Lemon Tart Recipe
When making tarts and pies, you have to be careful in making sure that the sweetness mostly comes from the custard filling and not the crust. The role of crust is to provide the delicious richness and butteriness, hence should not be too sweet. Not adding any sugar into the crust , however, will also make it tasteless and ruin the general harmony of the flavors in the dessert. So you have to add enough sugar to neutralize the raw dough taste but no more than that.
The creamy custard filling should not be too sweet either since an overwhelmingly sweet custard will suppress any other flavors you put in it, such as vanilla or lemon. Another thing to be careful about when making the custard is the eggs. Whisking the eggs really well is crucial in achieving the right texture and smell. The eggs need to be creamed with sugar until they become white and frothy.
The custard filling will rise while baking. However don't be alarmed. When you turn off the oven and let the tart sit in the oven for some time, the custard will sink back down.
Ingredients
For the crust;
- 100 gr. cold butter,
- 2 cups all purpose flour,
- 1/2 cup sugar,
- 1 egg yolk,
- 2-3 pieces of ice.
For the custard filling;
- 3 eggs + 1 egg white,
- 200 ml heavy cream,
- 1 cup sugar,
- Juice of 1 lemon,
- Zest of 2 lemons,
- 1 tablespoon flour.
Preparation
- For the crust, mix together the flour and sugar in a bowl,
- Cut the cold butter into cubes and add to the bowl,
- Add the egg yolk,
- Start mixing everything together using your fingertips,
- Continue mixing until you form a crumbly dough,
- Add the ice and continue mixing until everything comes together,
- Discard any unmelted ice cubes when you form the dough,
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 mins,
- Place the dough in a tart pan lined with parchment paper and roll it out using your hands to cover the whole surface and the sides of the pan,
- Prick the crust using a fork,
- Refrigerate for 10 mins,
- Bake in an oven pre-heated to 160 degrees Celsius for 10 mins,
- Cream together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until white and frothy,
- Add the heavy cream and continue whisking,
- Add the lemon juice and zest and stir,
- Finally add the flour and whisk,
- Remove the tart crust from the oven, let it rest for 5 mins then pour the custard into the crust,
- Bake for 45 mins,
- Turn the oven off and let the tart sit in the oven for 15 mins,
- Let the tart cool down completely before serving.
Bon appétit...