Classic Lemon Tart With Coconut Almond Crust Recipes

LEMON ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Pulse together flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse in butter until crumbly. Stir egg yolks and vanilla together and pulse into flour mixture. Remove from processor and work with hands to make soft dough. Roll dough out between 2 sheets of waxed paper to about 1/8-inch thickness. Remove waxed paper and place into 9-inch tart pan, pressing dough firmly into sides. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit Toast almonds in shallow pan for 7 to 9 minutes or until brown. Remove and let cool. Finely chop in food processor with metal blade. Set aside. Remove the crust from the freezer. Line crust with aluminum foil and top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and foil and let cool.
• Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar together on medium speed in large bowl until pale. Stir in lemon juice and zest, then melted butter, almonds and almond extract. Place tart pan with crust in shallow baking pan. Carefully pour filling into crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until tart is set and a rich brown color. When ready to serve dust with powdered sugar.

LEMON TART RECIPE

Steps:

• To make the lemon curd: In a medium heatproof bowl, place eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and heavy cream, if using, and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie). Cook on moderate heat, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick (mine was ready in 10 minutes, but it can take up to 20). If you have a thermometer, it should register 170°F/75°C; otherwise, it should coat the back of a wooden spoon and leave a clear pass if you run your finger through it. The curd will thicken more once cooled.
• Remove from heat and immediately strain mixture through a sieve. Add butter, a few cubes at a time, and whisk until completely melted and incorporated, and mixture is smooth. Take your time with it-the whisking makes for an airy and light texture. Allow to cool to room temperature before filling the tart. (Lemon curd can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or can be frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, place overnight in the fridge. Whisk the mixture to smoothen it before using.)
• Fill the tart shell with lemon curd, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until chilled. Serve with berries and whipped cream if you like. The tart is rich, so cut your servings small.

CLASSIC LEMON TART WITH COCONUT-ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• For the coconut-almond crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the coconut for garnishing the tart.
• Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons cooled toasted coconut, the all-purpose flour, almond flour and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the almond extract and egg and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until all of the dry ingredients are just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Form the dough into a disc and press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch nonstick tart pan with removable bottom; if necessary, use a piece of plastic wrap to help keep the dough from sticking. Refrigerate the tart shell until firm, about 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven again to 350 degrees F.
• Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake until the edges of the crust are barely golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown all over, about 20 minutes. Cool completely, then gently remove the tart shell from the pan and onto a plate.
• For the lemon curd filling: Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, using the butter paper to make sure the butter does not splatter, usually about a minute on 40 percent power. Then, add the sugar and salt and whisk together. Add the whole eggs and egg yolk and whisk again. Add the lemon zest and juice and whisk well. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove carefully and whisk. Continue to microwave in 1-minute intervals, whisking after each minute, until the mixture is thick. It usually takes between 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the microwave. Note that the mixture will get thin before it gets thick.
• Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and push the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
• For the whipped cream: Place the whipping cream, sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until soft peaks form.
• To assemble the tart: Pour the lemon curd into the tart shell and spread evenly. Place the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe a border around the edge of the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut. Allow the tart to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing.