One of my favourite magazines, Australian Gourmet Traveller, featured a stunning array of inspirational recipes for Christmas in their December issue. Succulent summer fruits were used and recipes that could be created (if you were lucky enough to have bought the mag) at anytime when fruits are plentiful like; Blueberry Upside-down Pavlovas, Watermelon & Boysenberry Granita with Melon & Sparkling Shiraz and Prosecco & Peach Jelly with Mascarpone & Pandoro, I wanted to try everything
With my 'I-wanna-challenge-like-a-hole-in-the-head' sleeves rolled up, I flubbed my way through the Golden Mango and Passionfruit Caramalised Tart recipe and Mum had a go at the Boozey Winey Trifle (see scanned pages from mag on the left). Both were an absolute winner and thought I'd share my version of the tart
Recipe is after the break...
Sweet Pastry
250g unsalted butter
60g icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
2 egg yolks
360g plain sieved flour
Custard
2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 egg yolks
180g caster sugar (superfine)
50g cornflour
50g plain flour
Passionfruit Caramel and Mango slices
1 cup caster sugar (superfine)
130mL strained passionfruit juice from about 8 passionfruits (throw pulp into a blender and strain through sieve to extract the most juice)
Thinly slice about 4 mangoes lengthways
1. Pastry: beat butter and sugar until light and pale in an electric beater. Then add yolks, flour and a little water and mix until just combined. Roll out onto a floured surface and divide into two. Wrap in plastic and rest for an hour. Roll out pastry and place into a buttered and floured 28cm diameter tart tin. Trim edges, prick base with a fork and rest in the fridge. Preheat oven to 180oC and blind-bake case with baking paper and weights until golden on the edges for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool
2: Custard: Bring milk and vanilla to a light boil. Whisk yolks, sugar and flours in a bowl until pale and then slowly add hot milk. Return mixture to a clean saucepan and whisk continuously on a medium heat until very thick. Remove from heat and place into a bowl. Cover an place in fridge until set
3. Passionfruit Caramel: Bring sugar and 60mL water to simmer in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with brush and water. After sugar has dissolved and turned to caramel ( 10 to 15 minutes) remove from heat. Carefully add juice and stir to mix. Set aside to cool
4. Spoon custard into tart case. Carefully arrange mango slices around tart until completely covered. Drizzle passionfruit caramel over mango and add a few passionfruit seeds. Serve with Vanilla Bean icecream
