A lemon tart is a classic and it’s one of my favourite desserts. I think this is one of the first times I’ve managed to make a lemon tart without it developing a crack down the middle. The trick is to make sure it is cooled down fully in the oven, rather than chilling it too quickly.
I’ve never been good at making pastry look tidy, so that is what it is. But the texture of the filling was spot on and I was really pleased with how it turned out.
Ingredients
- 225g plain flour, sifted
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
- 125g chilled unsalted butter, chopped
- 5 eggs, plus extra 2 yolks
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 125ml lemon juice
- 300ml double cream, plus extra to serve
- 220g caster sugar
Instructions
- Place flour and icing sugar in a food processor with a pinch of salt. Pulse to combine, then add the butter and whiz until fine crumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and 60ml iced water. Whiz until the mixture comes together in a smooth ball. Enclose dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 22cm loose-bottomed tart pan.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured board to 5mm thick and use to line the tart pan. Trim any excess pastry and chill for a further 15 minutes. Line the pastry with baking paper and baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove paper and baking beans and return to the oven for a further 3 minutes or until pale golden and dry. Cool slightly.
- Reduce the oven to 130°C.
- Place 5 eggs, remaining egg yolk, lemon zest and juice, cream and caster sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until lukewarm and the sugar has dissolved. Strain the mixture into a jug, then pour into the tart shell. Bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Allow the tart to cool completely.
Full As An Egg 