Gluten-Free Passionfruit Curd Tarts

From Grace Cheetham Simply Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free

When I was growing up, I adored the lemon curd my mother used to make. This passionfruit version, inspired by her original recipe, has a wonderfully sharp, strong flavour for these tarts.
 

Gluten-Free Passionfruit Curd Tarts

 
Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus making the pastry and 30 minutes cooling

Cooking time: 10 minutes
 
100g/3½oz dairy-free margarine, plus extra for greasing
rice flour, for dusting
80g/2¾oz/½ cup fruit sugar or caster sugar
1 large egg, plus 3 large egg yolks, beaten
6 passionfruits, halved
1 tbsp apricot jam
 
For the shortcrust pasty
 
75g/2½oz/heaped ⅓ cup rice flour, plus extra as needed
75g/2½oz/⅔ cup gram flour
50g/1¾oz/scant ½ cup ground almonds
50g/1¾oz/scant ⅓ cup fruit sugar or caster sugar
1 tsp xanthan gum
80g/2¾oz chilled dairy-free margarine, diced
1 large egg, beaten
 

How to make gluten-free shortcrust pastry:

Makes enough for 1 x 20cm/8in tart tin or 4 x 10cm/4in tartlet tins Preparation time 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling

1. Sift the flours and xanthan gum into the bowl of a food processor and blend well. Stir in the almonds and sugar. Add the dairy-free margarine and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and blend for 20–30 seconds until the mixture comes together to form a sticky dough. There should be a little extra moisture at the base of the bowl. If it is too dry, gradually add 1–2 tablespoons chilled water. If too sticky, add a little rice flour.
 
2. Shape the pastry into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
 

Now, to make the tarts:

 
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and grease four 10cm/4in tartlet tins with dairy-free margarine. Liberally dust a chopping board with rice flour and gently roll out the pastry to about 3mm/⅛in thick. Using a pastry cutter that is slightly larger in diameter than the tartlet tins to allow enough pastry for the sides, cut out 4 pastry circles, putting any extra pastry in the freezer for use another time. Be very gentle, as the pastry will still be slightly sticky. Lift the pastry circles into each tart tin (you may need to use a spatula) and press down gently to remove any air pockets. Neaten the edges, using a sharp knife, then line each pastry case with baking parchment and cover with baking beans. Put the tins on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until firm and lightly golden.
 
2. Meanwhile, put the dairy-free margarine and sugar in a large heatproof bowl and rest it over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the dairy-free margarine has melted, then scoop the passionfruit seeds into the mixture and add the eggs. Stir until the mixture thickens, then set aside to cool. (If you’re not planning to serve the tarts straightaway, store the curd in the fridge once it has cooled.)
 
3. Remove the pastry cases from the oven and remove the parchment and beans. Leave to cool for about 3 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
 
4. Spoon the curd into the tart cases and serve immediately. Keep any leftover tarts in the fridge for up to 1 day.