Down Under Lemon Tart Food

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.

DOWN UNDER LEMON TART

Steps:

• Place flour, butter, and confectioners' sugar in food processor; process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, and process until mixture forms a dough. Mold dough into 2 flat shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.
• Roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thick (3mm), and line a 9- or 10-inch (24 cm) tart pan. Patch any cracks with extra dough and chill the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line pastry with foil, fill the foil with a little raw rice, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and rice, and continue baking until pastry is a light golden color.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together eggs, superfine sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream. Do not over beat. Pour the mixture through a strainer. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and carefully pour the lemon mixture into the baked pastry crust.
• Bake until the tart is nearly set, about 20 minutes. The filling will be runny in the center, and will set when cool; don't over cook, or cracks will appear. Cool and serve.

DOWN UNDER LEMON TART

Steps:

• Place flour, butter, and confectioner's sugar in food processor; process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1-2 tablespoons cold water, and process until mixture forms a dough. Mold dough into 2 flat shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.
• Roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thickness and line a 9-10 inch tart pan. Patch any cracks with extra dough and chill crust in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line pastry with foil, fill the foil with a little raw rice, and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and rice, and continue baking until pastry is a light golden color.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together eggs, superfine sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream. (Do not beat). Pour the mixture through a strainer. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and carefully pour the lemon mixture into the baked pastry crust.
• Bake until the tart is nearly set, about 20 minutes. The filling will be runny in the center, and will set when cool; don't over cook or cracks will appear. Cool and serve.