Classic Shaker Lemon Tarts Food

MARTHA'S SHAKER LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Wash and cut 2 of the lemons into paper-thin slices. (It is very important to slice the lemons as thinly as possible; use a very sharp knife or an electric meat slicer, if one is available.) Remove the peel and pith of the remaining lemons; slice the flesh very, very thinly, and put it with the other slices in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and toss well to coat all the lemon slices. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture rest overnight, stirring occasionally. This takes the bitterness from the rind.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Press one Pate Brisee round into a 9-inch pie plate and chill.
• Add the beaten eggs to the sugar-coated lemon slices and mix well. Turn the mixture into the prepared pie shell, neatly arranging some of the lemon slices on top. Cut long, even slashes 1 inch apart in the other pastry round and cover the filling with it. Crimp the edges of the pie to seal. Brush the pastry top and edges with the egg white and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Cover the edges of the pie with foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and shiny, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a rack before serving.

CLASSIC SHAKER LEMON TARTS

Steps:

• Cut lemons crosswise into paper-thin rounds using a mandoline or a very sharp knife; discard ends and seeds. Place lemon slices in a medium nonreactive bowl, and add sugar; toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut dough into seven 6-inch rounds. Fit rounds into 4 1/2-inch round tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim edges flush with tops. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; freeze until firm, 30 minutes or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lower third. Add eggs to lemon mixture, and stir to combine. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Divide liquid among tart shells, then top with the lemon slices, arranging decoratively.
• Bake tarts on baking sheet 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, bake until filling is set and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove tarts from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

SHAKER LEMON TART

Steps:

• The day before serving, prepare the filling. Wash and dry the lemons. Freeze them for 10 minutes and then slice them as finely as you can using a mandoline, meat slicer or very sharp knife. As you slice, pull out and discard any seeds. Place the lemons in a mixing bowl and toss with the sugar. Cover with a dish towel and set on the counter overnight.
• The next day, prepare the pastry: combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, work half of the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Quickly work the remaining butter into the dough until the biggest pieces are the size of lima beans. Drizzle in the water in several additions, tossing and mixing between each. (It should look rather ropy and rough.) Stop adding water when a few bits of dry flour remain in the bottom of the bowl; do not overwork the dough or it will become tough. Gather the dough into 2 balls and wrap each tightly with plastic wrap, then flatten into disks. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Unwrap a disk of dough, place between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll into a 9-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Trim the excess dough. Lay it on a cookie sheet, cover and refrigerate. Roll the second disk into an 11-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Trim the excess dough. Gently place the larger circle in a 9-inch tart pan, letting the excess dough rise up the sides (do not trim). Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Using your hands, mix the eggs, flour and butter into the lemon-sugar mixture, squeezing the lemons as you mix. Pour the mixture into the dough-lined tart pan to just below the pan's rim. Using the point of a paring knife, carve 4 to 6 holes in the crust of the small dough circle. Lay it on top of the filling. Roughly fold the edges of the bottom crust over the top circle. Brush with milk. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more. Cool completely before serving.

CLASSIC LEMON TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. (If you like, you can let the butter cook until it browns and smells nutty, 2 to 4 minutes longer.)
• Whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and, using a spatula, mix until well combined. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, using a measuring cup if you like to flatten the tart shell and make sure it's even. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 months (wrap in plastic if storing for more than 4 hours).
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the crust is very lightly golden at the edges and baked through on the bottom, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool. (Tart shell can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.)
• Make the curd: Put butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, yolks and salt. Whisk the hot mixture gradually into the eggs to temper them. Then pour everything back into the saucepan and return to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (170 degrees; do not overcook, or it will curdle), about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Taste and add a bit more sugar if you like. It should taste tart but balanced.
• Spread the curd (it's OK if it's still warm) into the tart shell, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Return to the oven to bake until the curd is just set along the edges but still jiggly in the center, about 7 to 15 minutes. (It will continue to firm up as it cools.) Transfer back to the wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. If the curd still looks a little loose after cooling, you can chill the tart for an hour or two before serving. Note that it's a soft curd but shouldn't be runny.