Here’s a lovely tangy tart with a rich citrus filling encased in a gluten free crunchy crumbly crust. Meringue kisses add a super decorative and tasty element, but can be left off if you prefer.

Serves: 8 – 10 slices

Time: 25 – 30 minutes for the base (can be made the night before). 40 – 45 minutes + cooling/chilling for the filling. 20 – 25 minutes to prep the kisses (if using) + 60 minutes baking.

Level: Moderate

Need: 20cm/8” loose-based tart tin

Ingredients for gluten free base

50g/1¾oz polenta
175g/6oz oatmeal or bran
50g/1¾oz caster sugar
50g/1¾oz ground almonds
125g/4½oz butter
25ml/1fl oz golden syrup

NB For a non-GF base, simply replace the above dry ingredients with 325g/11oz crushed biscuits.

Ingredients for filling

1 x 397g/14oz can condensed milk
4 medium egg yolks (Put the whites into a clean metal or glass bowl if you intend making meringue kisses)
1 large lime (zest and half the juice, or a little more)
1 small or medium lemon (zest and half the juice)
Yellow and green food colourings (I use tubes of Coloursplash)
½ tsp Lemon extract (optional)

Meringue kisses (optional)

2 egg whites (i.e. half of the reserved whites)
200g/7oz caster sugar
Yellow & green food colouring

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160°C / fan 140°C / 325°F / Gas 3. Line the base of the tart tin. (No need to butter the sides)

2. Mix together all the dry base ingredients. Melt the butter and golden syrup together then pour onto the dry mix and stir well. Tip into the tin and press down well and up the sides. Bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. (NB It will rise up as it bakes, but can be carefully pressed back and moulded into shape with a wooden spoon.) The base can be left overnight if necessary.

3. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk with electric beaters for a few minutes, until pale and creamy.

4. Add the condensed milk and whisk for another 5 minutes.

5. Divide the mixture between two bowls then add the finely grated zest and juice from each fruit separately. Stir in the food colourings and extract (if using) then whisk each bowl again for a few minutes – until thick, but still pourable.

6. Put a dollop of one colour into the middle of the cooled base then add a dollop of the other colour on top and in the middle. Repeat this until both mixtures have been used. Next, gently drag a cocktail stick or similar item from the middle outwards to create a feathered effect. (see gallery 2 below)

7. Put the pie back in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes. When baked, place the tart, still in the tin, onto a wire rack to cool. Then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

8. The pie is quite attractive without any further embellishment, but you could whisk 300ml/10fl oz double cream with 50g/ 1¾oz icing sugar and pipe on some nice rosettes. Or you could use the egg whites to make meringue kisses, here’s how:

9. Heat (or cool) the oven to 120°C / fan 100°C / 200°F / Gas ½.

10. Beat about half of the reserved egg whites until they’re foamy and doubled in size. Add the sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, while still beating. When the meringue is thick and glossy with stiff peaks it’s ready to pipe. (Don’t worry if you have a small amount of sugar left over.)

11. You could simply fit a disposable piping bag with a 1cm star nozzle, spoon in your meringue mixture and pipe white kisses onto a lined baking sheet and bake for about an hour. To colour the kisses, squeeze out a little of each food colour onto a saucer and use two artists’ brushes to paint stripes inside the piping bag before spooning in your meringue mixture. (It’s a messy procedure, but not difficult.) Bake for an hour.

NB I made this tart as a gift for a family with a gluten intolerant member. I waited until the last minute before adding the meringues as I thought they would go soft if left on the tart too long.

Gallery 1

Gallery 2

Gallery 3

I hope you enjoy this lovely tart. If you want to see more similar recipes click here. Two other lovely tarts, both very chocolatey, that you’re sure to love are my Apple and White Chocolate Tart and my Chocolate Prune and Orange Tart. Definitely worth a look! Or have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury.