Apple and Passion Fruit Tartlets

Ingredients

Serves 6.

• All-purpose flour, for work surface
• 14 ounces Rough Puff Pastry
• 6 ounces Creme Patissiere
• 3 medium apples, preferably Gala or Golden Delicious
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar
• 3 passion fruits

Directions

1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to 1/16-inch thick. Using a 4 1/2-inch round pastry cutter, cut out six rounds. Brush a baking sheet with a little cold water and, using a spatula, transfer rounds to baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick rounds in five places with the tines of a fork. Divide creme patissiere evenly between each of the pastry rounds. Spread creme patissiere evenly, leaving a narrow border around the edges.
3. Peel apples; slice in half and remove the stem and core. Thinly slice each half. Arrange each sliced half on a pastry round in an overlapping circle. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove tartlets from oven and sprinkle with sugar. Return to oven and continue baking 5 minutes more. Immediately transfer tartlets to a wire rack using a spatula.
5. Cut each passion fruit in half and scrape out the pulp and seeds directly onto the tartlets just before serving.

First published May 2009