It was, in fact, my birthday cake. I hope you like it! (I tried it in summer when the tiny Cancerians turned 1 – and I used berries to decorate it.)

(for the) CRUST

1 tbsp of psyllium seeds

2 tbsp of (hot) water

125g gluten-free oatmeal

25g tapioca flour

60g (melted and cooled) butter

1 tbsp of apple vinegar

a pinch of sea salt

(for the) FILLING

140g condensed milk

70g whipping cream

210ml milk

2 tbsp of tapioca flour

+1 large pear

3-4 strawberries

2-3 tamarind pods

Make the crust using the recipe here.

Let the crust cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Add all the ingredients to the pan and let the mixture boil.

Pour the filling into the crust; decorate with pear and strawberry slices and tamarind paste.

 Let it sit in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. Then, savour it! ♥

CRUST

150g flour

a pinch of salt

1 vanilla sugar sachet

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp water

70g butter (at room temperature)

1 egg yolk

FILLING

330ml milk

a drop of vanilla extract

2 eggs

115g sugar

55g flour

TOPPING

2 ripe guavas

30g brown sugar

100ml milk

1½ tbsp cornstarch

juice from a ¼ lemon

+ butter and flour -> your baking pan

One of the greatest surprises of the year in terms of flavour came this winter. I rediscovered guava. I knew its taste from Brazil (2011) – Marcel and I remember how it became our favourite fruit juice. We were lucky to be able to travel to Egypt at the end of November and... Who knew that we’d love Egyptian guava even more than Brazilian guava?! Whitish, not pink... but what a fruit!... So we also brought a few with us. As many as we could. Almost a year ago, I decided to create a recipe inspired by each trip abroad – and here’s the first one!  

I made the crust using my favourite and very quick recipe.

To make the filling, mix the eggs and the sugar. Add the flour and stir well. Pour the mix into the boiling milk (with the drop of vanilla extract added). Continue to stir until it thickens, then pour the vanilla filling into the crust (already left to cool).

Take out the cores of the guavas, sieve them, and mix them with the brown sugar, the milk, and the cornstarch on low heat. After it thickens, turn off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice – and it will already have the taste of our favourite juices in Sharm!

Cut the guavas into round slices and place them on top of the filling, fill the round slices with the topping – and the spaces around them – [it will have a cooling effect that will surprise you].

So, whenever you find guava to buy, try out this recipe. My father ate two slices of this tart [which served as my birthday cake of this year] one after another!