{"id":3358,"date":"2011-01-21T11:05:54","date_gmt":"2011-01-21T10:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.withaglass.com\/?p=3358"},"modified":"2013-04-24T20:43:39","modified_gmt":"2013-04-24T18:43:39","slug":"lemon-tart-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.withaglass.com\/?p=3358","title":{"rendered":"French Lemon Tart (or Tartlets)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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My recent cravings for lemon cakes, creams and tarts probably reveal a lack of vitamin C (which probably isn’t there after baking anyway) or, simply, a typical cold days’ need for sunny and vivid colours on the table. Or, maybe, together with sour cherry obsession<\/a>, they are the obvious signs of my growing preference for acidity… This beautiful tart, served after a nourishing and heavy meal, is not only a refreshing relief for the palate, but also an act of protest against the seasonal gloominess.\u00a0It is the ideal ending of a spicy meal, such as\u00a0Beef Rendang<\/a>, Indian or Thai curry.<\/p>\n

Lemon tart is not a newcomer to my kitchen. I have been making the French lemon tart for several years, whenever I had lemon-loving company or when I simply couldn’t stop dreaming about it and finally would end up making a small portion only for myself… Of course, the French are not the only ones to consider the lemon tart as one of their national desserts. However, the thin crust and the absence of cream, flour or condensed milk in the filling make the French version\u00a0of this worldwide known dish the most subtle and light (by “light”I mean taste, since the tart is far from being low-fat or low-calorie).<\/p>\n

My slightly modified recipe can be found in\u00a0\u201cLe Grand Livre de Cuisine d\u2019Alain Ducasse: Bistrots, Brasseries et Restaurants de Tradition\u201d<\/a>, a highly reliable source of French recipes. As other Ducasse recipes (cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e<\/a>,\u00a0madeleines<\/a>) I have been making, this one always works perfectly well.<\/p>\n

TIPS: If you wish – and have a blowtorch – you can sprinkle the tart with brown sugar and burn it before serving, like a\u00a0burnt cream<\/a>. (Personally I prefer it simple or with some grated lemon zest.)<\/p>\n

You can make either one big tart or, as you see on the above photo, individual tartlets (with the amounts below you will obtain about 12 standard tartlets). If you decide to make individual tartlets, cut down the baking time as advised below.<\/p>\n

Special equipment:<\/em><\/p>\n

beans for blind baking (I have been using the same real dried cheap beans for several years now)<\/em><\/p>\n

Preparation: 1 hour + 2 hours in the fridge<\/em><\/p>\n

Ingredients (one 28 cm diameter tart or about 12 standard tartlets):<\/em><\/p>\n

Crust:<\/em><\/p>\n

100 g flour<\/em><\/p>\n

30 g ground or powdered almonds<\/em><\/p>\n

90g softened butter<\/em><\/p>\n

1\/4 teaspoon salt<\/em><\/p>\n

3 tablespoons caster sugar<\/em><\/p>\n

Filling:<\/em><\/p>\n

200 ml lemon juice<\/em><\/p>\n

100 g butter<\/em><\/p>\n

4 eggs<\/em><\/p>\n

120 g confectioner\u2019s sugar<\/em><\/p>\n

(grated lemon zest)<\/em><\/p>\n

(brown sugar)<\/em><\/p>\n

Prepare the pastry case.<\/p>\n

Mix the butter, the almonds, the salt and the sugar in a food processor. When these ingredients are mixed thoroughly, add the flour and mix again.<\/p>\n

Stop when you see a big ball is being formed.<\/p>\n

(You may also knead the pastry without the food processor, but then you have to do this very quickly, maximum 5 minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand and minimising the use of your fingers, otherwise the tart will be too crumbly.)<\/p>\n

Wrap the dough in a cling film and put into the fridge for at least 30 minutes (you can leave it there up to 48 hours).<\/p>\n

Take it out of the fridge and let it soften a bit before \u00a0using it.<\/p>\n

Roll it thinly with a rolling pin (I would advise 1\/2 cm) and line the tart pan or individual tartlets forms. (If you don’t manage to roll it out, you can wait until it softens more and spread it with your fingers).<\/p>\n

Pick the surface with a fork and place it into the fridge for 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

Preheat the oven to 150\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

Take out the tart dish from the fridge.<\/p>\n

Cover the flat surface with a baking sheet and put some dried beans on it. This way the pastry will not rise.<\/p>\n

Precook the tart shell (or tartlets shells) until it\u2019s no longer raw, but still white. Take it out, put the beans back into their jar and let the tart shell cool.<\/p>\n

Lower the oven temperature to 130\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

Melt the butter in a pan. Put aside.<\/p>\n

Break the eggs in a bowl, add the sugar, the lemon juice and the warm butter. Stir well.<\/p>\n

Pour the lemon filling on the warm (not hot) tart shell (or individual shells) and bake it at 130\u00b0C for about 30 minutes (or 15-20 minutes if making individual tartlets), depending on the oven (when the tart is moved the surface should be only slightly trembling in the centre).<\/p>\n

Let it cool down and put into the fridge for at least two hours.<\/p>\n

Take it out of the fridge no more than 30 minutes before serving (it must be cold, but the pastry should soften a bit). At the last moment either sprinkle it with fresh lemon zest or gently pat it dry with paper towels, sprinkle with brown sugar and burn it, or simply serve it as it is.<\/p>\n


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