Can’t choose between a cocktail and dessert?  Well, you can have both with these Gin and Tonic Tarts!

This fun adults only twist on a lemon tart is as delicious as it sounds. And if you don’t like Gin don’t be put off because the Gin flavour is quite subtle when compared to the lemon. In fact, if you love lemon tarts these tarts deliver in a double whammy with both a beautiful lemon filling and a tangy Gin, lemon and tonic syrup. Having said that though the tarts are not overwhelmingly zingy, so if you like a really tangy lemon tart feel free to kick up the quota of lemon juice and zest.

For the Gin portion of this recipe feel free to use your favourite Gin, I used Beefeater which is what I had on hand, however I feel that Bombay Sapphire would work best in this recipe as the herbal qualities would add an extra dimension.

Serve with a dollop of double cream and a drizzle of syrup.

So tell me, what cocktail would you like to make into a dessert?

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4.8 from 6 reviews

Gin and Tonic Tarts

 

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Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Adapted from Delicious: Simply the Best by Valli Little

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• PASTRY
• 200g of plain (all purpose) flour, sifted
• ¼ cup (35g) of icing sugar, sifted
• 75g of chilled unsalted butter, chopped into cubes
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ cup (60ml) of cold tonic water
• TART FILLING
• 2 eggs
• 150 mls of cream
• 80g of caster sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 2-3 lemons to 100ml
• 30ml of Gin
• GIN & TONIC SYRUP
• 75g of caster sugar
• 125ml of tonic water
• thinly paired zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 lemon
• 30ml of Gin
• 3 juniper berries, lightly bruised

Instructions

1. Start by making the pastry. In the bowl of a food processor add the flour and icing sugar and process to combine. Add the lemon zest and butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and tonic water and process until the mixture starts to come together. Remove from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 celsius (355 Fahrenheit) and lightly grease 8 10cm loose bottom mini tart tins. Roll out the pastry until roughly 5mm thick and then cut circles from the pastry that are 2 cm larger in diameter than the tart tin. Line the each tart tin and trim excess. Chill for 15 minutes before lining with baking paper and filling with pastry weights. Bake for 10 minutes before removing the weights and baking for a further 5 minutes or until dry and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
3. For the filling whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, lemon zest and juice. Add the cream and gin and whisk until combined. Carefully divide the filling between the mini tarts and bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until the filling is just set. Set aside to cool.
4. While the tarts are baking prepare the syrup. Place the caster sugar, tonic water and lemon juice in a saucepan over a low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the gin and juniper berries and zest and bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
5. Serve the tarts with a dollop of cream and a drizzle of syrup.

Notes

1. Juniper berries are available in the spice aisle of supermarkets and delis. 2. I find the best way to trim the pastry for the tarts is to use a rolling pin and roll over the top of the tarts and the excess will come away easily.

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