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Recipe Types: Bakes , Basics , Bread , Dessert , Drinks , Egg , Fish , Healthy , Meat , Rice & Pasta , Snacks , Veg

Tarte Fine Au Citron or just simply.. Lemon Tart

2013-02-20
  • Servings : 8
  • Prep Time : 30m
  • Cook Time : 1:20 h
  • Ready In : 5:00 h

I have been cooking for several years now and eating for so many many years before that. But if I were to put my finger on the one cuisine that has completely bowled me over, it has to be French.

I am so in love with all foods French.The first thing that hooks you is the presentation and the taste never fails to please. It is absolutely breathtaking. As time permits, I dabble in French cuisine now and again.

We had some friends coming over for lunch just a few days ago, and what could better than to try out something new on them?

After all, good friends share a lot in your life- the good, the bad, and of course- the calories!

This recipe is adapted from The Collection by Michel Roux. No not the well-mannered, soft spoken judge from the cookery show, but in fact his father.

The recipe is not very difficult to make and is extremely good to eat.

I can assure you that there will be nothing left, no crumbs even.

Hope my friends at Bloggers Buzz like this as much as we do.

Ingredients

  • Short crust pastry- 350 gm
  • Eggs- 5
  • Caster sugar- 180 gm
  • Double cream-150 ml
  • Lemon zest and juice - 2 lemons
  • 1 egg yolk mixed with milk to glaze

Method

Step 1

Lightly butter a loose bottom tart tin, around 22 cm in diameter and 2 cm deep. Place it on a baking tray and chill both in the refrigerator. Also, chill an empty bowl in the refrigerator.

Step 2

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a circular disc about 3-4 mm thick. Use this to line the pastry tin.

Step 3

Trim off the excess pastry around the rim and then press the pastry gently on the sides so that it goes up the rim to form a fluted lip, about 2 mm in height. Refrigerate this for at least 20 minutes.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Step 5

Now, for the filling: Lightly whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl, without letting the mixture turn pale.

Step 6

In the now chilled but empty bowl that has been sitting in the refrigerator, whip the double cream for a few seconds. Then mix this beaten cream into the bowl containing eggs.

Step 7

Add the lemon zest and juice. Stir briefly.. and be prepared for a heart attack. After adding the lemon juice, almost instantly, the mixture may look as if it has curdled. And that all your efforts have just gone down the drain.

Step 8

But have patience. If you have followed all the instructions, your prayers will be answered. Just as you would've given up hope, the mixture gets back to normal. I am not joking- my heart almost stopped.

Step 9

Cover this with a cling film and refrigerate.

Step 10

Now, back to our pastry case that has been sitting pretty in the fridge, chilling out. Line it with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or rajma ( kidney beans ) of you have any at home and ' bake blind' as they say, for 15 minutes.

Step 11

Remove the beans , let rest for a few minutes and then brush the sides and bottom of the pastry case with baking beans.

Step 12

Pop it back into the oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes until light brown in colour.

Step 13

Take it out and lower the oven temperature to 150C.

Step 14

Now whick the chilled lemon filling and pour it into the tart case upto the lip and straightaway into the oven to bake for 1 hour, till it looks liightly set.

Step 15

Leave it out for about 5 minutes, and then carefully remove the tart from the tin.

Step 16

Cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours before serving.

Step 17

Serve cool, either as it is or with a generaous sprinkling of icing sugar.

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