Little Queen of Tarts
MAKES 24 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+REFRIGERATION TIME) 1⅓ cups (200g) plain flour
1 tablespoon caster sugar
100g butter, chopped
2 tablespoons raspberry jam, warmed ALMOND FILLING 4 egg yolks
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
1 ½ cup (180g) almond meal 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons lemon juice ITALIAN MERINGUE 2 cups (440g) caster sugar
2/3 cup (160ml) water
4 egg whites pinch cream of tartar
1 Grease 12 holes of a patty pan (1 ½ tablespoon capacity).
2 Process flour, sugar and butter until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of chilled water; process until the pastry comes together. Divide pastry into 2 discs; wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3 ALMOND FILLING Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
4 Roll pastry out thinly. Using a 6.5cm cutter, cut out rounds of pastry; line pan holes with pastry. Fill pastry cases with Almond Filling; smooth tops.
5 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fanforced). Bake tarts for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the jam over the warm filling.
6 ITALIAN MERINGUE Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat; stir, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Brush down side of pan with a wet pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals. Bring syrup to the boil; boil, without stirring, until syrup reaches 122°C (hard ball). Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. With motor running, pour syrup into meringue gradually in a thin stream. Beat at medium speed until cooled to room temperature and meringue is thick and glossy.
7 Place Italian Meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small fluted tube.
Pipe meringue onto tarts. Lightly brown meringue with a kitchen blow torch. Or, place in 240°C (220°C fan-forced) oven for a few minutes until lightly browned. Cool. Tarts suitable to freeze at the end of step 5. Jam suitable to microwave.