Press In Crust For Lemon Curd Tart Food

LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch tart pan with 1-inch rim and removable bottom with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened butter and 1/4 cup sugar with spoon until well mixed. Stir in flour until blended (dough will be crumbly but can be pressed together). Pat and press dough very firmly on bottom and up sides of tart pan. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until crust is set in center but still pale. Cool 15 minutes.
• In 2-quart saucepan, mix 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Gradually stir in water, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat. Heat to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat.
• In small bowl, beat egg yolks with whisk. Gradually beat about 1/2 cup hot mixture into egg yolks. Gradually stir yolk mixture into hot mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to gently boil. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over cooled baked crust. Cool at room temperature 15 minutes; refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle fresh berries on top. Serve with whipped cream. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

LEMON-CURD TART

Steps:

• In a small saucepan (off heat), whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth; add butter.
• Place pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof flexible spatula, until lemon curd is thickened to the consistency of a loose pudding, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pour curd through a fine-mesh sieve into cooled crust. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate tart until filling is firm, 2 to 3 hours. Unmold before serving.

MEYER LEMON CURD TART WITH CANDIED LEMON PEELS

Steps:

• For the candied lemon peels: Set a wire rack into a rimmed baking sheet. Use a vegetable peeler to peel 1/2-inch strips from 3 of the lemons; reserve. Juice all 5 lemons (you should have about 1/2 cup); cover and refrigerate the juice. Put the reserved strips of peel into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the peels and repeat the process 2 more times. Pat the peels completely dry.
• Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the peels and cook until they start to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Use tongs to remove them from the saucepan and lie them flat on the prepared rack. Let dry at room temperature, 6 hours and up to overnight. Toss the peels with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
• For the shortbread crust: Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
• Add the flour, butter and confectioners' sugar to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces. Add the egg and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tart pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 30 minutes.
• For the lemon curd: Meanwhile, whisk the reserved lemon juice, eggs, yolks, milk and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until well combined. Add the butter and stir continuously until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the curd if any lumps form, then pour into the crust and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake until the curd is set, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely, about 1 hour more. Decorate with the candied peels and serve cold.

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.

SHORTBREAD LEMON TART

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice and orange zest. Whisk in butter until smooth. Set aside. , For crust, pulse first 6 ingredients in a food processor until mixture forms a ball. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. , Pour lemon mixture into crust. Bake until center is almost set, 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and, if desired, fresh raspberries.

PRESS-IN CRUST FOR LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Pulse flour, butter, sugar, and salt only until moist crumbs form.
• Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; with floured fingers, press evenly into bottom and up side of pan.
• With a floured dry-measuring cup, press edge of dough firmly against side of pan, pushing down with opposite thumb to level top of crust flush with rim.
• Freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes; prick all over with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees.until golden, pressing with a spoon if it puffs up, 25 to 30 minutes; cool completely. Use crust for lemon-curd tart, if desired.

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 CURD TARTS

Steps:

• Spoon about 1 teaspoon lemon curd into the bottom of each phyllo shell; top with whipped topping. Sprinkle a light dusting of cinnamon over the top.

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.

LEMON CURD CREAM TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• To make crust, combine gingersnap crumbs, butter and sugar in a bowl; stir with a fork to dampen crumbs.
• Pat crumbs on bottom and up sides of a 7-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; bake for 10 minutes or until firm and slightly browned; remove from oven and cool completely.
• To make filling, beat eggs and egg yolks together in a heavy-bottomed pan; add 3/4 cup sugar and beat; add lemon juice and butter.
• Cook lemon mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly for 5-10 minutes or until thickened to the consistency of pudding.
• Remove the curd from the heat.
• If it's lumpy, strain through a wire strainer.
• Place curd in a bowl and completely chill; when curd is cold, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar with whipping cream in a bowl and beat until stiff; fold lemon curd into the whipped cream mixture.
• Gently spoon lemon mixture into the prepared tart crust; chill 1-2 hours.
• Just before serving, wash strawberries and pat dry; remove stems, thinly slice berries lengthwise and arrange over the tart.

THE PERFECT LEMON TART

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
• Have ready an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 Tablespoon of the zest, and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
• Pour in the butter mixture in a fine stream, stirring with a fork, and continue stirring until the dough begins to come together when a small bit is pressed between your fingers.
• Transfer the mixture to the tart pan and press it with your fingertips evenly up the side and into the bottom.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown.
• Let cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
• Process the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 Tablespoon of zest in a food processor until the zest is finely ground.
• Whisk together the eggs, the sugar and zest mixture, the lemon juice, and another pinchy of salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Beat the cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a medium bowl just until it forms soft peaks.
• Whisk the cream into the egg mixture until just blended.
• Place a baking sheet in the oven, place the crust on the baking sheet, and pour the filling into the still-warm crust.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is just set in the center.
• Let the pie cool on a wire rack.
• Just before service, generously sift confectioners' sugar over the tart.
• Cut into wedges and serve.
• Note: You may wish to use slightly less zest than called for, and taste the batter.
• My lemons were extremely powerful, and I only needed 1 1/2 Tablespoons total of zest.