Lemon Curd Tart

In late 19th and early 20th century England, home-made lemon curd was traditionally served with bread or scones at afternoon tea as an alternative to jam, and as a filling for cakes, small pastries and tarts. Lemon-meringue pie, made with lemon curd and topped with meringue, has been a favorite dessert in Britain and the United States since the nineteenth century.

Lemon Curd Tart

(Lemon Curd Tart Filling)

Ingredients

Egg Yolks- 4 ounces

Sugar- 6 ounces

Fresh lemon juice- 2 ounces

Bottled lemon juice- 2 ounces

Lemon zest- .5 ounces

Softened butter- 4 ounces

Method of preparation

1. Gather all of your ingredients and equipment.

2. Measure out all of your ingredients.

3. Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar together.

4. Over a simmering double boiler pour in mixture from step 3 and cook stirring constantly until thick.

5. Once mixture is thickened remove pot from stovetop/ heat. Add butter and stir until melted and well incorporated into mixture.

6. Let cool and strain in a cheese clothe.

7. Refrigerate and let cool.

8. Pour lemon curd into tart shell (see Pate Sable tart shell recipe) leaving about ½ inch for the meringue (see meringue recipe).

9. Pour meringue into a piping bag and starting from the inside of the tart pipe meringue over lemon curd tart.

10. You can torch the meringue with a fire torch to finish off (optional).

Pate Sable Dough 
(Tart Shell)

Ingredients

Pastry Flour- 9 ounces

Salt- Pinch

Unsalted cubed butter- 4.5 ounces

Granulated sugar- 4.5 ounces

Whisked eggs- 2 ounces

Method of Preparation

1. Gather all of your ingredients and equipment.

2. Measure out all of your ingredients.

3. Sift flour. Combine sifted flour and salt.

4. Cube the butter and place over step 3. Using a bench scraper cut the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of small peas. Add sugar.

5. Whisk eggs.

6. Make a pile like mountain with the flour, butter, sugar mixture and make a well in it. Pour the eggs into the well.

7. Slowly mix the flour into the egg mixture folding in the outside first.

8. Continue to fold with you hands until all of the egg is absorbed and all ingredients are well incorporated.

9. Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before using.

10. Roll out about 10 ounces of Pate Sable dough for an 8-inch tart shell into a circle. Once dough is rolled out into a circle gently place over 8-inch tart shell.

11. Gently press the dough onto the sides of the tart shell. Roll your rolling pin over the remaining dough hanging over the sides of the tart shell. Remove the excess dough.

12. Roll a docker over the pie shell.

13. Blind Bake tart shell. Place a bag of rice, beans or baking weights over dough making sure to cover it completely.

14. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.

15. Remove from oven and remove the rice, beans or baking weights and return to oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and dough is thoroughly baked.

Common Meringue
(Topping for Lemon curd tart)

Ingredients

Egg Whites at room temperature- 8 ounces

Granulated sugar- 1 pound

Salt (optional)- pinch

Method of Preparation

1. Gather all of your ingredients and equipment.

2. Measure out all of your ingredients.

3. In the bowl of a stationary mix or hand held mixer fitted with a whip, whip the egg whites on low speed. When the egg whites are frothy, increase the mixing speed to medium.

4. Slowly and gradually add in the granulated sugar while still whipping the egg whites.

5. After all of the sugar has been added continue whipping until you have achieved firm peeks.

6. Use Immediately.