Lemon Buttermilk Chess Tartlets Recipes

LEMON BUTTERMILK CHESS TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set aside a 9 inch tart pan
• Place flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
• Slowly add the chilled and cubed butter to the flour mixture and pulse in between each addition until pea-sized lumps form
• Continue pulsing and add ice cold water at a slow stream and process until the dough comes together into a ball
• Remove the dough from the food processor and place on a floured surface
• Knead the dough until fully combined and reaches the perfect consistency (add flour if needed)
• Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using
• Once the dough is chilled and you are ready to roll out your tart shell, lightly flour the surface and roll out the chilled dough into an ⅛ inch thick
• Shape the dough into the 9 inch tart pan, pressing the center and sides down
• Refrigerate the tart shell for 10 minutes before baking
• Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator and place a piece of parchment paper on the top of the dough and fill the shell with pie weights or rice to pre bake the tart shell
• Pre bake the shell for 10 minutes
• If the dough still seems to be undercooked remove the pie weights from the tart shell and continue baking for 4 minutes)
• Remove the pre baked tart shell from the oven and allow it to cool completely while you are making the filling

LEMON BUTTERMILK CHESS PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a bowl, combine sugar, cornmeal, flour and salt.
• In another bowl, beat eggs thoroughly.
• Add sugar mixture; mix well.
• Add melted butter, lemon zest and juice, buttermilk and vanilla to egg mixture, mixing to blend thoroughly after each addition to prevent lumping.
• Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell; bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and custard is set.
• Remove pie to rack; cool completely.
• Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar and garnish each serving with whipped cream.

CHESS PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the pie crust: Generously butter a 10-inch round, fluted tart pan. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, black pepper and lemon zest. Working quickly, rub the cold butter into the dry mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter. Cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are the size of small pebbles. (Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the dry ingredients with the butter.) Add the egg yolks and the cold water. Using your hands, combine just until the dough comes together in clumps. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out chilled dough between two sheets of parchment or on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Using the rolling pin, transfer dough into the prepared tart pan. Press the dough into the fluted sides and trim any overhang to 1/4 inch above the pan. Chill the dough again for at least 20 minutes.
• Line the pie dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is lightly browned along the edges and beginning to firm up, about 18 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes to lightly brown the edges. Press down the surface with the back of a spoon if the crust bubbles. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling. Adjust the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• As the crust cools, prepare the filling: Whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, cornmeal, lemon juice and zest and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk and the melted butter.
• Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and carefully pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Bake until the filling is set and jiggles slowly when the tart pan is moved back and forth, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool pie completely before slicing. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and serve at room temperature or cold, with some whipped heavy cream on the side.

LEMON BUTTERMILK CHESS TARTLETS

Steps:

• Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface, fit it into 8 tartlet tins, each 3 3/4 inches across the top and 3/4 inch deep, and roll a rolling pin over the edges of the tins to trim the excess dough. Chill the shells for 30 minutes.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the buttermilk, the cornmeal, the grated zest, the lemon juice, and the salt. Divide the mixture among the tartlet shells and bake the tartlets on a baking sheet in the lower third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. and bake the tartlets for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until they are golden and set. Let the tartlets cool in the tins on racks until they can be handled, remove them from the tins, and let them cool completely on the racks. The tartlets may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered loosely in a cool place. Dust the tartlets lightly with the confectioners' sugar and garnish them with the lemon zest knots.