Passionfruit Tartlets

We were inspired to make these sweet, tangy, custard-filled, buttery, crumbly pastry-enclosed delights by a backyard vine dripping with passionfruit. They will melt in your mouth and melt your heart. 

Passionfruit Tartlets

Filling
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
125 gm caster sugar
150 ml  cream
250 ml passion fruit pulp, strained to remove seeds 

Shortcrust Pastry 

225 gm unsalted butter
100 gm icing sugar
375 gm (2½ cups) plain flour
1 egg
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

For the pastry, mix the butter, sugar and flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the egg and combine until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least and hour in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 160C. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and use to line six 8cm-diameter tart tins, then place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Line pastry-lined tins with baking paper, then fill with pastry weights and blind-bake for about 10 minutes, remove weights and bake for another 5 minutes or until just brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Now reduce the oven temperature to 120C. 

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.

To finish, give it a rustic look by caramelizing the tops with a blowtorch or under a hot grill for 30 seconds – 1 minute.