Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)
A buttery and delicate pastry crust (Pâte Sucrée) filled with a fresh and zingy lemon custard, baked until just set and served with whipped cream, olive oil, sea salt flakes and lemon zest. The only dessert to make for spring or summer.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Cling wrap
- Rolling Pin
- Baking paper
- Baking weights
- Whisk
- Fork
Ingredients
Pastry dough (Pâte Sucrée)
- 120 gm butter soft
- 50 gm icing sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 250 gm all purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp water
Lemon custard filling
- 150 gm castor sugar
- 2 lemons zest
- 5 whole eggs
- 85 ml lemon juice
- 150 ml double cream
- Pinch of salt
- 1 drop almond extract
Serve with (optional)
- Whipped cream
- Olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Sea salt flakes
Instructions
To make the pastry:
- In a mixing bowl mix the soft butter and icing sugar to pale cream like consistency; then beat in the egg yolks.
- Add the flour and, with your fingers, rub the butter mixture and flour together until crumbly in texture.
- Add the water and press the mixture together to form a ball.
- Briefly knead the dough until combined. Wrap in cling wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.
- Roll out the dough between two sheets of paper paper to 1/4th of an inch. Line your 9 inch tart tin with the rolled out dough, cut off excess pastry by rolling the pin over the top edge of the tin.
- Take a small ball of the excess pastry and gently press it all around the base of the tart to ensure it fits well and chill for 30 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 160℃, dock the pastry by poking it with a fork, cover with baking paper and blind bake with baking weights or raw rice, bake for 10 mins.
- Remove the baking weights and bake for another 18 minutes until dry to the touch.
To make the lemon custard:
- In a mixing bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together.
- Add the lemon juice and whisk for a few seconds. Add the cream and whisk it in until smooth.
Baking the lemon tart:
- Preheat the oven to 140℃.
- Pour the custard into the pastry case and carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the edges are just set and the center is jiggly.
- Allow it to set in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing.
- Serve with whipped cream, olive oil, lemon zest and sea salt flakes.
Notes
- Do not over knead the pastry dough or else it will become crumbly.
- Blind bake the pastry case before pouring the custard and baking.
- Under bake the tart so the center is jiggly, it will firm up as it sets in the fridge.
- You can also serve the lemon tart with a dusting of icing sugar.
- Recipe adapted from Raymond blanc.