Whole Lemon Tart Tarte Au Citron Food

FRENCH LEMON TART - TARTE AU CITRON

Steps:

• Make tart crust per linked recipe, including blind baking the empty tart crust. Allow to fully cool before filling (to ensure it won't go soggy).
• Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 180℃/350℉ (160℃ fan)
• Whisk ingredients together: Put all ingredients in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine.
• Thicken on stove: Place the saucepan on the stove over low / medium low heat. Whisk constantly, especially as the butter is melting, to ensure it doesn't split. Keeping stirring until the mixture thickens enough to visibly mound (ie. holds its shape briefly) on the surface when dolloped - about 5 minutes, though it might take longer depending on stove strength, saucepan heat retention etc. See video and photos for thickness guide. Don't take it off the stove until it's thick enough otherwise the Filling won't set.
• Strain into a bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
• Fill tart: Pour into tart shell and smooth the filling surface using an offset spatula or similar.
• Bake: Bake for 5 minutes. It will still be a soft custard when you touch it but not liquidity. It will set more when cooled so it's sliceable.
• Cool: Cool tart fully to allow it to set before slicing to serve. Pictured with a dollop of creme fraiche (a thick, rich cream that has a slight tartness, and goes very well with the lemon tart) or whipped cream and even vanilla ice cream.
• Decorate if desired with lemon slices, edible flowers, raspberries. Else pipe on dollops of whipped cream or dust with icing sugar!

VERY LEMONY TARTE AU CITRON

Steps:

• If not using a pre-made pastry case, butter a loose-bottom tarte dish. Roll out the pastry and line the dish with it. Bake blind for 15 mins at 190C. Leave to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 150C.
• Juice and zest the lemons. In a pan, pour the lemon juice and zest, sugar and the whole eggs. Mix with a spatula and cook at medium heat until the mixture bubbles (be careful not to let the eggs scramble), stirring continuously. Add the diced butter.
• Pour the mixture into the pastry case and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Place in oven for 15 mins. Remove and cool.

MARY BERRY'S LEMON TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and icing sugar into a food processor. Pulse briefly until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add the egg yolk and water.
• Pulse again until the mixture sticks together in clumps then tip onto a work surface and gather it into a ball with your hands. Knead the pastry just two or three times to make it smooth. If your butter was a bit too soft, the pastry might be too. If so, wrap it in parchment paper and chill for 15 minutes.
• Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin.
• Lay a piece of parchment paper on the work surface. Remove the base from the tart tin and lay it on the paper. Using a pencil, draw a circle onto the paper 4cm/1½in bigger than the tin base.
• Dust the base of the tin with flour. Place the pastry ball in the centre of the tin base and flatten it out slightly. Roll out the pastry, still on the base, until it meets the circle mark. As you are rolling out, turn the pastry by turning the paper. Gently fold the pastry surrounding the tin base in towards the centre.
• Carefully lift the tin base off the work surface, drop it into the tin, then ease the pastry into the corners and up the sides of the tin, pressing the overhang lightly over the rim. If the pastry has cracked at all, simply press it together to seal. Press the pastry into the flutes of the tin then lightly prick the base with a fork, but not quite all the way through. Place the pastry-lined tin on a baking tray, cover loosely with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Remove the cling film from the pastry case and line with foil so it supports the sides, then fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 12-15 minutes, until the pastry is set, then lift out the foil and beans. Carefully trim the excess pastry from the sides using a sharp knife, holding the knife at a sharp angle and slicing away from you. Remove the trimmings from the sheet. Return the empty pastry case to the oven for another 10-12 minutes or until it is pale golden and completely dry. Set aside to cool while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
• For the filling, break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together with a wire whisk. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and whisk again until they are all well combined. Pour the filling mixture into a jug, then into the cooled baked pastry case. To prevent it spilling as it goes in the oven, pour in most of the filling so it almost fills the tart, carefully sit the baking sheet and tart on the oven shelf, then top up with the rest of the filling to completely fill it. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until just set but with a slight wobble in the centre.
• Leave to cool slightly then, when the pastry seems firm enough, remove the tart from the tin. The easiest way to do this is to place the base of the tin on an upturned can or jam jar and let the outer ring fall to the work surface. Transfer the tart to a serving plate and serve warm or cold, dusted with sifted icing sugar.

TARTELETTES AU CITRON (INDIVIDUAL LEMON TARTS)

Steps:

• Prepare the pastry shells. On a lightly floured surface, carefully roll out the dough to a thickness of one-eighth inch. Fit the pastry into six to eight four-inch tart tins. With your fingertips, carefully press the pastry into the pan and up the side, trying not to stretch it. Trim the overhang, leaving about a half-inch edge. Tuck this overhang inside the pan, pressing gently against the side to create a sturdy, double-sided shell. If you build the pastry a bit higher than the height of the pan, you have less problem with shrinkage. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Line the shells carefully with heavy-duty foil, pressing well into the edges so the pastry does not shrink while baking. Tuck the foil into the bottom of the tart shells. Prick the pastry through the foil with the tines of a fork. Fill with weights of rice or beans - making sure you get all the way into the edges - to prevent shrinkage.
• Place the filled tins on a baking sheet and bake just until the pastry begins to brown around the edges and seems firm enough to stand up by itself, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue baking until evenly light brown, about 10 to 15 more minutes. Watch the pastry carefully, for ovens vary and pastry can brown very quickly. Cool completely, for at least 15 minutes, before filling.
• Prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, sugar and cream and whisk until well blended. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition. Strain the lemon cream through a sieve to remove any portions of yolk or impurities.
• Pour the lemon cream into the prepared tartlet shells, place them on a baking sheet and bake just until the lemon cream is firm in the center, about five more minutes. (Alternatively, to form a single large tart, the dough can be rolled into a 12-inch circle to fit a 10 1/2-inch tart shell. Continue as directed for the individual tarts, but increase baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.)

CLASSIC FRENCH TARTE AU CITRON - FRESH LEMON TART

Steps:

• Roll out the pastry and line a 24cm to 26cm tart or quiche dish. Bake blind in a pre-heated oven 180°C/350F/gas 4, for about 7-10 mins, or until lightly golden brown and slightly crisp.
• Whisk the lemon juice, crème fraiche, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Add the grated lemon rind & mix well.
• Carefully pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 40 minutes or so, until the custard has set but is still slightly wobbly. Sprinkle liberally with icing sugar.
• Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of cassis and a sprig of mint. You can also serve this with a bowl of creme fraiche or cream.

VERY FRESH LEMON TART - FRENCH TARTE AU CITRON

Steps:

• To prepare the filling, combine all of the ingredients, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Before finishing the tart, take the filling out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
• To make the pastry, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the butter and combine by hand, rubbing the butter into the flour mixture, until it all starts to come together but is still slightly lumpy. Add the egg and just enough cream to bring the mixture together into a smooth dough with some streaks of butter still visible. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF(175ºC). Grease and flour a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch and transfer to the prepared tart pan. Line with aluminum foil, weigh down with pie weights or beans, and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the tart shell is cooked through and golden.
• Lower the oven temperature to 300ºF(150ºC). Stir the room-temperature filling to combine. Pour the filling into the baked shell and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool to room temperature, and chill before cutting.