Sweet Lemon Tart With Plum Tomatoes And Verbena Recipes

LEMON TART RECIPE

Steps:

• To make the lemon curd: In a medium heatproof bowl, place eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and heavy cream, if using, and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie). Cook on moderate heat, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick (mine was ready in 10 minutes, but it can take up to 20). If you have a thermometer, it should register 170°F/75°C; otherwise, it should coat the back of a wooden spoon and leave a clear pass if you run your finger through it. The curd will thicken more once cooled.
• Remove from heat and immediately strain mixture through a sieve. Add butter, a few cubes at a time, and whisk until completely melted and incorporated, and mixture is smooth. Take your time with it-the whisking makes for an airy and light texture. Allow to cool to room temperature before filling the tart. (Lemon curd can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or can be frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, place overnight in the fridge. Whisk the mixture to smoothen it before using.)
• Fill the tart shell with lemon curd, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until chilled. Serve with berries and whipped cream if you like. The tart is rich, so cut your servings small.

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.

SWEET LEMON TART WITH PLUM TOMATOES AND VERBENA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside. Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Add the egg, beat for a few seconds, then add the flour mixture all at once. Beat the ingredients until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, put the sugar, lemon peel and verbena tea bag in a saucepan, add the water and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently over medium-low heat until they are soft, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes to a plate covered with paper towels. Pat dry and set aside. Let the syrup simmer gently until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle a handful of flour onto a flat surface. Roll the dough into a large circle, 1/8-inch thick, and gently press it into a 10-inch tart pan. Prick the bottom with a fork, line the shell with wax paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the lemon slices, egg yolk, whole eggs, sugar and cream in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain, and stir in the lemon rind. Pour 1/4 cup of the lemon custard into the tart shell. Arrange the tomato wedges, cut side down, in a circle at the center of the tart and slowly pour in the remaining custard. Bake until the custard sets, about 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut into slices and drizzle 2 teaspoons of syrup around each slice.

LEMON & VERBENA TART WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, beat the butter, half the yolk, sugar and a pinch of salt together with an electric whisk, then gradually whisk in the milk. Tip in the flour and rub together with your fingertips until it just starts to come together. Squash the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 hr. Can be made up to three days ahead.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a loose-bottomed 23cm tart tin, leaving the excess hanging over the sides, then prick the base all over with a fork. Return to the fridge, or better still the freezer, and leave to rest for another 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the tart with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans, rice or dried pulses. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 mins, then remove from the oven. Discard the paper and bake for another 20 mins. Brush the cooked pastry with the remaining half of the egg yolk, then return to the oven for 5-10 mins until golden. Lift the pastry out onto a cooling rack, and trim the overhang. Once cooled, put the case on the baking tray.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the lemon verbena and cream in a pan, bring to the boil, then turn off the heat and leave to cool. Whizz the cream and leaves together using a hand blender, then pass through a fine sieve to remove any strands of verbena leaf. Whisk the cream with the rest of the filling ingredients, then pour into the pastry case. Put in the oven, making sure not to spill. Bake for 30-35 mins until just set with a slight wobble. Allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle over the zest. Serve the tart in slices with raspberries.