How to make calamansi and crème fraîche tart with toasted macadamia crust and meringue
- This recipe uses calamansi, the small citrus fruit from the Philippines that packs a big punch, balanced by crème fraîche
- Because of their size you need about 30 for this tart, and you’ll need to juice them by hand
The citrus fruit calamansi, which is also called calamondin, hails from the Philippines. It is small – only about 2cm in diameter – but it’s intense and tart. The fruit is usually harvested when the rind is still green but, even when underripe, the flesh is bright orange. It makes a fantastic drink – stir it into tonic water, adding a shot (or two) of rum if you want an alcoholic hit. It is also delicious in this tart.
Calamansi and crème fraîche tart with toasted macadamia crust and meringue
You can buy calamansi in shops specialising in produce from the Philippines, but you might need to order them in advance. You will need about 30 for this tart.
Calamansi are so small that you can’t juice them using standard citrus juicers. The easiest way is to cut each one in half and squeeze by hand, then strain through a sieve, pressing the pulp and seeds to extract every last drop. Adding crème fraîche to the filling balances the acidity of the fruit, making it less sharp.
Use shallow pans or rings for these tarts. I used pans that were 11cm in diameter and 2cm deep and the recipe made five tarts of a generous serving size. Pans/rings that are 8cm or 9cm in diameter (and no deeper than 2cm) make a more reasonable serving.
The tart shells can be baked in advance. The filling shouldn’t be baked more than a couple of hours before serving, or it will make the shells soggy. Add and torch the meringue at the last moment.
Ingredients
For the tart dough:
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120 grams (4.2 oz) unsalted macadamia nuts
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190 grams (6.7 oz) icing sugar
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1 tsp fine sea salt
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440 grams (15.5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling the dough
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250 grams (8.8 oz) unsalted butter, chilled
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2 large eggs
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1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
