Lemon Tart

This recipe can be done with individual mould or one large ring either way it makes this amazing lemon tart, it can be sharp so if you don't particularly like sharp flavours i would add a little extra sugar and the juice of 4 just to make it a bit sweeter in flavour. 

Lemon Tart 

1 lb of Sweet Pastry

9 Eggs

400g Sugar

5 Lemon (Zest of 2 and Juice of 5)

250ml Double Cream

Method:

1. Grate lemon zest, squeeze out juice, strain and reserve along with the zests. 
2. Break the eggs into a large bowl, add the sugar, whisk until smooth and blended, add the lemon.
3. Whisk the cream very lightly, add to the egg mixture, mixing lightly, leave to chill for 1 hour. Line an 8in. flan case with the pastry, proceed to bake blind for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove from the oven carefully remove the beans and paper, brush the inside of the flan case with egg yolks and sugar. 
5. Return to oven and cook for a further 5 minutes fill the flan case with the lemon filling, return to the oven and cook for 30 min at 120°C / gas mark 1 allow the tart to chill, prior to serving dust with icing sugar.

The Basics - Sweet Pastry

It's always good to know the basics, yes you can buy it frozen but they aren't always the best quality but the puff pastry I would by frozen the shortcrust, savoury and sweet pastry I would make myself. To make puff pastry from scratch is quite time consuming and doesn't always produce even results i have a secret to tell you - most restaurants would actually buy the puff pastry as its unpredictable if "home-made" and restaurants need to know its going to work they cant just hope it will.

Sweet Pastry, this recipe makes 1kg of pastry. It can be frozen to prolong its self life.

454g Plain Flour
196g Butter (Unsalted)
112g Castor Sugar
2 Eggs

Method:

There are 2 ways of doing this the quick way also called the all in one method or the creaming method. You decide! I tend to go for option 1.

Option 1: All-In-One:

1. Place the flour, butter and sugar in a bowl and mix.
2. Add the eggs.
3. Mix until smooth at medium speed.
4. Wrap in cling film, store in the fridge.

Option 2: Creaming:

1. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl.
2. Cream until pale yellow in colour.
3. Add the lightly beaten eggs.
4. Fold in the Flour.

Mix until smooth at medium speed.
Wrap in cling film, store in the fridge.

*with both of these recipes you need to chill them for at least 30 minutes before using them!