Passion-Fruit Meringue Tart

Serves: 4

Olin Prosacco

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

56

Spice

47

Sweetness

56

Sourness

36 mins

Prep time (avg)

5

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Water

6 large

Egg

3 cup

Sugar

1 tbsp

Cornstarch

1 tsp

Salt

2 cup

Unsalted Butter (cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)

1.333333 cups

All-Purpose Flour (plus additional for dusting)

1 large

Egg Yolk

4 large

Egg White (at room temperature 30 minutes)

Directions:

1

Make curd: Whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl until smooth

2

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

3

Return to saucepan

4

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

5

Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes more

6

Force curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper, at least 8 hours

7

Whisk together eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl until smooth

8

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

9

Return to saucepan

10

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

11

Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes more

12

Force curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and chill, its surface covered with wax paper, at least 8 hours

13

Make pastry while curd chills: Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor)

14

Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps

15

Beat together yolk and water with a fork and stir into flour mixture (or pulse) until combined well

16

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

17

(Do not overwork, or pastry will be tough

18

) Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions

19

With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat

20

Gather all of dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk

21

Chill, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour

22

Bring dough to cool room temperature before rolling out, about 30 minutes

23

Lightly dust dough with flour and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 12-inch round

24

Fit dough into tart pan (discard paper), pressing with floured fingers onto bottom and up side of pan

25

Trim overhang to 1/2 inch and fold inside, pressing against rim of pan, then chill shell 30 minutes

26

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

27

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights

28

Bake until edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes

29

Remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, 20 to 25 minutes more

30

Cool completely in pan on a rack

31

Remove side of pan

32

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor)

33

Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps

34

Beat together yolk and water with a fork and stir into flour mixture (or pulse) until combined well

35

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

36

(Do not overwork, or pastry will be tough

37

) Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions

38

With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat

39

Gather all of dough together with scraper and press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk

40

Chill, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour

41

Bring dough to cool room temperature before rolling out, about 30 minutes

42

Lightly dust dough with flour and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 12-inch round

43

Fit dough into tart pan (discard paper), pressing with floured fingers onto bottom and up side of pan

44

Trim overhang to 1/2 inch and fold inside, pressing against rim of pan, then chill shell 30 minutes

45

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

46

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights

47

Bake until edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes

48

Remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, 20 to 25 minutes more

49

Cool completely in pan on a rack

50

Remove side of pan

51

Make meringue and assemble tart: Combine whites and salt in a bowl

52

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

53

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

54

When syrup reaches about 235°F, beat egg whites with salt at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks

55

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

56

Transfer shell to a cake plate

57

Spoon curd into shell and spread evenly

58

Dollop meringue on top of curd, then spread to edge of crust

59

Draw meringue up into peaks with a rubber spatula

60

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

61

Combine whites and salt in a bowl

62