The ultimate Bourke Street Bakery's Passionfruit Meringue Tart! ♥

For those of whom have been following my blog, you'd know by now how much I love Bourke Street Bakery and how I've raved about them.

The gem of this boulangerie is none other than its TARTGASMIC Passionfruit Meringue Tart.

It is the most delicious tart I've ever had! The filling was smooth and creamy-like, but not too rich. It hits all the right spots!

I have attempted to replicate this tart once, back in 2011, however as I did not own a kitchen blow torch then, it did not turn out as beautiful as I'd like.

When I've finally purchased a kitchen blow torch, I decided to give the Passionfruit Meringue Tart another go. It was a huge success, if I may say so myself. *beams happily*

My version of the Passionfruit Meringue Tart was as amazing as I remembered it to be. As tedious and arduous as the recipe was, it was well worth all my effort and hard work. :)

I have summarised the recipe for you below, but I urge that you get a copy of the BSB Ultimate Baking Companion Cookbook. All the recipes are so detailed!

If you're keen to attempt this recipe, I highly suggest that you spare two days. Make the pastry tart the night before and have it ready to go when you're ready to bake.

A big tip would be to read the recipe thoroughly and ensure that you understand all the steps. :)

BSB Passionfruit Meringue Tart

Recipe adapted from the BSB Ultimate Baking Companion Cookbook

Ingredients for Sweet Shortcrust pastry

Makes 20 x 8cm tarts

• 400g butter, chilled and cut in to 1.5cm cubes
• 20ml vinegar, chilled
• 100g caster sugar, chilled
• 170ml water, chilled
• 665g plain flour, chilled
• 5g salt

Method for Sweet Shortcrust pastry

1. Remove butter from fridge 20 minutes before using - it should be just soft but still cold enough to not melt through the pastry while mixing.
2. Put vinegar and sugar in a bowl, and ad the water, stirring well. Set aside for 10 minutes, then stir again to completely dissolve the sugar.
3. If you're mixing by hand, mix together flour and salt in a large bowl and toss through the butter. Use fingertips to rub the butter into flour to partly combine. If you're using food processor, put flour and salt in the bowl of the food processor, and add the butter, pulsing in 1-second bursts about 3-4 times to partly combine.
4. Turn out onto clean work surface and gather together. Sprinkle over the sugar mixture and use the palm of your hand to smear the mixture away from you across the work surface.
5. Gather together again and repeat smearing process twice before gathering dough again. You may need to repeat once or twice more to bring it together. You should still be able to see streaks of butter marbled through the pastry - this will give the final product a slightly flaky texture.
6. Divide dough into two even-sized portions and shape into two round, flat discs about 2cm thick. Wrap discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
7. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you are ready to use it. 
8. Gently roll out the dough away from you between two floured non-stick paper sheets until you achieve a flat round disc, about 3mm thick. Transfer pastry to a tray and place in refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap for 2 hours, to allow gluten to relax.
9. Brush 20 x 8cm individual tart cases with a little butter. Cut the pastry with an 11cm diameter big round pastry cutter.
10. Place each pastry on top of mould, ensuring it is in the centre and use your fingers to gently push the pastry into mould. You should have some remaining dough hanging over the sides, use your index finger and thumb to work around the edge, forcing the pastry into the mould. Repeat for all tart cases.
11. Set the pastry cases aside to rest for 20 minutes in the freezer then line it with foil.
12. Blind bake the tarts in a preheated oven at 200 deg C for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
13. The pastry can be frozen for up to 2 months, so it makes sense to line all the shells, freeze them and simply blind bake them as you need them. I would highly recommend that you have the tarts all done in advance. ;)

Ingredients for Passionfruit Bavarois

Makes 20 x 8cm tarts

• 300ml milk
• 2 tsp gelatine powder
• 6 egg yolks
• 175g caster sugar
• 250ml passionfruit juice (I used passionfruit pulp, but sieved the seeds)
• 350ml whipping cream (35% fat)

Method for Passionfruit Bavarois

1. Mix powdered gelatine in a bowl with 2 tbsp of milk.
2. Put remaining milk in saucepan over high heat and bring to just boiling. 
3. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and passionfruit together in a stainless steel bowl. Sit bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the base of the bowl does not touch the water. 
4. Add hot milk and continue whisking for about 5mins, or until mixture thickens.
5. Whisk gelatine mixture into passionfruit mixture.
6. Pour through fine sieve and refrigerate for 30mins to 1 hour, until mixture starts to set.
7. Whip cream to soft peaks, then fold through passionfruit mixture.
8. Pour bavarois mixture into the tart shells, up to the brim. Place in fridge for 2-3 hours, or until set. While the passionfruit bavarois is setting, make the Italian meringue. 

Ingredients for Italian Meringue

Makes 20 x 8cm tarts

• 200g caster sugar, plus 20g extra
• 100ml water
• 4 egg whites

Method for Italian Meringue

1. Put sugar and water in small heavy-based saucepan over high heat, stirring until mixture boils, then stops stirring.
2. Brush the sides of the saucepan with wet pastry brush every couple of minutes to ensure crystals don't start forming.
3. Allow mixture to boil until it reaches 118 deg C (you'll need a sugar thermometer), then remove from heat immediately.
4. Whisk egg whites in a very clean bowl for 2 minutes on high speed until foamy. Add extra sugar and whisk until soft peak form.
5. With mixer still running on high, slowly pour in the sugar syrup, adding small amounts at a time and making sure it is incorporated before adding more. Be careful not to pour syrup directly onto beater to avoid spraying syrup over yourself.
6. Once syrup is added, turn mixer to low speed and mix for a further 10-15mins until meringue is cool.

And now steps on how to assemble the tarts:

1. Use a piping bag to pipe meringue onto the top of the bavarois, completely covering the top of the tart.
2. Use a palette knife to create a less formal shape for a rustic look. Be as creative as you like! ;)
3. Brown meringue using blow torch.
4. Best to refrigerate tart for 30 minutes to an hour until chilled. 

Tadaaaaahhh!!! It's now time to ENJOY YOUR TARTGASM!!! ;D

This recipe is to-die-for! Trust me, it does seem like a lot of work, but just one bite of the tart, and you'll know what I mean when I say it's all well worth it! I'd say this is the perfect recipe to bake if you're thinking of impressing someone special! ;)

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe. Let me know if you're unclear of any elements or if you have any questions at all - happy to help! :)

And yes, although I was so exhausted by the time I finished cleaning up, I had a lot of fun baking this recipe. Even more so with using the kitchen blow torch.

I have never used a blow torch before, you have no idea how excited I was! I'm like a big kid, give me a new toy, and I'm happily occupied. :P

It was fun and did not take me long to get a hang of it. Hmmm, I'm already thinking of other ways to use my torch! Do you have any suggestions? Or maybe I should make these tarts again? :)

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UPDATE (4 Jan 2014) - I baked a larger version of this amazing passionfruit meringue tart for Christmas Day at The Boyfriend's family lunch gathering.

I've learnt that this recipe either makes 20 x 8cm tarts or two 23cm large tarts.

Of course making two larger tarts was way easier than having to line 20 individual tarts, but I still much prefer the mini tarts. Nothing quite beats having a mini tart all to yourself! ;)

Although having said that, I wouldn't mind a slice of the tart now. Hehe! I hope everyone had a really good Christmas and New Year! :)