Passion Fruit Meringue Tartlets Food

PASSION MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Dust the work surface with a little flour, then roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use to line a deep, 23cm loose-bottom flan tin and chill until firm. Line with greaseproof paper and a layer of baking beans, then bake for 20 mins. Remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for 5 mins until pale golden in colour. Leave to cool.
• For the filling, cut the passion fruit in half, then scoop the pulp of 10 into a sieve over a large jug. Rub the pulp and juice through the sieve; discard the seeds. Scoop the pulp and seeds of the remaining fruit into the juice. You should now have 150ml in total - so make up with orange juice if you don't have enough. In a pan, mix the cornflour with the sugar, then gradually stir in 200ml cold water followed by the passion fruit. Cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens. Take the pan off the heat and whisk the yolks into the hot mixture.
• Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. For the meringue, whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks, then gradually whisk in the sugar until thick and glossy. Reheat the filling briefly, then spread over the pastry base. Spoon the meringue over the filling, starting from the pastry edge and working your way into the middle, then gently swirl the spoonfuls together. Bake for 20 mins until the meringue is lightly golden. Serve warm or cold.

PASSION-FRUIT MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• Make curd:
• Whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl until smooth.
• Heat passion-fruit purée in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until heated through, then add hot purée to egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Return to saucepan. Whisk in butter, 1 cube at a time, over moderate heat and cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is thickened and just comes to a boil, about 6 minutes. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes more. Force curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper, at least 8 hours.
• Make pastry while curd chills:
• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolk and water with a fork and stir into flour mixture (or pulse) until combined well.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, to dough, stirring (or pulsing) until just combined. (Do not overwork, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all of dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Bring dough to cool room temperature before rolling out, about 30 minutes.
• Lightly dust dough with flour and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 12-inch round. Fit dough into tart pan (discard paper), pressing with floured fingers onto bottom and up side of pan. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch and fold inside, pressing against rim of pan, then chill shell 30 minutes.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, 20 to 25 minutes more. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Remove side of pan.
• Make meringue and assemble tart:
• Combine whites and salt in a bowl.
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Put thermometer facedown into sugar syrup, resting other end against rim of saucepan, and continue to boil (but do not stir), brushing any sugar crystals down side of pan with pastry brush dipped in water.
• When syrup reaches about 235°F, beat egg whites with salt at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks.
• When syrup reaches 238 to 242°F, immediately remove syrup from heat and pour in a slow, thin stream down side of bowl into whites (avoid beaters), beating at high speed until meringue is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes in a stand mixer or 15 with a handheld.
• Transfer shell to a cake plate. Spoon curd into shell and spread evenly. Dollop meringue on top of curd, then spread to edge of crust. Draw meringue up into peaks with a rubber spatula.
• Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth over meringue peaks, holding flame 1 to 2 inches from meringue to avoid burning, until lightly browned in spots.
• *Available at Latino markets and some supermarkets.

PASSION FRUIT MERINGUE TARTS

Steps:

• Divide the chilled tart pastry into 4 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut each portion into a 5-inch round. Fit the pastry rounds into 4 ungreased 4-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Line pastry in tart pans with a double thickness of foil to prevent from overbrowning. Place pans on a baking sheet.
• Bake pastry in a 350° oven for 15 minutes; remove foil. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more or till golden. Cool in pans on a wire rack.
• For filling, in a saucepan combine the 1/2 cup sugar, fruit puree or juice, and butter. Bring just to boiling over medium, heat, stirring occasionally.
• In a medium mixing bowl beat the whole eggs slightly with a fork.
• Slowly add fruit mixture, beating continuously. Return to saucepan; heat and stir over medium heat about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, but do not boil. strain, if using puree; transfer to a nonmetal bowl. Cover and chill till mixture is cool.
• For meringue, let the egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed till foamy.
• Add the vanilla and the cream of tartar; beat till soft peaks form (tips curl).
• Gradually add the 1/4 cup sugar, beating on high speed till stiff peaks form (tips should stand straight).
• To assemble, remove pastry shells from pans. Place shells on a baking sheet.
• Spoon passion fruit filling into shells.
• Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe meringue onto the top of each tart in a woven pattern. (Or, spoon meringue atop each tart.)
• Bake in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till meringue edges are golden.
• Rich Tart Pastry (food processor): In a food processor bowl combine 1/3 cup cut-up unsalted or regular butter, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and a dash salt. Cover and proces till mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk; process just till mixture begins to form a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill about 1 hour.
• Rich Tart Pastry (hand mix): In a medium mixing bowl stir together 1 1//4 cups flour or cake flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and a dash salt. Cut in 1/3 cup cut-up unsalted or regular butter till pieces are the size of small peas. Combine 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk; stir into flour mixture. If necessary, add another tablespoon milk if dough seems dry. Form dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• Nutrition information per tart: 634 cal., 36 g fat, 257 mg chol., 12 g pro., 81 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 110 mg sodium. RDA: 17% iron, 57% vit A, 29% thiamine, 40% riboflavin, 19% niacin.