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Tarte au Citron

Dawn
This is a classic Tarte au Citron or Lemon Tart
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
CHILL TIME 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Continental, French
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 24 cm loose bottom tart tin 9.5 inches
  • Baking Beads
  • Pastry Brush
  • Rolling Pin
  • Electronic digital scales

Ingredients
  

Pate Brisee (Pastry Case)

  • 200 grams Flour [ 7 ounces ] All purpose
  • 100 grams Butter [ 3 1/2 ounces ] small dice and chilled
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract good quality
  • 5 grams salt
  • 5 grams sugar I use caster sugar, but that is not necessary
  • 10 ml water [ 2 teaspoons ]

Creme de Citron

  • 3 large Eggs
  • 150 gram Sugar [ 5 1/3 ounce ]
  • Zest of 1 lemon approx 10-12 grams- I've used medium to large lemons
  • Juice of 3 lemons approx 100 ml- I've used medium to large lemons
  • 30 grams Butter [ 2 Tablespoons ] Room temp

Instructions
 

Pastry Case

  • Gather and weigh your ingredients
  • Sift Flour in a round bowl, add sugar, salt & butter
  • Lightly beat egg and add a drop of water and the vanilla
  • Work/rub flour and butter with fingers to a sandy texture. Add egg, rolling mixture into a ball. Or use the pulse setting on a food processor until it is just mixed through, then add the egg, pulse again and transfer to the work surface to knead gently and roll into a ball.
  • Wrap flat in cling film and chill 15-20 minutes [ Note 1 ] Heat oven to 180c [approx 350F] and place rack in the middle
  • Remove from fridge [15 minutes before you roll ] Roll out pastry dough to the size and thickness you require
  • Gently place the pastry dough into the baking tin, making sure it is pressed completely along the edges and trim evenly across the top.
  • Place a round of greaseproof paper in the bottom of the uncooked tart case and add some baking beads.
  • Using a pastry brush, brush the sides of the tart case with an egg wash
  • Bake the tart case on 180c [ 355 F ] for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.
  • When the baking beads are cool enough to handle, remove them and the paper.

Creme de Citron

  • Gather and weigh your ingredients
  • Combine eggs, sugar, lemon, zest and butter and whisk in round metal bowl.
  • Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and continue whisking to the ribbon stage [ Note 2 ]- approximately 10 minutes
  • Pour warm cream into warm pastry case
  • Chill for at least 30 minutes
  • Pop whatever fruit or garnish you want on top and sift some icing sugar onto the top just before serving

Notes

Note 1.  store in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance
 
Note 2. an indication that your mix should “fall in thick ribbons,"