Classic Lemon Tart - Tarte au Citron - ThermoWorks Giveaway

Classic Lemon Tart is an elegant dessert with "Wow" factor that's really quite easy. The pastry is crisp and cookie-like, so it's much easier to get right than a flaky pastry. Some versions call for cooking a lemon curd and pouring it into a fully baked tart shell; others for cooking the filling, pouring it into the tart shell and baking it. This one is the kind with the uncooked filling baked in a prebaked tart shell. 

Sometimes I make both the pastry and filling by hand, but today I decided to make the pastry in the food processor. Then it was time to make the filling and I decided I might as well use the food processor to really pulverize the sugar and lemon zest for the filling. But if you don't have a food processor, don't let that stop you from making this tart; it'll be fine. 

I use all organic ingredients and have done for decades. Even if you aren't into organic, do try to get lemons that haven't been sprayed and waxed because you'll be zesting that outer layer of peel.

We like our lemon desserts quite tart. If you don't, you might want to add a couple tablespoons more sugar to the filling; but I hope you'll try it this way first. It's important not to overbake it, so I'm giving away not one, but three, ThermoWorks TimeSticks! You can either hang it around your neck or stick it in your pocket. It is my all-time favorite timer, and I've tried many! Details after the recipe. 

Update: This giveaway is closed.

Classic Lemon Tart - Tarte au Citron 

(Makes one 9-inch/23cm tart, 8 servings) 

The Pastry - Pâte Sucrée (a sweet shortcrust pastry) 

1 1/4 dip-and-sweep cup (6.25 ounces/177 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 packed cup (1 ounce/28 grams) unsifted powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water, milk or cream 

The Filling 

5 large eggs
3/4 cup (5.25 ounces/149 grams) sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces/118 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (4 ounces/118 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest from unsprayed lemons
1/8 teaspoon salt 

Note: Four medium lemons (4 to 4.5 ounces each) should yield enough juice and zest, but have a fifth on hand, just in case. 

1 Add flour, powdered sugar and salt to work bowl of food processor; turn on for about 3 or 4 seconds to combine. Add chunks of butter; pulse to a crumb texture. Add egg yolk and cream; pulse until the dough starts clumping together. This is to be a crisp, more cookie-like crust, rather than a flaky pastry; so there's not quite the concern about over-processing. Flatten slightly into a 4- to 6-inch round disc, wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. 

2 Lightly butter a 9-inch/23cm tart tin (1-inch deep) and set it on a baking sheet. On lightly floured 12-inch square of aluminum foil, roll out the pastry to a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to tart tin, pressing dough (but not stretching it) to fit the tin. Save the foil; you're not done with it. With scissors or knife, trim the overhang to 1/2 inch all around. Fold it in and press it to the sides to form a thicker side crust. Trim the edges* by rolling the rolling pin over the top. Press the pastry into the flutes so that it rises a bit above the edge (in case of shrinkage). Pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375F/190C/Gas5.

* Don't throw away the scraps; they make wonderful cookies (maybe 2 or 3 of them). Just press them out and throw them on the baking sheet next to the tart tin.

3 Cover chilled pastry with reserved piece of foil, clean side up, pressing it to fit well. Spread 2 cups of ceramic pie weights (that's two packages of Mrs. Anderson's ceramic pie weights), also called ceramic baking beans in the UK, over the foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights; continue baking for 10 minutes, until lightly browned to a pale golden. Let stand to cool a bit.

4 While pastry is cooling, make the filling. In 2-quart bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure), whisk together eggs, sugar, cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt until well combined. Let stand until pastry is ready. 

5 Turn oven temperature down to 325F/165C/Gas3. Pour filling into prebaked pastry shell. Bake (with tart tin on baking sheet) for about 25 minutes, until just set and still with a bit of a wobble in the center. (Mr. Delightful has "texture issues," so I baked this one for 30 minutes. It didn't have a wobble, but it was fabulous!) Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Remove from tin. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Dust with sifted powdered sugar just before serving.

Update: This giveaway is closed.

ThermoWorks TimeStick Giveaway

This giveaway is open to US residents (Sorry, international friends!) 18 years of age or older. To enter (one entry per person), just leave a comment below. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday October 7. 

Three winners will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday October 8. If I don't hear back from the winners of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Sunday October 11, another drawing will be held and new winner(s) selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline). 

Disclosure: ThermoWorks, makers of the new and improved Thermapen, provided a TimeStick for review purposes and three for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!