Margarita Tart
A few weeks ago we had a pizza party at work (I’ll be blogging that later), and whilst it was eventual, we all had a great time and a delicious meal. My boss joked that we should do a burrito day next time. A few weeks later, Tanya and I made it happen. I’m going to say mostly Tanya made it happen, and I sat on the side lines and blurted out random things. So thank you again Tanya!
I wanted to make a Mexican dessert to go with our Mexican themed lunch. It was either going to be this tart or a tres leches cake. We decided I should do the tart as I can do a cake any other day of the week. If we couldn’t drink margaritas at work, surely we could eat them right?
This tart does pack a punch. It does have tequila in it… half a cup to be precise, and it doesn’t get cooked out. When you add the margarita salt, it’s just like eating a margarita. A few people remarked about the boozy taste, with a gigantic smile on their face! I did cheat and use store bought pastry as I sure as hell wasn’t going to make pastry after work.
It was a hit, so maybe try it for your next Mexican themed Fiesta!
Margarita Tart
Valli Little
2 gold-strength gelatine leaves* (see notes)
4 eggs
3/4 cup (185ml) lime juice, plus 1/3 cup finely grated zest
1 cup (220g) caster sugar, plus extra 2 tbs
50g unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 cup (125ml) tequila blanco (see notes)
200ml thickened cream
1 tbs icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust
Mint leaves, to serve
Pastry
1 3/4 cups (260g) plain flour
2 tbs icing sugar
125g chilled unsalted butter, chopped
1 egg, separated
1. For the pastry, place flour and icing sugar in a food processor and whiz to remove any lumps. Add the butter and whiz until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Add the yolk and 1 tbs iced water, then whiz until the mixture just comes together. Shape into a smooth ball, then enclose in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 5mm thick, then use to line eight 10cm loose-bottomed tart pans. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
3. Line the tart shells with baking paper, then fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove paper and weights and brush with the reserved lightly frothed egg white. Bake for a further 2 minutes or until golden and dry. Allow to cool completely.
4. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften.
5. Meanwhile, place eggs, lime juice and 1 cup (220g) caster sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), whisking for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Add butter, a piece at a time, whisking to combine. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine, then add gelatine to lime mixture, whisking until dissolved.
6. Remove from heat, then stir in tequila and 2 tbs lime zest.
7.Pour the filling into the prepared tart shells, then chill for 4 hours or until set.
8. Whip the cream and icing sugar together to soft peaks. Roughly pound remaining 2 tbs lime zest and 2 tbs caster sugar with 2 tbs sea salt flakes in a mortar and pestle until combined.
9. Top tarts with a dollop of cream and garnish with mint. Dust with icing sugar and serve with salted lime sugar.
Daisy@Nevertoosweet
Soooo jealous of your colleagues 🙂 Get to eat all the things you bake and eat! Sigh I work with all men who do not want to cook and just eat hehe
Helen (Grab Your Fork)
Love this idea! I had a Mexican dinner once and convinced a friend to make a tequila lime tart. So much awesome.
Tina @ bitemeshowme
loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the sound of this, even if on a monday morning! Best idea!
Heidi - Apples Under My Bed
Valli…of course she did. Queen. This is so up my alley! x
Hannah
GENIUS. Can I just start throwing other cocktail types at you and have you turn them into tarts?
Iron Chef Shellie
YES PLEASE!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I love this margarita tart! Tarts and pies would be my all-time faves and I can’t wait to give this a test run.