Using this recipe as a base, the team from Cafe Vue at Melbourne's Heidi museum explained to www.goodfood.com.au that they've been exploring the infusion of native Australian ingredients into the lemon juice to create a brilliant earthiness and a truly Aussie tart. Whether it be strawberry gum infused curd, Kakadu plum juice or even a sprinkling of mountain pepper in the meringue mix to add a bit of spice - it is really easy to enhance a dessert with flavours of our Australian backyard.
Serves 10
For sweet pastry shells
125g butter
105g caster sugar
1 medium eggs
pinch of salt
235g plain flour
For lemon curd
500g whole eggs
500g sugar
400g lemon juice
500g butter
For Swiss meringue
100g egg whites
200g sugar
METHOD
For sweet pastry
Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the egg and mix. Add the flour and salt and mix.
Cover in cling film and rest for 2 hours in a refrigerator.
To make pastry shells
• Pre-heat oven at 180C.
• Roll out the sweet pastry on a lightly floured bench until approximately 3mm thick.
• Cut out required portions of sweet pastry with a pastry cutter and push into the lightly buttered pastry tin making sure the pastry is pressed down right into the corners of the tin. With the back of a small knife cut the excess pastry.
• Blind bake the pastry for 5-6 minutes until evenly golden brown
For lemon curd
• In a heavy based sauce-pan combine the whole eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest
• Whisk over medium heat until the mix bubbles
• Remove from heat and incorporate the butter piece by piece using a hand blender
• Place in a container, cover with cling film and cool as quickly as possible
Method for Swiss meringue
• Place the sugar and egg whites into a bowl over a bain-marie and whisk to combine
• Allow the mix to slowly heat until 80oC whisking occasionally throughout the process
• When the mix has reached temperature transfer to kitchen aid and whisk until cooled
• Pipe immediately
To assemble tarts
• Pipe the lemon curd into the tart shells 3/4 up the sides
• Pipe the Swiss meringue in the centre, shaking up and down
• Lightly colored with a blow torch
The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.
Sign up