Gypsy Tart with Cachaça Lime Curd
You either know what Gypsy Tart is, were brought up on it at school and love it, or you really don’t, and are probably faintly alarmed by the idea of this searingly sweet creation that is sweet pastry filled simply with dark sugar and evaporated milk. It’s a Kent thing, and the only positive food thing I can remember from my school days living in Maidstone. It was also the subject of one of my first blog posts and still the one that gets the most hits, when I can be bothered to check, I guess people love a bit of nostalgia.
Whilst in Brazil, I developed quite the dulce de leche habit. Though the many versions I tried varied in texture, firmness and flavour, quite often I was reminded of that old childhood favourite. It is, after all, essentially the same two ingredients; milk and sugar. I liked them all, from ones slightly less sweet with more of a curdy consistency, they ranged right through to one that is stirred in a heavy pan all day then formed into blocks, more grainy in texture, it’s served in slices like fudge.
My flavour awakening of lime and cachaća seems to have come back to London with me, and I felt inexplicably drawn to combine them in cake form. At first I thought maybe a sort of lime drizzle cake would work. But then I had a fantastic tart at 40 Maltby Street that was, I think, a hazelnut frangipane on a layer of lemon curd, and my brain went into overdrive. I still want to try that tart with blood orange or rhubarb curd. From that inspiration, this one was born. It’s still beyond sweet but also with a subtle zing. A reworking of a Kent classic, and my own roots, with new Brazilian influences.
Gypsy Tart with Lime and Cachaça Curd
For the curd
- 115g golden caster sugar
- 28g cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- juice of 2 limes
- zest of 1 lime
- 30ml cachaça or white rum
Place the eggs, butter, lime juice and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a moderately low heat and whisk for around 15 minutes until it thickens. Pour the cachaça in slowly whilst whisking to retain the same thick consistency.
Pour through a sieve into a jar, stirring through the zest at the same time. Leave to cool, cover and refrigerate until required.
For the tart
- 225g plain flour
- 110g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 80g golden icing sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ice cold water
- 400ml evaporated milk
- 330g dark muscovado sugar
In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add the flour, egg, and a pinch of salt and mix to combine, adding the water in teaspoons if necessary. Roll out and line a 21cm loose bottomed tart tin. Blind bake in the centre of an oven pre heated to 180 degrees for 15m. Remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the pastry becomes golden.
While the pastry is cooking whisk together the muscovado sugar and evaporated milk. Whisk hard and consistently for about 15 minutes until the colour pales and it starts to firm up and expand.
Spread a generous layer of lime and cachaça curd into the bottom of the tart then pour the sugar mixture on top and bake for around 10-15 minutes until the filling is risen and the surface is tacky and starting to firm up.
You might also like: Pancetta, Peach, Bourbon & Thyme Breakfast Buns
Going to stick my hand up here and admit that my pastry skills are ‘rustic’ a best, I have little patience in this area I’m afraid and if it tastes good that’s enough for me!
