Pastry Chef, Catherine Adonis, shared this classic Lemon Tart Recipe – a delicious treat for a chilly winter’s day, enjoyed with a cup of tea. The Lemon Tart has a long history – from at least the medieval times in Europe – but historians are not in agreement about its origins. The basic preparation seems to have been invented when someone decided to fill a pastry base with lemon flavoured custard – whoever it was surely deserves our thanks.
Lemon Tart
Tarte au citron
Ingredients:
For the Pastry:
180g cake flour
50g castor sugar
125g butter,
1 egg
For the Filling:
85g fresh cream
85g freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 eggs
100g castor sugar
To serve:
Fresh berries
Meringues
Method:
For the Pastry:
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes.
- Place the butter, sugar and flour in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- On a low speed, rub the butter into a fine crumble until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. This should take about 3- 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and continue to mix until the dough is just combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a table top and knead to a smooth dough, shape into a flat ball. Do not over mix the dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and place it in the fridge for 1 hour to rest.
- After resting, roll the pastry out on a floured surface to 3 mm thick.
- Line a greased 18cm tart case, making sure the pastry goes all the way to the top of the tin and fit nicely in the corner of the ring.
- Trim off any excess pastry.
- Chill in the freezer for 30 mins.
- To blind bake the tart case: place a piece of greaseproof paper over the pastry, fill with beans or rice, making sure beans weigh down the paper and the pastry sufficiently.
- Bake at 200˚C for 20-25 mins, remove the beans and bake for another 5 mins, the pastry must be completely cooked and golden brown.
For the Filling:
- Squeeze 80g fresh lemon juice. (The juice should be strained for pips and pith then measured.)
- In a small pot, heat the cream and juice.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until just combined.
- Once the cream and juice simmer, pour it slowly over the eggs and sugar whisking constantly.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer then pour into the baked tart shell.
- Bake at 140˚C for 15-20 minutes. The filling should be set – it will be soft to the touch, but firm if you shake it.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then refrigerate completely before removing from the tart case.
- Serve your tart with seasonal berries, fresh fruits and crushed meringues, best made and served on the same day.