When SAVEUR test kitchen assistant Jake Cohen stumbled upon an unusual, green-striped melon, he turned it into the perfect summer dessert. Here, bright santa claus melon curd fills an almond crust, topped with fresh slices of fruit.
Featured in: Making Tarts with Santa Claus Melons
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1⁄2 cup almond flour
- 3⁄4 tsp. salt
- 18 tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for greasing
- 3 tbsp. ice-cold water
- 1 (3-lb.) Santa Claus melon
- 3 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks
- 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 1 sprig mint
- 2 tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted
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Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse flours and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt until combined. Add 12 Tbsp. butter and pulse until pea-size crumbles form. Pour in water and pulse until dough comes together. Shape dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.
Step 2
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12" circle; press into a greased 11" tart pan with a removable bottom set over a baking sheet. Using a fork, prick the dough all over; line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights; bake 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights; cook 15 minutes more. Cool completely.
Step 3
In a blender, purée half of the melon until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, reserving 3⁄4 cup juice. Cut the remaining half of melon into thin slices; set aside. In a 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together the remaining salt, the reserved melon juice, the eggs, egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in the remaining butter 1 tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Strain the curd through a sieve set over a large bowl. Pour into cooled tart crust. Freeze tart until set, about 1 hour.
Step 4
In a 1-qt. saucepan, bring the remaining sugar and lemon zest, the mint, and 2 Tbsp. water, to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool, discarding solids. Arrange sliced melon into a concentric circle on the tart and brush with syrup. Garnish with sliced almonds.
- Heat oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse flours and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt until combined. Add 12 Tbsp. butter and pulse until pea-size crumbles form. Pour in water and pulse until dough comes together. Shape dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12" circle; press into a greased 11" tart pan with a removable bottom set over a baking sheet. Using a fork, prick the dough all over; line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights; bake 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights; cook 15 minutes more. Cool completely.
- In a blender, purée half of the melon until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, reserving 3⁄4 cup juice. Cut the remaining half of melon into thin slices; set aside. In a 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together the remaining salt, the reserved melon juice, the eggs, egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in the remaining butter 1 tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Strain the curd through a sieve set over a large bowl. Pour into cooled tart crust. Freeze tart until set, about 1 hour.
- In a 1-qt. saucepan, bring the remaining sugar and lemon zest, the mint, and 2 Tbsp. water, to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool, discarding solids. Arrange sliced melon into a concentric circle on the tart and brush with syrup. Garnish with sliced almonds.
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