Recipe - Passion Fruit Tarts

FILLING
One half cup Unsalted butter; melted
Three fourths cup Sugar
2 lg Eggs; lightly beaten
One half cup Passion fruit juice; (see
Note)

CRUST
2 One fourth cup Allpurpose flour
Three fourths teaspoon Salt
One half cup Lard; cut into eight pieces
One fourth cup Unsalted butter; cut into 4
pieces
3 tablespoon Ice water
One half cup Coarsely chopped pistachio
nuts; for garnish

TOO HOT TAMALES SHOW #TH6215

For the filling: In the top of a double boiler, whisk together the butter,
sugar, eggs, and passion fruit juice until the mixture is thick and will
hold a line, about 12 minutes. Transfer the double boiler insert to a
larger bowl filled with ice and cold water, and stir occasionally until
cool. The mixture will be quite thick.

For the crust: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, the salt,
lard, and butter and rub together with the tips of your fingertips until
the mixture resembles small peas. Add the remaining One fourth cup flour and bring
together into a rough mass. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time and
press into the mixture with a fork or your fingertips just until the
mixture adheres into a dough. You may not need all the ice water. Press the
dough into a ball and refrigerate for 2 hours.

To assemble the tarts: Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick and, using a
small plate or a cardboard template, cut the dough into six 4 One half inch
diameter rounds. Transfer the rounds to 2 baking sheets, prick all over
with a fork, and freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bake the tart bases for 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly golden. Using a
large heavy spatula, transfer them to a rack (they crumble easily) and,
when cool, spread with a nice thick layer of the passionfruit curd almost
out to the edges of the pastry. Scatter the pistachio nuts around the very
edges of the tarts and serve. Yield: 6 servings

Note: Unsweetened passion fruit juice, which is very sour, is sometimes
available frozen. Or, in season scoop out and, if desired (it is not
necessary), strain the pulp of 1 passion fruit for each 2 tablespoons juice
required.

If you use regular storebought passion fruit juice, which has been
sweetened, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for each One half cup of the juice.

Posted to recipeludigest by molony molony@scsn.net on Mar 16, 1998