Classic Lemon Tart

Classic Lemon Tart

Ingredients
Crust
Fully baked tart crust

Lemon Curd Filling
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks (or 3 whole eggs)
3/4 cup (150 g/5.3 oz) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons for both zest and juice)
2 tablespoons heavy cream , optional
1/2 cup (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:
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.

 

Pear And Frengepane tart

Pear and Hazelnut Frangipane Tart 

This is a dessert that I often prepared for my dinner parties and also when I was asked to bring a dessert.  Since pears are in season I thought I would repeat a recipe I posted July 7, 2007.  The recipe calls for Bosc pears which do not soften when cooked.  I prefer a Bartlett pear.  This tart looks so delectable like one from a European bakery.

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Ingredients:

Tart Crust:

1 3/4 cup flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces

3 - 5 Tablespoons ice water

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In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, salt and butter until it resembles corn meal. Add ice water only until a small handful squeezed holds together. Pat into a 10 inch tart pan. I use the bowl of a serving spoon to even and smooth the bottom.

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Frangipane:

Ingredients:

1 cup hazelnuts, skins rubbed off and cooled

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

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3 firm ripe Bosc pears (I prefer Bartlett)

1/4 cup apricot preserves, heated and strained

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Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and heat in oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The skins will crack and loosen. Remove from oven and place in a towel and roll up to allow steam to loosen skins more. When cool rub between layers of the towel to remove the loosened skins.

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Place the cool hazelnits and 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a food processor and pulse to chop the hazelnuts.

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In a mixer bowl add the butter and 1/4 cup sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and extract flavorings and fold in the nut mixture. Spread on the crust.

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Peel the 3 Bosc pears. Cut each pear in half and slice lengthwise in 1/4" strips being careful not to cut all of the way through at the blossom end. This will allow you to fan out the pears. Arrange the blossom end of pear to the center of the tart. I have already sliced the pears through and arranged the slices in a decorative design of the tart.

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Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Heat and strain the apricot preserves. When the tart has cooled spread the strained preserves on the pears only.

White Chocolate Cranberry Tart With Toasted Pistachios

White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Tart

I originally served this dessert at a family Thanksgiving dinner 2007.  It has been become a classic holiday dessert with the family.  My only suggestion is to use a 10" tart pan with the removable bottom.  It is nothing short of crowd pleaser!!!

Tart Pastry:
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

2 Tablespoons whipping cream

Finely grated rind of one orange *optional

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Directions:

Sift flour and sugar together into the bowl of mixer or food processor. Cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Whisk together egg yolk, cream and orange rind (if using) and combine with the flour mixture, mixing until the dough comes together. I highly suggest the orange zest.  It is such a nice addition.  Flatten dough into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out on a floured board and place in a 10" tart pan with removable bottom. Cover with parchment paper or foil and weight down with dried beans or pastry weights. (This prevents shrinkage).

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the pie weights and bake 10 minutes more or until golden. The shell is fully baked and ready to be used for the tart.

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White Chocolate Cranberry Tart With Toasted Pistachios

Ingredients:

4 ounces shelled unsalted pistachios

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup whipping cream

12 oz white chocolate, finely chopped or the discs

1/4 cup butter

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place nuts on a baking sheet and toast pistachios for 10 minutes in oven or until golden.

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Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. In a bowl, put ice water to cool cranberries after blanching. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towel to dry cranberries after blanching.

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Add the cranberries to boiling water and stir until they soften slightly but do not burst. Fresh cranberries take slightly longer than frozen. Immediately drain cranberries and plunge into ice water to cool. Drain and spread cranberries on lined baking sheet. Roll around to dry and remove any bad cranberries.

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Bring cream to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Stir in white chocolate and remove from heat. Allow to sit for one minute, then stir together. Add butter and and stir together until fully incorporated. Stir mixture occasionally until completely combined. Do not over stir or there will be too much air incorporated and the final product will have allot of big bubbles.

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Randomly scatter dry pistachios and cranberries into baked tart shell. With a rubber scraper or spoon, pour white chocolate cream over filled tart to completely cover the fruit and nuts. You may have a little extra filling. Chill for 4 hours or overnight (but remove from the refrigerator approximately one hour before serving to soften slightly and enhance the flavors. Cut with a hot dry knife. Serves 10 and 15 would be better! It is rich but oh so good.