Susan Jung’s recipe for calamansi and creme fraiche tart

I love calamansi so much that I grow my own on a small tree on my balcony. The citrus fruit, which is also called calamondin, hails from the Philippines. It is tiny – only about 2cm in diameter – but it’s intense and tart. The fruit is usually harvested when the rind is still green but, even when under-ripe, the flesh is bright orange. It makes a fantastic drink – stir it into tonic water, adding a shot (or two) of rum if you want an alcoholic hit. It’s also delicious in this tart.

Calamansi and crème fraîche tart with toasted macadamia crust and meringue

You can buy calamansi in shops specialising in produce from the Philippines, such as those in World-Wide House, in Central, and around Spring Garden Lane, in Wan Chai. Many of the shops receive shipments just a few times a week, so you might need to order them in advance. You’ll need about 30 for this tart.

Calamansi are so small that you can’t juice them using standard citrus juicers. The easiest way is to cut each one in half and squeeze by hand, then strain through a sieve, pressing the pulp and seeds to extract every last drop. Adding crème fraîche to the filling balances the acidity of the fruit, making it less sharp.

Use shallow pans or rings for these tarts. For this photo shoot, the pans I used were 11cm in diameter and 2cm deep and the recipe made five tarts of a generous serving size. Pans/rings that are 8cm or 9cm in diameter (and no deeper than 2cm) make a more reasonable serving.