This recipe is from the cookbook
Not Afraid of Flavor: Recipes from the Magnolia Grill by chefs Ben and Karen Barker. Photo by Ann Hawthorne.
The chef's favorite lemon tart is a somewhat sophisticated take on
Southern-style lemon chess pie. This simple tart really is one of Ben's
favorite desserts and has been a standard in Karen's repertoire for
close to 20 years. The chefs say, "We most often serve this with a mixture of seasonal berries and lightly
whipped cream. You can substitute a simple raspberry
sauce made from frozen raspberries if it is not fresh berry season."
Check out more great
Pie Recipes.
Chef's Favorite Lemon Tart
Recipe Type:
Pies and Tarts,
Lemons,
Oranges
Yields: 1 lemon tart
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients:
Tart Shells (see recipe below)
4
eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated
sugar
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed
orange juice
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed
lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
Zest of 1 orange, grated
1/4 cup
heavy cream
Fresh berries (or berry sauce)
Whipped cream
Preparation:
Prepare the Tart Shell.
When the Tart Shell is almost done baking, assemble the filling. In a large bowl, whisk
together the eggs, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, and orange zest, and heavy cream until smooth.
Place the previously baked tart shell back in the oven.
Place the prepared filling in a pitcher and slowly pour into the tart shell as high as possible without overfilling.
There might be a bit of filling left over.
Bake the tart for approximately 25 minutes or until the internal temperature registers at least 160 degrees F. on your
cooking thermometer and until the filling is barely set. Check the tart after 20 minutes and keep checking it every few minutes after that.
It is crucial to not over bake this filling!
This
is the type of cooking thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers
asking what cooking thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the
Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the
Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world.
When done, remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before serving with berries and whipped cream.
Makes 1 Lemon Tart.
Tart Shell:
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose
flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
1
egg white, lightly beaten, reserved for baking
In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add
the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the
egg yolk mixture and pulse just until the dough can be gathered into a
ball. Flatten into a 6-inch disc, wrap in plastic, and chill several
hours or overnight. Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the
dough into a 13-inch round. Fit the dough into a 10 1/2 inch tart pan
with a removable bottom. Trim the dough flush with the rim and freeze
the tart shell until firm.
Line the shell with foil or parchment, and fill with pie weights,
rice, or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes until set. Remove the foil and
weights and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove the shell from the oven and immediately brush the hot pastry with
the egg white. Set aside until ready to fill with the filling.
Hint: When rolling tart pastry, always save all the dough scraps in case
you need them to repair a crack in a partially baked shell. If the
pastry "bubbles up" during the baking process, gently prick the pastry
with a fork to release air bubbles. Check several times and repeat if
necessary. The egg white serves to seal the pastry, which is especially
helpful with a liquid filling such as this. It is essential that there
be no cracks or holes visible in the partially baked shell. Make any
necessary repairs prior to filling.
