Tart Citron
This recipe makes a 26 cm tart.
Pastry
200g plain flour
50g icing sugar
100g butter
about 1/2 an egg
2 tsp brandy (optional)
orange or lemon zest (optional)
Filling
3 eggs
140g caster sugar
120ml double cream
100ml lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
- Start by making the pastry – if you can leave it in the fridge overnight before using, that is ideal. I always make extra pastry and freeze it in amounts I would use – it freezes really well.
- Sift the flour and icing sugar together.
- Rub in the butter to form fine bread crumbs.
- Add the zest if using.
- Make a well in the centre and add egg and brandy if using. Mix well – it takes a while and you can be a bit rough with it — you should not need any more liquid, but if you do add a little more egg or cold water. You want to end up with a smooth ball of pastry.
- Wrap in cling film and chill for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge 15 minutes before you want to roll it out.
- Grease the metal flan tin with butter b and line the bottom with baking parchment
- Roll the pastry to fit and return to the fridge for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/Gas 4
- Bake the pastry case blind.
- To make the filling, gently beat the eggs and stir in the sugar and cream, add the lemon juice and zest, stir well (you do not want to whisk this as you want no bubbles).
- Once the pastry case is baked add the filling – before adding the filling ensure there are no holes in the pastry for the filling to leak out from. If there are holes carefully fill with some scraps of pastry or brush egg over the holes and allow to set in the oven.
- Lower the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3, gently place the tart with the filling in the oven. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes – the filling will be a bit wobbly, but set when ready.
- Chill and serve with crème fraiche or cream.
This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.