A buttery crust holds layers of silky passion fruit curd and rich chocolate mint truffle, creating a vibrant balance of tangy and deep cocoa flavors in this Caribbean Christmas Tart. Topped with a swirl of toasted marshmallow fluff, this dessert by Chef Dianne DeStefano evokes the warmth of island holidays while nodding to classic Christmas decadence. It’s tropical sunshine wrapped in holiday spirit.
The Third Place Winner of Our Holiday Bake Off
We held our second annual TABLE Magazine Holiday Bake Off where five professionals and five student pastry chefs went head-to-head in a battle for the most decadent. Third place in the judges’ category went to Chef Dianne DeStefano of Lilith for this Caribbean Christmas Tart, featuring passionfruit curd and chocolate mint truffle. Inspired by her business partner Jamilka Borges’s Puerto Rican roots, she developed the combination after creating a similar wedding cake. Though she’d participated in other events, this was her first competition and she loved how it connected local culinary talent.
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Caribbean Christmas Tart
Description
Let this tropical Christmas dessert take you to the beach.
Ingredients
For the tart crust:
- 3 oz butter (room temperature)
- 2 oz powdered sugar
- 2 each egg yolk
- 6.4 oz all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp heavy cream
For the passion fruit curd:
- 7.5 oz sugar
- 5 oz Passion Fruit purée
- 5 oz egg yolks
- 6 oz butter
For the chocolate mint truffle:
- 6 oz heavy cream
- 6–8 sprigs fresh mint
- 6 oz dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
For the marshmallow fluff:
- 13 oz sugar
- 1.5 oz corn syrup
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 6 each egg whites
Instructions
For the tart crust:
- Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolk and mix until incorporated.
- Turn mixer to low and add flour and salt. When dough is almost together, add cream.
- Shape dough into a disc, wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.
- Roll dough on floured surface to ¼ inch thick, transfer to tart pan.
- Line shell with parchment paper and pie weights and bake at 325 degrees until done.
For the curd:
- Over double boiler, combine sugar and fruit purée, then add egg yolks and soft butter.
- Using spatula, mix over heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Pour through strainer into baked tart shell until shell is half full.
- Refrigerate until cool. You may have curd left over.
For the truffle:
- Steep mint sprigs in hot cream for 15 minutes, then strain and discard mint.
- Chop chocolate to very fine, scald cream, and pour over chocolate, stirring to melt and combine.
- Add corn syrup.
- Pour this mixture into tart shell to fill.
- Refrigerate until set, one hour.
For the fluff:
- Combine all ingredients in metal bowl, whisk over double boiler until mixture is hot, about 160 degrees, and sugar is fully dissolved.
- Pour mixture into clean mixer bowl and whip on high using whisk attachment until mixture has cooled to room temperature and is very white and fluffy.
- Pipe mixture onto tart in desired pattern, use torch to toast fluff.
Check out more recipes from our Annual Holiday Bake Off!
Recipe by Chef Dianne DeStefano
Photography by Laura Petrilla
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