Pastries Recipes - Tarte au Citron Recipe

Ingredients

SERVES 6-8

For the pastry:

• 100g/4oz plain flour

• pinch of salt

• 75g/3oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

• 2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted

For the filling:

• 3 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 175g/6oz caster sugar

• 125ml/4fl oz single cream

• 175ml/6fl oz lemon juice

• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

• 2 small lemons

• 150g/5oz granulated sugar

• 200ml/7fl oz water

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Method:

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well and add the butter, egg yolk and icing sugar. Work together the butter, yolk and sugar with your fingertips, then incorporate the flour.

2. Bring together into a ball, adding water if the mixture is too dry. Cover with Clingfilm and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Lightly grease a 20cm/8in loose bottomed flan tin. Roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of baking parchment until it is 3mm/1/16in thick, to fit the base and sides of the tin.

4. Trim the edge and chill for 10 minutes. Line the pastry with aluminum foil, fill with baking beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the pastry looks dry allover.

5. Cool the pastry and reduce the oven temperature to 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 2.

6. For the filling, whisk the eggs, yolks and caster sugar together, add the cream and juice and mix well. Strain into a jug and then add the lemon zest.

7. Place the flan tin on a baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven and carefully pour in the filling right up to the top. Bake for 40 minutes, or until it is just set.

8. Slice the lemons very thinly. Combine the granulated sugar and the water in a small frying pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

9. Add the lemon slices and simmer over a low heat for 40 minutes, or until the peel is very tender. Lift out of the pan and drain on baking parchment. Cover the tart with the lemon slices and serve immediately.