Classic Lemon Tart

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• 1 fully baked warm tart shell (9- to 9½-inch) (see related content)
• 7 large egg yolks plus 2 large whole eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup lemon juice from 4 to 5 medium lemons
• ¼ cup grated lemon zest
• pinch table salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 60mins
Cooking time 120mins
Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
SERVES 8
The filling is a lemon curd adapted for this tart. Once the lemon curd ingredients have been combined, cook the curd immediately; otherwise it will have a grainy finished texture. To prevent the curd from acquiring a metallic taste, make absolutely sure that all utensils coming into contact with it--bowls, whisk, saucepan, and strainer—are made of non-reactive stainless steel or glass. Since the tart pan has a removable bottom, it is more easily maneuvered when set on a cookie sheet. If your pre-baked tart shell has already cooled, place it in the oven just before you start the curd and heat it until warm, about 5 minutes. Serve the tart with lightly whipped cream, the perfect accompaniment to the rich, intensely lemon filling.

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Place tart pan with shell on cookie sheet.

2. In medium non-reactive bowl, whisk together yolks and whole eggs until combined, about 5 seconds. Add sugar and whisk until just combined, about 5 seconds. Add lemon juice, zest, and salt; whisk until combined, about 5 seconds. Transfer mixture to medium non-reactive saucepan, add butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until curd thickens to thin saucelike consistency and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour curd through single-mesh stainless steel strainer set over clean non-reactive bowl. Stir in heavy cream; pour curd into warm tart shell immediately.

3. Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and until the center 3 inches jiggle slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Remove outer metal ring, slide thin metal spatula between bottom crust and tart pan bottom to release, then slip tart onto cardboard round or serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

TECHNIQUE
Judging When the Curd is Cooked

1. At first, the curd will appear thin and soupy.


2. When the spatula leaves a clear trail in the bottom of the saucepan (which quickly disappears), the curd is ready to come off heat.


3. If the curd continues to cook, it will become thick and pasty, and a spatula will leave a wide clear trail.

TECHNIQUE
Stirring the Curd

Stir the curd constantly until it has the consistency of a thin dessert sauce and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.