The first time I caught a whiff of traditional green spirulina (a nutrient-rich algae), I gagged and the container slipped from my hand, causing the powder to violently mushroom cloud and dust my kitchen surfaces with its stench. The distilled blue stuff called for below is not only far less offensive, but it also tints the lemon curd a glorious teal shade, which contrasts happily with the bright hues of papaya and pink dragon fruit. With a coconut crust also in play, this tart is the tropical island of desserts, and just looking at it makes me want to throw on a swimsuit and dive right into the sea.
1 baked Coconut Pecan Crust
SPIRULINA LEMON CURD
1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon blue spirulina powder (optional; see Notes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (237 milliliters) fresh lemon juice, from about 6 lemons
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons (½ stick/57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the sugar, spirulina powder, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan and whisk until no lumps remain. Add the lemon juice, eggs, and egg yolks and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture is warmed through. Add the butter gradually and stir until all the cubes have melted. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spatula, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the corners of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve.
3. Keep the baked tart shell in the pan and place it on a baking sheet. Pour the curd into the tart shell and smooth the surface.
4. Bake the tart for 5 minutes, just to set the curd.
5. Cool completely before decorating.
TESSELLATED TRAPEZOID DESIGN PROCESS
1 small ripe orange-fleshed papaya, such as Sunrise
1 pink-fleshed dragon fruit (pitaya)
1-inch hexagon cutter
Paring knife
1. Slice the papaya in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Wrap one half and reserve for another tart, such as Tile by Fire. Peel the other half and cut it crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Using a 1-inch hexagon cutter, punch out 30 hexagons. Cut each hexagon in half, point to point, to create two identical trapezoids.
2. Trim and peel the dragon fruit and cut it into ¼-inch slices. Using the 1-inch hexagon cutter, punch out 30 hexagons. Cut each hexagon in half, point to point, to create two identical trapezoids.
3. Starting from the top left of the tart, place a papaya trapezoid with its longest edge on the bottom.
4. Next, place a dragon fruit trapezoid such that its top right corner touches the bottom left corner of the papaya trapezoid. This dragon fruit piece should also align with the left edge of the tart. Place another dragon fruit trapezoid with its top left corner touching the bottom right corner of the first papaya piece.
5. To avoid staining the papaya with bright pink juice, wipe your fingers after placing each dragon fruit piece. Place another papaya trapezoid in the same row as the first papaya piece, touching its bottom left corner to the top right corner of the dragon fruit trapezoid. Continue alternating placement of dragon fruit and papaya trapezoids in their respective rows.
6. When these two rows have been completed, continue moving down the surface of the tart, laying two rows of fruit at a time, alternating between papaya and dragon fruit, to create a full trapezoid tessellation.
7. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This tart is best consumed within 2 days.
SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTIONS
Crust alternatives: Speculoos Cookie Crust, Basic Tart Pastry Shell
Topping alternatives: Mango, white-fleshed dragon fruit, kiwi, strawberry
NOTES
Blue spirulina can be quite pricy, so feel free to omit. Note that skipping the spirulina will result in a basic yellow lemon curd.
Pink dragon fruit can be very juicy. If you’re concerned about staining your fingers, wear food-grade disposable gloves. Leftover pink dragon fruit can be juiced, strained, and used as a substitute for water in the Dragon Fruit Pie Dough.