Lemon Pastry Recipes

LEMON PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk together 1 cup heavy cream, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
• Combine remaining 2 cups heavy cream, sugar, and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to dissolve sugar. Bring to a gentle boil; boil until mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add egg yolk mixture slowly, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Mixture will break; pour into a glass bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to prevent skin forming. Let cool completely at room temperature.
• Pour cooled mixture into a mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip until thick and creamy.

LEMON PASTRY

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir flour and salt together; cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry blender).
• With a fork, stir the egg, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons ice water together.
• Sprinkle the liquid over the flour mixture and mix just until the pastry holds together, adding more water if needed.
• Knead the dough in the bowl for 2 or 3 strokes, just until the dough makes a smooth ball.
• Cover and chill for 30 minutes or until firm; then ready to roll out.

STRAWBERRY AND RASPBERRY TART WITH MEYER LEMON PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grate the butter on a box grater and add to the bowl of a food processor with the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt. Pulse to combine until the mixture resembles Parmesan cheese. Add the egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse to combine until the dough comes together and holds its shape when pressed between your fingers. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Gently knead a few times and bring the dough together into a ball, then flatten into a disc. Roll the dough out evenly into a 1/4-inch-thick circle. Transfer the dough onto a sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and roll evenly in all directions, making sure it doesn't stick to your work surface and dusting with flour as needed. The dough should be about 1/8-inch thick. Slice the dough in half and transfer to two nonstick 6-inch fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Press the dough snuggly into the edges ensuring the dough runs fully up the side. Use a rolling pin to trim the excess dough. Line each tart with a piece of foil and fill with baking beans (or I use rice!), making sure the foil is tightly packed to the corners. Transfer the dough to the oven to blind bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the pan, then bake for another 6 minutes. Remove the foil and baking beans and place the tart back into the oven until lightly golden, another 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Set up an ice bath. Add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream to a small bowl. Mix to create a slurry and set aside. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and the 4 whole eggs to a large bowl and beat with a whisk until pale yellow and foamy. Add the remaining 2 cups heavy cream, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the vanilla extract and lemon peel to a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then pour half of the mixture into the bowl with the eggs and sugar and immediately whisk vigorously to combine and temper the mixture. Pour the contents of the bowl into the saucepan and continue to whisk. Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and it reaches the texture of pudding, 3 to 4 minutes. You want to continuously whisk to avoid scorching the mixture. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Set the bowl over the ice bath to cool.
• Place the apricot preserves and a splash of water into a small saute pan. Turn the heat to medium and stir to gently melt the preserves, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• To assemble the tart, spoon an even layer of the lemon pastry cream into each tart shell, but not fully to the top. Line the outside of the tart with raspberries and working inward, arrange the inside of the tart with the sliced strawberries. Repeat this process alternating with more raspberries and strawberries. Glaze the top of each tart with the apricot mixture.
• Serve the tarts with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

LEMON SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.
• Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

LIME CURD PUFF PASTRY CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425*F
• If puff pastry sheets are frozen, allow to thaw so you can unfold the sheets.
• Make Lime Curd if you have not done so already.
• Once puff pastry sheets are malleable, unfold puff pastry sheets.
• Cut each sheet at the crease marks to create 3 long strips per sheet. Then cut three strips across to create 9 squares. Repeat steps 4 & 5 for second sheet of puff pastry.
• Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
• Place one square of puff pastry in easy muffin cup. Gently press down to create a cup.
• Place a Tablespoon of Lime Curd in the center of each puff pastry cup.
• If you do not want the meringue topping, skip down to step #16
• Pour egg whites in a new VERY CLEAN bowl.
• Whip egg whites until big, glossy and smooth.
• Add cream of tartar and whip for 30 seconds more.
• While whipping, slowly add sugar about a Tablespoon at a time all sugar has been added.
• Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Scoop whipped Meringue on top of lime curd.
• Bake for 10 Minutes or until puff pastry sheets are puffed and golden and meringue is golden on the peaks.
• Remove from oven. Allow to cool then remove from muffin tin.
• Sprinkle any cups without meringue with powdered sugar.
• Devour! Store extras in an air tight container for up to 4 days.

MEYER LEMON PASTRY

Steps:

• Bring water and granulated sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
• Cut out a circle of parchment the size of the saucepan. Add lemons, and cover with parchment. Simmer gently until lemons are soft and translucent, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove lemons from syrup, and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 11-by-14-inch rectangle. Lightly score a 1-inch border around edges using a sharp paring knife. Brush entire surface of dough with egg wash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake pastry until golden, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, whisk heavy cream and vanilla seeds with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Top pastry with lemon slices. Serve with vanilla cream.

THE BEST LEMON TART EVER

Steps:

• Combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer; mix ingredients thoroughly with a paddle attachment. Mix flour into butter mixture to make a smooth dough. Press dough into a 9-inch tart pan; refrigerate crust for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake crust until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whisk sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Pour lemon filling into crust. Cover edges of crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 20 minutes. Cool completely and dust with confectioners' sugar.