Tarte au Citron

By Culiora

A classic French lemon tart featuring a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry (pâte sablée) and a silky, intensely tart lemon cream. The filling is gently cooked and emulsified with cold butter for that signature sheen and a flawless balance of sweetness and acidity.

• Servings: 8
• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 35 min
• Total time: 75 min

Ingredients

• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 100 g cold butter, diced
• 60 g powdered sugar
• 1 pcs large egg (room temperature)
• 2 pinch salt
• 4 pcs organic lemons (finely grated zest of 3, juice of all 4)
• 150 ml lemon juice (approx. 1.5 dl from the lemons above)
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 4 pcs large eggs
• 150 g cold butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

1. Combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl or food processor. Add the cold butter and rub in with your fingertips or pulse briefly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Add the egg and mix quickly just until the dough comes together into a ball (do not overwork). Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (standard top and bottom heat). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 3 mm thickness. Line a tart pan with a removable bottom (about 22–24 cm in diameter) with the pastry and trim away the excess edges. Prick the base lightly with a fork and place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
4. Line the chilled tart shell with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Blind bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, then bake for an additional 10–12 minutes until evenly golden brown and baked through. Allow the crust to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Finely grate the zest from 3 of the lemons and squeeze 150 ml of juice from the lemons. Whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sugar, and the 4 eggs in a heatproof bowl or heavy-bottomed saucepan.
6. Heat the lemon mixture over low to medium heat (or set over a hot water bath/bain-marie), whisking constantly. Cook gently until the cream thickens noticeably and reaches about 82–84°C, which takes 6–8 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat.
7. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any solids and make it completely smooth. Let cool to about 50–55°C (warm to the touch, but not piping hot).
8. Gradually whisk or blend in the cold diced butter, a few cubes at a time, until the cream is fully emulsified, glossy, and silky-smooth (an immersion blender works exceptionally well for extra sheen).
9. Pour the lukewarm lemon cream into the cooled tart shell and smooth the surface with a spatula. Chill the tart in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.