Lemon Tart With Shortcrust Pastry Recipes

LEMON TART

Steps:

• For pastry, process flour, butter, icing sugar and lemon rind in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.
• Add egg and ½ tbsp water and pulse until pastry dough forms a ball.
• Form pastry into a disc of about 14cm diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 175C. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured bench to a round 4mm thick and 35cm wide.
• Lightly prick pastry with a fork.
• Trim the pastry to a 35cm round and place in a 24cm-diameter, 3cm-deep fluted tart tin with a removable base, leaving pastry hanging over edges. Press pastry scraps into a ball and use this to press pastry case into the edges of the tin. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Line pastry case with foil, fill with chickpeas or ceramic pie weights and blind-bake until pastry is cooked through (35 minutes). Remove chickpeas and foil, reduce oven to 150C and bake until pastry is golden brown and crisp (10-15 minutes).
• Patch any holes or cracks using small thin pieces of pastry. Lightly whisk eggwhite and brush sparingly over inside of tart case. Return to oven for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.
• Leave oven at 150C. Whisk eggs and yolk lightly to break up. Add sugar and stir with a whisk until sugar starts to dissolve and mixture is glossy and syrup-like (4-5 minutes). Set aside, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved (about 35 minutes). Whisk crème fraîche in a large bowl with a little of the egg mixture to just loosen. Add lemon juice to egg mixture, then add crème fraîche a little at a time. Set aside while pastry cools.
• When pastry is cooled, skim foam off the top of lemon mixture, then strain into a jug. Half-fill the tart case with lemon mixture, then place tart on an oven shelf, ensuring it's level. Fill to the rim with remaining filling (you may have a little left over). Bake until the tart is set but with a little wobble in the centre (about 30 minutes).
• Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, then trim overhanging crust.
• Cool tart in tin for 2 hours, then carefully remove from tin. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

LEMON TART WITH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Place sifted flour, icing sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process briefly. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and a bit of the water and process until mixture comes together in a clump, adding more water if necessary. Place the mixture onto the bench and flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using. Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan forced. Remove from the fridge and roll out to fit a 28cm fluted tart tin with a removable base. Press into the tin with pastry overhanging the edge. Prick the base of the pastry and cover with a sheet of baking paper. Line with baking beads or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beads and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Beat together the lemon juice, sugar and cream. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time. Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Pour into cooled tart shell. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until filling is set on the outside, but still a little bit wobbly in the centre. Allow the tart to cool completely. Serve a slice dusted with icing sugar with a dollop of crème fraîche.