Sheriff Lemon Tart Recipes

LEMON TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• For the shells, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle cold water evenly over the surface. Stir with a fork until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Shape the dough into a ball and chill.
• When chilled, roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 1/4 inch rounds. Fit each pastry round into 3 inch tart pans. Prick with a fork.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.
• Place the butter in the top of a double boiler. Bring the water in the double boiler to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the butter melts. Combine the sugar and cornstarch, stirring well. Add to the butter and stir until smooth. Stir in the eggs and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the lemon juice. Cook 3-4 minutes longer or until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Cool. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of lemon filling into each cooled tart shell.
• Before serving, top each tart with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Makes 22 tarts.

THE BEST LEMON TART EVER

Steps:

• Combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer; mix ingredients thoroughly with a paddle attachment. Mix flour into butter mixture to make a smooth dough. Press dough into a 9-inch tart pan; refrigerate crust for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake crust until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whisk sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Pour lemon filling into crust. Cover edges of crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 20 minutes. Cool completely and dust with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON CUSTARD TARTS

Steps:

• Pate Sucree Extra:Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. In a liquid-measuring cup, whisk together ice water and egg yolks. With machine running, add egg-yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky, about 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together; if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Divide one disk into 6 equal pieces (reserve remaining disk for another use). On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a 6-inch round with a rolling pin. Using your fingers, press rounds into bottom and up sides of six 4-inch round tart pans. Trim edges and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line each tart shell with parchment, pressing it into corners and edges, then fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until sides are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove parchment and beans. Continue baking until bottoms are cooked through and lightly golden, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Filling:Whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice. Divide filling among tart shells. Bake until filling is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled.
• Italian Meringue:In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until a candy thermometer registers 238 to 240 degrees (soft-ball stage). Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form (do not overbeat). Increase speed to high and add sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream, beating until mixture stops steaming, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip; pipe as desired. Using a small kitchen torch held at a 90-degree angle, move flame back and forth 3 inches from surface of meringue until it starts to brown (or broil 6 to 8 inches from heat source, about 1 minute). Serve immediately.

SWEET AND SIMPLE LEMON TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
• Combine butter with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth; stir in 1 cup flour. Press dough into prepared baking pan; pierce crust with fork in several places to prevent crust from puffing up during baking.
• Bake crust in the preheated oven until slightly golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
• Whisk white sugar and eggs in a bowl; stir 3 tablespoons flour into mixture and add lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into baked tart crust.
• Bake until filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool and dust with 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar.

THE CHEF'S FAVORITE LEMON TART

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk mixture and pulse just until the dough can be gathered into a ball. Flatten into a 6-inch disc, wrap in plastic, and chill several hours or overnight. Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 13-inch round. Fit the dough into a 10 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the dough flush with the rim and freeze the tart shell until firm. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line the shell with foil or parchment, and fill with pie weights, rice or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes until set. Remove the foil and weights and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove the shell from the oven and immediately brush the hot pastry with the egg white.
• When the pastry is almost done baking, assemble the filling. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange zest and cream until smooth. Transfer the tart shell to a preheated 350 degree oven. Place the filling in a pitcher and slowly pour into the shell as high as possible without overfilling. There might be a bit of filling left over.
• Bake the tart for approximately 25 minutes, until the filling is barely set. Check the tart after 20 minutes and keep checking it every few minutes after that. It is crucial to not overbake this filling. Cool to room temperature before serving.

EASIEST EVER LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine flour and sugar, then butter until the mixture clumps together. Press firmly into 8" (20cm) square pan. Bake at 350 (180C) oven 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and spread with jam.
• Beat eggs until light and creamy. Beat in pie filling and ground almonds. Pour over jam layer. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until set and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into squares.
• Hint: For Lemon Coconut Squares substitute 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut for the ground almonds and sliced almonds.