Tarte au Citron

Ingredients

• 180g all-purpose flour
• 90g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 30g powdered sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons ice-cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 120ml juice)
• 3 large whole eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 150g granulated sugar
• 120g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

1. Make the pastry: combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk and ice-cold water to the flour mixture, then mix gently with a fork until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork it.
3. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thickness and carefully line a 20cm tart tin with a removable base. Press the dough gently into the edges and trim any excess.
5. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork, line it with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the parchment and weights, then return the tart shell to the oven for another 10 minutes until the pastry is golden and fully cooked through. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
7. Prepare the lemon curd: combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sugar, whole eggs, and egg yolks in a medium heatproof saucepan. Whisk until well combined.
8. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, for about 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches about 82°C (180°F).
9. Remove the lemon curd from the heat and add the butter cubes one at a time, stirring well after each addition until fully melted and incorporated. Stir in the heavy cream.
10. Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into the baked tart shell to remove the zest and any cooked egg bits. Smooth the top with a spatula.
11. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F) and bake the filled tart for 12 to 15 minutes until the curd is just set with a very slight wobble in the center.
12. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. Optionally dust with powdered sugar or top with fresh whipped cream before serving.