Weekends are made for baking and these three tart treats are here to steal the show. From a tropical marshmallow delight to a zesty lemon classic and a piña colada twist, each recipe is a little slice of happiness. 

1. Tropical marshmallow tart 

Serves 6-8  

Ingredients 

1½ packets (200g) Tennis biscuits, crushed finely
½ cup (125g) butter, melted
1 can (385g) condensed milk
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
½ cup (125ml) canned crushed pineapple, drained
¼ cup (25g) desiccated coconut, toasted 
⅔ packet (100g) white or coconut marshmallows, cut into smaller pieces 
1 cup (250ml) cream, whisked to stiff peaks
Pineapple pieces (dried or fresh) and coconut flakes, for serving (optional)  

Method 

1. Combine the biscuits and butter then press into a 20cm tart tin, covering the base and sides. Whisk together the condensed milk, lemon juice and zest until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. 
2. Fold in crushed pineapple, desiccated coconut and marshmallows until evenly distributed. 
3. Gently fold in cream and combine well. Spoon mixture onto biscuit  
4. Set in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until firm. 
5. Serve topped with pineapple pieces and coconut flakes, if you like

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

2. Tarte au citron (Lemon tart)  

Serves 4-6  

Ingredients  

For the crust  

1 roll (400g) short-crust pastry, defrosted
 

For the filling  

1 lemon, zested and juiced 
3 lemons, juiced (or 1 cup juice in total) 
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar 
½ cup (125g) butter, cut into cubes 
4 large eggs 

For the candied lemon slices  

1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar 
1 cup (250ml) water 
2 lemons, sliced 

For serving  

Edible flowers (optional)  

Method   

1. Grease a 23cm round loose-bottomed tart tin. 
2. Roll the pastry out into a circle large enough to fit up the sides of the tin.
3. Press pastry into base and sides of tin, prick base all over with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
5. Cover the base of the pastry with baking paper and add dry rice or beans to weigh it
6. Bake for 12 minutes, remove paper and beans and bake for another 4–6 minutes, until golden. Remove and cool.
7. For the lemon curd, add lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter to a pot over medium-low heat. 
8. Whisk mixture until sugar has dissolved and butter is melted, add eggs and whisk to combine. 
9. Increase heat to a gentle simmer and whisk until mixture is thickened, about 10–15 minutes. Do not overheat, as you will scramble the eggs. 
10. Pass lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve into a jug to remove any unwanted specks of egg or lemon seeds. 
11. Pour curd into tart base, smooth over with a spatula. 
12. Bake tart for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely before refrigerating for 3 hours. 
13. For the candied lemon, add sugar and water to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 
14. Add lemon slices to the boiling mixture and cook for 15 minutes, until translucent. 
15. Remove and drain on a wire rack until cool. 
16. Remove tart from the mould and place on a serving plate. 
17. Decorate with candied lemon slices and edible flowers, slice to serve. 

Cook’s tip: Cooking your lemon curd with a few lemon seeds will help create a stable consistency, as the seeds contain pectin, a natural thickening agent.  

Recipe & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg 
Photography: Zhann Solomons  

3. Piña Colada tart 

Serves 6-8  

Ingredients  

For the coconut biscuit base:  

1 packet (200g) Tennis biscuits, finely crushed
½ cup (125ml) desiccated coconut, toasted
½ cup (125g) butter, melted  

For the pineapple custard filling:   

⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice
6 extra-large eggs
¼ cup (60ml) sugar
1 small can (165ml) coconut cream
1 can (375g) condensed milk
2 tsp pineapple essence
1 can (380g) ideal milk 

For the rum spiced syrup:  

¼ cup packed (60ml) treacle sugar
½ cup (125ml) hot water
1 clove
1 whole star anise
½ cinnamon stick
Pinch of ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1ml) allspice
½ tsp (2.5ml) vanilla extract
2 Tbsp (30ml) gold rum (optional)  

For the coconut cream topping:   

2 small cans (165ml each) coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
1 packet (20g) edible flowers  

Method  

1. Combine biscuits, coconut and butter to create a soft crumb.  
2. Grease and line the base of a 25cm loose-bottom cake tin.  
3. Evenly press crumb into the base and about 4-5cm up the sides. Chill until needed. 
4. Preheat oven to 160°C. 
5. Add lemon juice, eggs, sugar, coconut cream, condensed milk ideal milk and pineapple essence, blend until smooth.
6. Pour filling into a tart tin. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the middle has a slight wobble and the sides are set.  
7. Remove and cool completely. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours. 
8. Place the syrup ingredients in a pot over high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. 
9. Lower heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Strain and cool. 
10. Scoop the solid coconut cream out of the can. (You can save the leftover liquid for cooking or drinks.) Whisk the cream to stiff peaks.  
11. To serve, dollop cream onto the tart, drizzle with spiced syrup and decorate with edible flowers. 

Recipes & styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography by: Zhann Solomons 

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