfruit filling, my favourite part of this tart is the slightly bruléed top which is a good excuse to use my trusty blowtorch (yay fire!). It's not quite as thick and crisp as the top of a crème brulée, but rather it is a thin, delicate toffee layer which gives and cracks slightly as you bite into it. It's a little sugary, a little burnt, a little buttery, and a whole lot of passionfruit in one mouthful.

Passionfruit Tarts
adapted from this Gourmet Traveller recipe

For the sweet shortcrust pastry:
2 cups (300g) plain flour
150g cold butter, diced
3 tbsp (45g) caster sugar
2-3 tbsp ice water

For the filling:
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
150g caster sugar
150ml pouring cream
200ml strained passionfruit pulp, from about 20-30 passionfruits (I didn't have enough passionfruit to make 200ml so I topped it up with lime juice)
icing sugar for dusting

1. Process the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, gradually add the water until the dough starts to cling together. Knead lightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Roll out the dough until it is large enough to fit your tart tin(s). Line the tin(s) with the pastry, cutting off the excess and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Cover the top of the pastry with baking paper and fill with weights or uncooked rice. Blind bake for 10 minutes, then remove the baking paper and weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the crust is golden. Place on a wire rack to cool.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 120ºC. To make the filling, lightly mix together the eggs, egg yolk and caster sugar in a bowl until sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cream and passionfruit juice and then strain through a fine sieve into a jug. Pour the filling into the tart shells and bake for 10-15 minutes or until just set – the filling should still wobble slightly in the centre. Leave to cool to room temperature.

4. Dust the tarts with icing sugar and caramelise with a blowtorch or under a very hot grill. Serve immediately.