GIN & LIME TART
This idea is in fact one I’ve stolen from chef Paul Foreman, who was tenured at Marque IV in Hobart while I was waiting for my visa to come through for New York. I forgot to get the recipe from him so I had to make it up from memory. However it’s an absolute cracker, and gives the old custard tart some hipness and zing.
MAKES ONE 30 CM (12 INCH) TART
Preheat the oven to 170ºC (325ºF/Gas 3). Have a 30 cm (12 inch) tart mould or pie dish at the ready.
Roll out the pastry to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick, then cut out a disc slightly bigger than your tart mould. Lightly press the pastry into the mould, making sure to get right into the corners. Trim the edge with the back of a knife and place on a baking tray.
Line the pastry shell with baking paper. Fill with baking beads or raw rice and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through.
Remove from the oven and carefully lift out the paper and beads.
Brush the hot tart shell with the beaten egg, as this will seal any misdemeanours, hopefully making the tart custard-tight, and relieving the house of smoke infestation and the irrational bleating of your smoke detector.
Prepare the custard while the tart shell is still warm.
WASTE NOT
While you are in your cooking motions, use the left-over egg whites from the custard to make a batch of macarons or macaroons.
GIN & LIME CUSTARD
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthways, seeds scraped
150 ml (5 fl oz) gin
grated zest and juice of 4 limes
500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) thin (pouring) cream
8 egg yolks
250 g (9 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
your choice of cream, to serve
Turn the oven down to 130ºC (250ºF/Gas 1).
Put the vanilla seeds, gin, lime zest, lime juice and cream into a saucepan and bring to just below the boil (80ºC/176ºF on a sugar thermometer).
Lightly whisk the egg yolks and sugar until just combined, then add a little of the warmed cream. Now pour all the mixture back into the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (83ºC/181ºF on a sugar thermometer).
Pour the custard into the warm tart shell and bake for 20 minutes, or until the custard has set.
Leave the tart to cool, then cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before attempting to slice into large portions.
Serve with cream of any description — clotted, thick (double) cream or softly whipped cream.Best enjoyed within 1–2 days.