The lemon filling for this tart is so simple, yet so full of tart lemony taste. You may serve it just as is, or top with sweetened whipped cream, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or a small scoop of ice cream off to the side. The filling recipe makes just a bit more than needed to fill this 9" tart, so here is a suggestion for the left over filling. Use the 4 left over egg whites to make meringue shells, fill them with the lemon custard, and top with raspberries. Meringue shells are super easy, and they keep for weeks in an air tight container. If you don't want to tackle this right away, the filling will keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 days, and so will the egg whites.
Roll out the Pate Brisée to the size to fit a 9" fluted removeable bottom tart pan. Press the dough into the sides. Use your rolling pin to roll over the edges of the pan to trim off the excess dough. Place the pan in your freezer.
Once the dough has frozen, take a sheet of heavy weight aluminum foil and line the tart pan. Press the foil on to the bottom and into the edges of the dough, draping the foil over the sides, and fill the center with pie weights or dried beans or rice.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet (this will prevent the butter that tends to melt out a bit from dripping on the floor of your oven) in a preheated 350 degree oven and set the timer for 20 minutes. After that time, the edges should be set, and the bottom firming a bit. If not, leave it in for another 5 minutes.
Remove the foil and pie weights. Use the tines of a fork to prick the bottom of the pastry in about a dozen places. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until completely baked and golden brown. Allow to cool a bit before removing the outer ring. Cool completely before filling the pastry with the lemon custard.
Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, water and sugar to a heavy bottom sauce pan and place over medium heat.
Place the egg yolks, cornstarch and the 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and mix until all the ingredients are combined and there are no lumps of cornstarch.
As soon as the lemon juice/sugar mixture is simmering, ladle a bit (about 1/4 of a cup at a time) into the egg yolk/cornstarch mixture. As you are pouring the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture, keep stirring constantly so the eggs don't scramble. After you have added about 3/4 of a cup of the hot liquid to the yolks, pour it back into the sauce pan, stirring the mixture constantly.
Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil, again, stirring all the time. The custard will look a bit lumpy as it starts to thicken, not to worry, the lumps will disappear and the lemon custard will turn smooth and have a satin like sheen. After the lumps have disappeared, continue to cook and stir for one minute longer.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter and the vanilla extract, and pour in to a bowl to cool. Cover the top with a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper, as this will prevent the top from forming a skin. Cool completely before using. This may be made a day in advance.
Place the cold lemon filling in your mixer, and using the whisk attachment, whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Pour about 2 cups in to you cooled pastry crust, and smooth the top using a spatula. You may decorate the top with sweetened whipped cream, or dust with powdered sugar, decorate with lemon slices or candied lemon peel, or just leave it plain. It is a simple, not too sweet dessert.
NOTE - The lemon custard recipe makes a bit more that it takes to fill your 9" tart pan, so with the leftover filling, along with the 4 left over egg whites, see the Filled Meringue Shells. It's a great way to create another dessert our of one filling.
Ingredients
Directions
Roll out the Pate Brisée to the size to fit a 9" fluted removeable bottom tart pan. Press the dough into the sides. Use your rolling pin to roll over the edges of the pan to trim off the excess dough. Place the pan in your freezer.
Once the dough has frozen, take a sheet of heavy weight aluminum foil and line the tart pan. Press the foil on to the bottom and into the edges of the dough, draping the foil over the sides, and fill the center with pie weights or dried beans or rice.
Place the tart pan on a baking sheet (this will prevent the butter that tends to melt out a bit from dripping on the floor of your oven) in a preheated 350 degree oven and set the timer for 20 minutes. After that time, the edges should be set, and the bottom firming a bit. If not, leave it in for another 5 minutes.
Remove the foil and pie weights. Use the tines of a fork to prick the bottom of the pastry in about a dozen places. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until completely baked and golden brown. Allow to cool a bit before removing the outer ring. Cool completely before filling the pastry with the lemon custard.
Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, water and sugar to a heavy bottom sauce pan and place over medium heat.
Place the egg yolks, cornstarch and the 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and mix until all the ingredients are combined and there are no lumps of cornstarch.
As soon as the lemon juice/sugar mixture is simmering, ladle a bit (about 1/4 of a cup at a time) into the egg yolk/cornstarch mixture. As you are pouring the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture, keep stirring constantly so the eggs don't scramble. After you have added about 3/4 of a cup of the hot liquid to the yolks, pour it back into the sauce pan, stirring the mixture constantly.
Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil, again, stirring all the time. The custard will look a bit lumpy as it starts to thicken, not to worry, the lumps will disappear and the lemon custard will turn smooth and have a satin like sheen. After the lumps have disappeared, continue to cook and stir for one minute longer.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter and the vanilla extract, and pour in to a bowl to cool. Cover the top with a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper, as this will prevent the top from forming a skin. Cool completely before using. This may be made a day in advance.
Place the cold lemon filling in your mixer, and using the whisk attachment, whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Pour about 2 cups in to you cooled pastry crust, and smooth the top using a spatula. You may decorate the top with sweetened whipped cream, or dust with powdered sugar, decorate with lemon slices or candied lemon peel, or just leave it plain. It is a simple, not too sweet dessert.
NOTE - The lemon custard recipe makes a bit more that it takes to fill your 9" tart pan, so with the leftover filling, along with the 4 left over egg whites, see the Filled Meringue Shells. It's a great way to create another dessert our of one filling.