This delicious lemon curd filling has just the right amount of tang. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to make your own tart shell ask your favourite bakery for some blind-baked, unfilled tart cases and just make the curd yourself. It surprisingly quick to make and everyone will think you’re a master pastry chef!
Shortcrust
- 200g Butter at room temperature
- 5g Salt
- 80g Caster sugar
- 250g Plain flour
- 3 Egg yolks
Lemon Creamy
- 225g Lemon juice
- 150g Caster sugar
- 4 Whole eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3g Gelatine softened in cool water
- 150g Unsalted butter cut into squares
Preheat oven to 200°C
Butter a 20cm non-stick, loose-bottom fluted tin.
This recipe also works well with 10-12 small pastry shells.
For the Shortcrust Pastry
Place salt, sugar, flour, butter and egg yolks in a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix on low speed until just combined.
Remove from the mixer, knead lightly, form into a thick square and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to 5 cm bigger that the tart tin. Gently place the dough over the tin and carefully push the dough into the ridges of the tart tin, cut away any excess dough that hangs over the rim. Use a knife or fork to pierce the base in multiple places.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Place baking paper on the base of the dough and add pie weights to prevent the dough rising.
Drop the oven temperature to 170°C and bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked through and crisp.
Remove the pie weights, allow to cool completely in the tin, then place in the fridge.
Lemon Curd
Place the butter in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Place lemon juice in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and add half of the sugar and lemon zest and bring to the boil.
Place the eggs, and remaining sugar and lemon zest in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together.
Once the lemon juice and sugar has come to the boil add to the eggs and whisk well.
Return to the saucepan, cook over low heat, whisking constantly, once its well whisked, turn the heat up to medium and bring to the boil, whisking consistently.
Remove from heat.
Gently squeeze the excess water out of the gelatine and whisk into the curd. Pour the curd over the butter and whisk until the butter has melted then place in the fridge to cool down a little.
Pour into the tart shell and refrigerate until set.
Decorate as desired.
Melbourne-based French pastry chef, Pierrick Boyer, hit the Let’s Cook That Book kitchen to whip up some delicious lemon tarts and berry friands.
