Mr Rouxs Lemon Tart Food

GREGG'S TANGY LEMON TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, mix the flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until crumbly. Mix in the egg yolks. If the pastry is still too dry, add 1-2 tbsp water until it comes together. Roll into a ball and divide in half (freeze one half for another recipe). Flatten out the pastry with your hands, wrap the dough in cling film, then chill for at least 30 mins. While the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Beat all the ingredients, except for the zest, together. Sieve the mixture, then stir in the zest.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift into a 23cm tart tin. Press down gently on the bottom and sides, then trim off any excess pastry. Stab a few holes in the bottom with a fork and put back in the fridge for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the tart with foil and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake for 10 mins, then remove the tart tin from the oven, discard the foil, and bake for another 20 mins until biscuity. When the pastry is ready, remove it from the oven, pour in the lemon mixture and bake again for 30-35 mins until just set. Leave to cool, then remove the tart from the tin and serve at room temperature or chilled.

MR ROUX'S LEMON TART

Steps:

• Lemon Mixture
• Finely grate the lemons, and then juice them.
• Break the 9 eggs into a large bowl and add the sugar (both) and mix well until light and frothy. Mix in the lemon juice and zest and the cream and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. (The mix is best prepared a day before it is required).
• Sablé pastry.
• Using an electric mixer with a paddle, mix the PASTRY dry ingredients and add the butter in pieces, then slowly add the egg yolks. When the pastry comes together, remove from the bowl.
• Divide the pastry into workable amounts. Cover with plastic wrap and chill to a workable temperature. (Note: This pastry can be frozen).
• The Pie Itself.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
• Roll the pastry out to 5mm thickness and butter a 20cm x 5cm 8 x 2-inch flat tin. Line the tin with the pastry and then line the pastry with aluminium foil. Fill with pastry weights or beans and bake blind for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown in colour. Allow to cool.
• Pour the lemon mixture into the cooled pastry case, leaving a 3-5mm space from top and bake at 180°C (360°F) for 1 hour or until set. The tart should not soufflé or have a domed top, and should be just set when shaken.
• Leave the tart to cool for at least 4 hours before removing the ring. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

ROUX

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes. Roux can be kept in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

LEMON TART WITH SUMMER BERRIES

Steps:

• Finely grate the zest of 3 of the lemons into a bowl. Halve all the lemons, then use a fork to squeeze out all the juice and pulp into the bowl with the zest - don't worry about the seeds. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, then whisk in the caster sugar until completely combined. Whisk in the cream and lemon juice mix, then set aside.
• Place a 23cm tart ring or loose-bottom flan tin on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Lift onto a rolling pin, then drape over the tart ring or flan tin, leaving the excess hanging over the edge. Carefully press the pastry into the sides with a small ball of pastry. Put in fridge or freezer for 20 mins to allow pastry to chill.
• While the pastry is chilling, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Prick the base of the pastry case, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the paper and beans, then bake the case for 5-10 mins more until it is biscuity brown and crisp. Lower oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
• Use a ladle to push the lemon custard through a sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. Skim the bubbles from the surface of the custard, then pour the custard into a jug. Pull the tart out of the oven slightly, then pour in the custard so it comes to the top. You may have some left over. Push tart back in, then bake for 35-40 mins until the top forms a light crust and the custard is just set. Leave to cool, then chill.
• While the tart is cooling, make the berry salad. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and scatter the icing sugar over the base. Heat until the sugar dissolves and caramelises. Throw in the berries, toss with the sugar, then splash in the sherry vinegar. Bubble for a min until everything is just starting to soften, then tip onto a plate and leave to cool slightly.
• Use a serrated knife to trim away the pastry and make a neat edge. Dust the tart lightly with icing sugar, then use a blowtorch to caramelise the top. Leave the top to set, then repeat the process so that you get an extra-thick layer of caramel. Stir the mint through the berries. Serve the tart in slices with a bowl of the berry salad on the side.