About the Recipe
I recently travelled to the Philippines for the first time and I had such a great time eating all the filipino food and just being in the motherland.
But since I won’t be there during there during christmas, one thing I will miss are the parties and gatherings where people will give these little tarts! So, I’m making them myself instead. They have a long shelf life and they are quite simple to make, making them the perfect gift for everyone.
They have a tart shell typically with a yema cashew filling and some meringue on top but you can definitely customize it to your liking. This is one of the favourite tarts of all time, so I will probably be making it throughout the holiday season to share.
Ingredients
Tart Crust:
210 g flour
50 g sugar
110 g butter, very soft
1 egg
Yema Filling:
300 ml condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g chopped cashews
Meringue:
3 egg whites
white sugar (measure the weight of the three egg whites and double it to get the amount of sugar needed)
Preparation
Combine all tart crust ingredients and mix until a smooth, uniform dough forms. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a saucepan, whisk together the condensed milk and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and turns slightly darker in color.
Remove the yema filling from heat and immediately stir in the butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Fold in the chopped cashews. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Divide the chilled tart dough and press evenly into greased boat-shaped tart molds, forming a crust approximately 1/8 inch thick.
Prick the dough evenly with a fork. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
To prepare the meringue, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar while whisking on high speed, continuing until stiff peaks form.
Fill the baked tart shells with the yema filling and pipe the meringue on top. Bake at 225°F (107°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until the meringue is set and no longer sticky to the touch.
Store in an airtight container or wrap individually in decorative cellophane.