Lemon Tart with Lemon Shortbread

With all the warm weather recently I wanted to make a dessert that was refreshing and not too sickly. So I decided on a classic lemon tart with a buttery pastry case filled with a tangy lemon filling.

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To start make the pastry. Put the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse until you have fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively rub the butter into the flour and sugar by hand until you have fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg and combine in the food processor or by hand until the pastry forms a ball.

Wrap in cling film or similar and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry and line the 23cm round tin and trim off the edges.

Prick the base with a fork and chill again for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade (180 fan) or Gas mark 6 and bake blind for 15 minutes. This means to bake the case without the filling in it. Get a piece or parchment just slightly bigger than the tart tin and scrunch it up so it is not as stiff. Place the parchment on top of the pastry then fill the case with baking beans or rice.

After 15 minutes remove the parchment and beans and bake again for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Set aside in a cooling rack then start on the filling.

Pour the cream into a medium sized pan and add sugar and lemon zest.

Mix on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved then turn up high until the cream is just boiling.

Take off the heat and add the lemon juice and mix until thickened slightly.

Leave to cool for about 5 minutes then put into the baked pastry case and level.

Put in the fridge and leave to cool and set overnight.

To decorate I made my delicious lemon shortbread and cut into heart shapes.

Then I piped some whipped cream mixed with lemon curd.

You can leave as it is or decorate how you like.

Lemon Tart

Sarah's servings: 12

Sarah's skill: Medium

Baking time: 20-22 minutes

INGREDIENTS

PASTRY

200g plain flour

45g icing sugar

100g butter, cold cubed

1 large egg

FILLING

600ml double cream

125g caster sugar

3 lemons, zest & juice

SHORTBREAD: (optional)

See recipe

DECORATION:

100ml double cream

2 tsp lemon curd

METHOD

1. Pastry Put the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse until you have fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively rub the butter into the flour and sugar by hand until you have fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add the egg and combine in the food processor or by hand until the pastry forms a ball.

3. Wrap in cling film or similar and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

4. Roll out the pastry and line the 23cm round tart tin and trim off the edges. Prick the base with a fork and chill again for 30 minutes.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).

6. Bake blind for 15 minutes then remove parchment and beans and bake again for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden brown.

7. Filling Pour the cream into a medium sized pan and add sugar and lemon zest.

8. Mix on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved then turn up high until the cream is just boiling.

9. Take off the heat and add the lemon juice and mix until thickened slightly.

10. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes then put into the baked pastry case and level. Put in the fridge and leave to cool and set overnight.

11. To decorate I made my delicious lemon shortbread and cut into heart shapes and piped some whipped cream mixed with lemon curd. You can leave as it is or decorate how you like.

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SARAH’S EXTRA SLICE

The shortbread makes a great addition to the tart but can be served with some pouring cream or just left plain.

I used a Wilton 1M piping nozzle for the cream topping.

I used a 4cm heart cutter for my shortbread and baked for 15 minutes.

You can freeze this tart for up to three months. Thaw it slowly in the fridge overnight before serving.