It’s June! Which gives San Francisco license to begin to pretend like summer is upon us. The parks are nice and full on sunny days and we’re all wearing shorter sleeves and sandals. We, of course, all have our coats tucked into our bags for when the fog starts to roll in, but for all intensive purposes, summer is creeping in.
And one of our favorite things about summer is all of the delicious produce and cool fresh flavors that compliment the season so well. Outdoor picnics, entertaining and simply the inspiration to cook, make projects like the lemon tart a fun and fabulous hit with all of us. We’ve decided to post the recipe below so you can try your hand in it as well. So let the sunshine in.
TARTE au CITRON
Lemon Tart
1 pre baked shallow 9 inch Pate Sucree tart shell
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, strained
1 Tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Makes one 9-inch Tart
- Place the pre baked tart shell on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Set aside. In a medium, stainless steel saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heat- resistant flexible spatula to avoid scorching, until slightly thickened, 8 to 12 minutes. Do not let the custard get so hot that it bubbles, as this will curdle the filling. The filling should lightly coat the spatula when it’s done. If not using right away, transfer to a small bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard. The custard can be kept, covered and refrigerated, up to 5 days. If chilled, bring the filling to room temperature before proceeding.
- Preheat the oven to 325. Pour the filling into the tart shell to within ½ inch of the top, and smooth the surface.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until just set. To test, gently jostle the baking sheet-the edges will be set but the very center will move softly like a bowl of gelatin. Cool in the pan on a wire rack, and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set the tart completely. Just before serving, remove the side of the pan and transfer the tart to a serving platter.
