Fany’s Passionfruit Mezcal Tart with Toasted Meringue

Ingredients

Crust

Passion Fruit Curd

Italian Meringue

Directions

Crust

1. In bowl of mixer, CREAM together butter and sugar until consistency of coarse sand. ADD egg yolk and milk; BEAT to combine. In a medium bowl, COMBINE flour with salt. Slowly ADD flour to butter mixture, stirring until completely blended. GATHER dough into two balls and WRAP in plastic wrap. FREEZE one for future use, CHILL other for at least one hour.
2. Heavily BUTTER 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. ROLL out dough in a circle large enough to fill pan. PRESS into pan and TRIM edges. PRICK bottom with fork and PLACE shell in freezer for 30 minutes.
3. While shell is in freezer, PREPARE passion fruit curd.

Passion Fruit Curd

1. In medium nonreactive saucepan, COMBINE passion fruit puree, sugar, butter, and salt. PLACE over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until sugar is dissolved, and butter is melted.
2. In bowl of mixer, COMBINE eggs and egg yolks until blended. Slowly ADD hot passion fruit mixture to eggs until blended. RETURN mixture to saucepan, and PLACE over low heat. WHISK constantly until mixture thickens to pudding-like consistency; do not allow it to boil. REMOVE from heat and continue to stir to stop the cooking.
3. STRAIN curd into bowl. COVER with plastic wrap, pressing right against surface of curd. ALLOW to cool.
4. HEAT oven to 375°F. REMOVE tart shell from freezer, LINE with parchment paper, and ADD uncooked rice or pie weights. BAKE until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. REMOVE from oven and ALLOW to cool slightly. (REMOVE parchment liner with weights.)
5. SPOON curd into tart shell and SMOOTH top. BAKE until filling has puffed around edges, about another 30 minutes. COVER tart crust edges with foil, if necessary, to prevent over-browning. COOL to room temperature and REFRIGERATE until ready to make meringue and serve.

Italian Meringue

1. In small saucepan, COMBINE sugar and water. HEAT over high heat, brushing down sides of pot as necessary with a pastry brush dipped in water. COOK until sugar syrup registers 240°F on instant-read or candy thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, COMBINE egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in bowl of stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. SET mixer to medium speed and MIX until soft peaks form (when lifted, head of mixer should form gentle peaks in the egg whites that very slowly collapse back into themselves), about two minutes.
3. With mixer running, carefully and slowly DRIZZLE in hot sugar syrup. INCREASE speed to high and WHIP until bowl feels cool to touch and meringue is thick and glossy.
4. SPREAD over chilled tart with an offset spatula and TOAST with blow torch.