Westgold Limoncello Custard Tart

Pastry
Put butter, flour and icing sugar into a food processor and pulse until like breadcrumbs.  Beat egg and vanilla together with a fork and add to flour mix.  Pulse a few times to bring the mixture together being careful not to overmix. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 mins. 

On a lightly floured bench, roll the pastry out and line a 24cm tart tin.  Refrigerate for 20mins.  Preheat the oven to 170deg C.  Line the tart shell with baking paper and fill with baking rice and blind bake for 15mins.  Remove the baking paper and rice and continue cooking the pastry until cooked through.  Leave to cool.

Custard
Gently heat the milk in a saucepan.  Whisk together egg yolks and sugar until creamy.  Stir in cornflour.  Pour a little hot milk into the egg mix to loosen it, then pour it all back into the hot milk, stirring all the time until it comes to the boil.  Remove from the heat, stir in the zest and limoncello.  Press plastic wrap onto the top of the custard to prevent a skin forming.  Leave to cool.

Poached pears
Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, except the pears and bring to the boil.  Peel, core and quarter the pears and simmer, covered in the liquid until the pears are tender.  Leave to cool.  Strain.

Topping 
Using a whisk attachment, whip the cream, icing sugar and crème fraiche together until thick.  Fold in the limoncello. Refrigerate.

Candied citrus fruit
Bring sugar and water to the boil.  Slice the citrus fruit as thinly as possible.  Place fruit into the sugar syrup and simmer gently for about 20mins.  Turn off the heat and leave to cool in the syrup.  Lay out on a cake rack to drain.

To assemble tart
Place tart shell onto serving plate.  Spoon in the cooled custard and smooth out.  Slice pear quarters in half and arrange on the custard.  Spoon over the cream topping.  Decorate with citrus fruit, edible flowers and fresh passionfruit pulp.  Serve.

This recipe originally appeared on Westgold. Click here to go to their site.