Author Notes: During a trip to London I went to make a workshop at L’Atelier des Chefs where I learned a recipe of Coconut and Lime Tarts. I still have a passion for coconut, limes and especially passion fruit from the years I lived in Brazil. This is my re-interpretation of the Lime and Coconut Tarts which I changed to have more coconut flavour in the custard and added passion fruit to the syrup. It’s a very elegant and light dessert, can be made as indivudual tarts or one big tart . —Maria Teresa Jorge
Serves: 6 – 8
Ingredients
Lime and Passion Fruit Syrup
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2
limes – zest
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1
lime in juice
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6
passion fruits
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1/3
cup water
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1/2
cup sugar
Tarts and Coconut Filling
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12
ounces short crust pastry
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2
cups coconut milk
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1/2
cup double cream
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1/4
cup fine sugar + 2 tablespoons
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2 1/2
tablespoons Corn starch
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6
egg yolks
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icing sugar for decoration
Directions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400º F with rack in the middle.
- Thinly roll out the shortcrust pastry and line 1 tart or 8 individual tart cases. Prick the pastry with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes. Line the tart with parchment paper and fill with beans. Blind bake for 15 to 17 minutes, remove parchment paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes or until LIGHT golden brown (they will be baking further with the coconut filling).
- Reduce the oven to 300º F to cook the custard.
- For the Coconut Custard: Pour the coconut milk in a pan and warm up until just before it boils.
- Lightly beat the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in a bowl. Add the hot milk and cream and whisk to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Pour the mixture and fill the pastry case or cases. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cream starts to brown lightly. It will still be a little wobbly in the middle but it will finish cooking and set as it cools. Let cool completely.
- Cut the passion fruit in half and remove the juice and seeds. Strain the juice and keep in a bowl. Keep just 2 teaspoons of the seeds in another bowl.
- Wash, dry and zest 3 of the limes and set aside. Juice 1 lime and strain.
- Put the lime and passion fruit juice in a pan over medium high heat, add the sugar and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let boil for about 10 minutes until syrupy. Add the 2 teaspoons of the passion fruit seeds and allow to cool.
- Sprinkle the top of the custard with the lime zest, pour thesyrup over all the tart and let rest.
- Note: If you use a tart case that has a removable bottom you can proceed with this method. Otherwise precook the tart shell, remove from the tart case and cook the tart on a tray.
- Note 2: You can make ahead the tart shell and have it ready. The custard should always be cooked the day you serve the tart otherwise the bottom will be very soggy.
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