STRAWBERRY LABNEH GRANOLA TART
Majed Ali, baking blogger (The Cinnaman)
The main ingredients in this tart are labneh (an extra-strained, thick, tangy yoghurt popular in the Middle East), granola, and strawberries. It’s definitely healthy-ish, and you could probably get away with eating it for breakfast. (OK, let’s be real. I’ve probably eaten everything in this book for breakfast at one point or another.) Its creator, Majed Ali, strives to make Middle Eastern recipes approachable to an international audience. This tart, similar to a cheesecake that lost some of its sweetness but kept all the richness, is the gateway recipe you’ll wish you’d known about years ago.
CRUST
3 cups granola, without any dried fruit
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
⅓ cup (just over 5 tbsp) butter, melted
FILLING
3 large eggs
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp good quality vanilla paste
2 cups labneh
Zest of 2 limes
HONEY LIME SYRUP AND TOPPING
¼ cup honey
¼ cup lime juice
1¼ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Preheat the oven to 350°F (178°C). In a food processor, process granola, salt, sugar, and cinnamon until fine. Add melted butter and process until well combined.
Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23cm) tart pan. Bake for 8 minutes, remove from the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 300°F (149°C).
In a bowl, whisk eggs, lime zest, vanilla, sea salt, and granulated sugar until combined. Fold in labneh, but do not overmix. Pour the filling gently into the tart shell and spread evenly.
Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, until edges are set and the centre wobbles slightly when the pan is gently shaken. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar to let it cool for an hour. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature for 3 hours.
To make the honey lime syrup, bring lime juice and honey to a boil in a small saucepan for 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Top the tart with strawberries and drizzle on honey lime syrup.