Lemon Curd Tart With Candied Almond Topping Food

LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the chilled tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lemon curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.
• Fill the tart shell with warm lemon curd and allow to set at room temperature.

LEMON TART RECIPE

Steps:

• To make the lemon curd: In a medium heatproof bowl, place eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and heavy cream, if using, and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie). Cook on moderate heat, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick (mine was ready in 10 minutes, but it can take up to 20). If you have a thermometer, it should register 170°F/75°C; otherwise, it should coat the back of a wooden spoon and leave a clear pass if you run your finger through it. The curd will thicken more once cooled.
• Remove from heat and immediately strain mixture through a sieve. Add butter, a few cubes at a time, and whisk until completely melted and incorporated, and mixture is smooth. Take your time with it-the whisking makes for an airy and light texture. Allow to cool to room temperature before filling the tart. (Lemon curd can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or can be frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, place overnight in the fridge. Whisk the mixture to smoothen it before using.)
• Fill the tart shell with lemon curd, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until chilled. Serve with berries and whipped cream if you like. The tart is rich, so cut your servings small.

LEMON CURD TART WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Put the almonds in a food processor and pulse until pulverized.
• Add the butter, sugar, all-purpose flour, almond flour, egg yolk, and salt and pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture is the consistency of grated Parmigiano cheese.
• Add 1 tablespoon cold water to the mix and pulse two or three times-the dough should start to come together in a ball. If the mixture is still very dry and crumbly, add 1 more tablespoon cold water. Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a handful-if the dough sticks together, it's done. If not, pulse the dough with 1 to 2 more tablespoons water.
• When the dough has come together, dump it out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. Using the heel of your hand, schmear the dough straight forward and then roll it back with your fingertips. Repeat this process one or two more times, dusting with flour if it sticks. Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. (All this could have totally been done ahead of time-like yesterday or even last week!)
• Take the dough out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before you're ready to use it and let it come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Lay the dough in a 10-inch tart pan, pressing it gently into the pan. Tear off a little piece of dough from the edge and roll it into a "dough ball." Dip the dough ball in flour and use it to push the dough into the sides of the tart pan. Trim the edge of the dough by rolling the pin over the top of the pan to create a clean edge; remove the excess dough.
• Gently line the dough with a piece of aluminum foil, pressing it into the sides of the tart to keep them tall and straight. Fill the tart with 1 pound of dry beans or rice, put the pan on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and bake for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• In a small saucepan, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and salt and whisk until it reaches a homogeneous consistency.
• Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter 2 pats at a time, continuing to mix until well combined.
• Pour the lemon curd into the prepared tart shell and bake until the lemon curd has set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

MEYER LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the dough:
• Put the butter, sugar, flour, egg yolk and salt in a food processor and pulse for 30 to 60 seconds or until the mixture has a grainy consistency, or what I like to call the "Parmesan cheese" stage. Add half of the water and pulse the food processor 2 to 3 times. The dough should start to come together, add the remaining water if needed. Check the consistency of the dough by clenching a small handful in your fist. If the dough stays together it is the proper consistency. If not, pulse the dough with a little more water. When the dough has reached the proper consistency, dump it out on a clean work surface. Using the heel of your hand, schmear the dough straight forward and roll it back with your fingertips. Repeat this process 1 to 2 more times, dust with flour if needed. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 to 1/4-inch in thickness. Lay the dough in the tart pan. Push the dough into the sides of the tart pan by rolling a small scrap of dough into a ball and pushing it into the dough. Roll over the top edge of the tart pan with the rolling pin to cut the extra dough from the pan and create a crisp edge. Cover the dough with aluminum foil and gently poke the foil into the side edges to fit the pan. This will help to keep the sides of the tart tall and straight as it cooks. Fill the tart shell with the dried beans and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the foil and beans and bake for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the tart shell from the oven and cool. The dough should be golden and crisp.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs and salt and whisk to a homogeneous consistency. Place in saucepan and bring to a medium heat. Cook, whisking, constantly until the mixture has thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, 2 pats at a time until it's incorporated and has a silky consistency.
• Pour the lemon curd into the prepared tart shell and bake in the preheated oven until the lemon curd has set, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.
• To garnish: In a small bowl, mix together blueberries, sugar and lemon juice. Serve alongside tart slices.

LEMON CURD TART WITH CANDIED ALMOND TOPPING

Steps:

• To make the curd, place the eggs and the sugar in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan and whisk until thickened and light in color. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Place over low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes; do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Let cool. Refrigerate until cold.
• To make the crust, place the almonds, sugar and zest in a food processor and process until ground. Add the flour and salt and pulse just to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together the egg yolk, water and almond extract. Add to the flour mixture and process just until the mixture starts to come together. Press into a bowl, flatten, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and fit into a 10-inch quiche dish. Line with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer. Cool.
• To make the topping, lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Lightly butter a baking sheet. Combine the sugar and zest in a bowl. Toss the almonds in the egg whites, drain and toss them in the sugar. Spread out on the baking sheet and bake until the almonds are dried, about 30 minutes, stirring twice. Let cool.
• Spoon the lemon curd into the pastry shell and top with the sugared almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, sift a little confectioners' sugar over the top and cut tart into wedges.

LEMON TART WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour, almonds, sugar, butter, extract and salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until blended. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture forms a soft dough. , Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, peel and salt until blended. Add butter; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour into crust., Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.