Lemon Tart

I find myself is quite a citrus person. Any food with orange, lemon or lime I will definately give them a try. 

There are different citrus dessert recipes on my blog such as orange chiffon, lemon gateau, lemon hokkaido cupcakes, lemon cheesecake etc. However there wasn't a lemon tart which is one of my favorite dessert. I decided to jot it down here as my preference and also share this good recipes with you as some people tasted with good feedback.

Before I get a better recipe, here is the one I would go for it. 

Ingredients for a pastry fit 14 X 6 inches  rectangular tart pan

330g plain flour

70g sugar powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

70g whole beaten eggs

160g cold butter (cut into small chunk)

For the pastry, mix the flour, sugar powder and salt in a food processor until combine.  Add the butter and pulse the food processor in few times until everything become fine bread crumbs. Add in the beaten egg and pulse again for few times until it almost come to a dough. Take out the dough and flatten it to become a round disc. Cling wrap it and chill in the fridge at least 1 hour before use.

Remove the pastry from the fridge. On a clean, floured work surface, roll it out with a floured rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the tart pan ring. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and lay it over the ring.

With your fingers, lightly press the pastry into the sides of the ring. Run a rolling pin over the top of the ring and pull away the excess pastry at the edges. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry up to slightly build up the height of the pastry at the edges. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork.

Make a cartouche (a circle of greaseproof paper) slightly larger than the base of the tart pan and line the pastry case with it. Place some ceramic baking beans inside to weigh the pastry down. Place in the fridge to relax for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the pastry in the oven and bake blind for about 20 minutes.  Take of the tart pan amd remove the grease proof paper and baking beans then place it back to the oven to bakebfor another 10 minutes until fully cooked. Once it done, let it cool on a wire rack and make the lemon filling.

For the Lemon  filling:

7 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

¼ cup grated fresh lemon zest (4 lemons)

⅔ cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)

Pinch salt

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

3 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled

Whisk the egg yolks and eggs together in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the sugar until combined, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the cream.

5. Pour the lemon filling into the warm tart shell. Bake the tart on the baking sheet until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the tart cool completely on the baking sheet and chill in the fridge then serve.