Blackberry & Plum Meringue Tart.

This tart is an absolute stunner. It’s oozy, delicious and looks super impressive. I love the sloppiness of it but you could bake it for 15 minutes after putting the plum sauce/jam on if you wanted more structure. In my mind, perfectly gelatinous desserts are for fancy restaurants and serious bakers, and I love the beauty of a oozy goozy dessert - it feels very homely to me.

Any curd will work in place of the blackberry curd, and similarly you could use raspberry or boysenberry in the same way you’d use blackberries here too. The same process for the plum will work with any stone fruit but I do love the combo of plum and blackberry. I made the one pictured here with gluten free gingernut biscuits, but any gingernut biscuits will do.

Ingredients:

Salted cardamom plum sauce:

6 red plums (or your favourite plums)

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of caster sugar

Juice of 2 limes

Pinch of salt

Blackberry curd:

2 cups frozen (thawed) or fresh blackberries

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 eggs

2 extra yolks (keep whites aside for meringue)

3/4 cup caster sugar

150g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Gingernut biscuit base:

250g gingernut biscuits

80g unsalted butter, melted

Meringue:

5 egg whites

200g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Method.

Salted Cardamom Plum Sauce.

Step 1.

Cut plums in half and remove their pits. Add all ingredients to a medium, non reactive saucepan and at medium heat, stir constantly until sugar dissolves.

Step 2.

Leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is burning on the bottom of the pan. It should be looking quite jammy now, the fruit has softened and partially broken down and the syrup is thick. Leave to cool.

Step 3.

Once cooled, place into a blender and blend into a smooth gel-like sauce. Pop in a jar and refrigerate until ready to assemble the tart.

Blackberry Curd.

Step 1.

Make sure that blackberries are defrosted or pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds until thawed properly. You don’t want them soupy or warm though.

Step 2.

Put blackberries and lemon juice into a blender and blitz really well. Strain through a sieve or a fine mesh strainer straight into a medium saucepan.

Step 3.

Add eggs, yolks and sugar to the strained blackberry and lemon in the saucepan and place over medium/low heat, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved.

Step 4.

Once sugar is dissolved, turn the heat down to very low and add butter one cube at a time, whisking constantly to emulsify.

Step 5.

Wait for each cube of butter to completely melt and incorporate before adding the next, still whisking constantly until you’ve added all the butter.

Step 6.

Continue to whisk for a further 5-10 minutes, until the curd thickens nicely or reaches about 80C on a thermometer.

Step 7.

Pour curd into a steralised jar and store in fridge until ready to assemble the tart. The curd will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use within 3-5 days once the jar is opened.

Gingernut Base:

Step 1.

Preheat the oven to 180 C

Step 2.

Blitz the biscuits in a food processor or pound with a rolling bin into a fine crumb. Add to a medium mixing bowl.

Step 3.

Melt butter in the microwave or on the stove. Pour butter into ground biscuits and combine well.

Step 4.

Grease a loose bottom tart dish and add the butter/biscuit mix to the dish. Using your fingers or a cup to evenly press the mixture across the base and up the sides.

Step 5.

Place into the oven for 10-15 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and leave to cool, once cool, place in fridge until ready to assembly tart.

Meringue:

Step 1.

Add egg whites to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until pale and foamy.

Step 2.

Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition and checking that your sugar has dissolved and the mixture isn’t grainy before adding the next tablespoon. Take your time here.

Step 3.

Once all sugar is added, add vanilla and vinegar and beat until really nice and thick. It should hold very stable thick peaks.

Assembly:

Step 1.

Leaving the tart shell in it’s dish, spread the salted cardamom plum sauce onto the bottom of the tart. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2.

Remove from the fridge and now add the curd, spreading it evenly. It should come up to the top of the tart shell. Refrigerate for another hour.

Step 3.

Add meringue to the top of the tart, shaping in whichever way you like. Fun swirls can be achieved with a metal spoon, dragging the mixture up to form little peaks.

Step 4.

Using a culinary torch, toast the meringue on the outside until a nice golden brown. Refrigerate until ready to serve.