Kumquat & Cream Cheese Tart
Makes: 1 gloriously zesty and sweet tart, about 4.5” in size
INGREDIENTS
GROUP A: TART & FILLING
1 4.5” tart shell (make your own, or use store-bought)
280 g or 1 1/4 cup whipped frosting cream cheese (I used this one)
4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
GROUP B: KUMQUATS
5 - 6 Chinese kumquats
2 tsp Disaronno liqueur
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp brown sugar
GROUP C: CITRUS ZEST SUGAR
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp kumquat zest
1/2 tsp brown sugar
method
If you’re making the tart shell from scratch, follow this recipe as is and ensure that the shell is cooled completely to room temperature before filling. If you’re using a store-bought tart shell, skip this step.
Chinese kumquats can be eaten with their skin on, so skip the very arduous peeling process unless you have a lot of time to kill. Slice the kumquats into very, very thin (almost paper-thin) slices. Add the disaronno, lemon juice, and brown sugar to a small bowl, mix well to dissolve the sugar, and add the kumquat slices to the liquid. Toss them around to coat evenly and let them marinate for at least an hour.
After the hour is up, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the whipped frosting cream cheese to the same bowl, and whip the mixture on low speed till it’s uniformly fluffy and soft. Pour this into the tart shell and layer the soaked kumquat slices in a concentric pattern (or really…in whatever pattern you choose!) over the cream cheese filling.
Grate one kumquat and part of a lemon to obtain the zest and rub it with the brown sugar using your fingertips. Sprinkle this over the kumquat slices to finish. Chill the tart for at least an hour before digging in!
