The pastry:
125 g/4.5 oz butter, room temperature
90 g/3 oz caster sugar
1 egg
250 g/9 oz cake flour
pinch of salt
ice water
The filling:
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
180 g/6.4 oz caster sugar
1¾ cup/426 ml full cream
5 tablespoons/75 ml lemon juice
The garnish:
icing sugar for sprinkling
1 cup/250 ml fresh cream
1 teaspoon/5 ml Limoncello
Limoncello, and Italian liqueur, mainly produced in the southern parts of Italy, has a strong lemon flavor without the sourness or bitterness of pure lemon juice. Traditionally, it is made from the zest of Sorrento lemons using the zest, or peels without the pith, and is steeped in a neutral spirit until the oil is released. The resulting yellow liquid is then mixed with simple syrup. Varying sugar to water ratio and temperature will affect the clarity, viscosity, and flavor.
Heat the oven to 190°C/374°F and grease a tart pan with a loose bottom of about 20 cm/7.8 in diameter.
In a processor, cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg. Mix well, then add the flour and salt and mix. The dough should be soft and pliable, but if for some reason it feels too dry, add a few drops of ice water. Roll the pastry into a flat disk and roll up in plastic film. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 4 cm/0.15 in thickness and line the tart pan with it. Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill it with baking beans, then bake blind for about 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and paper and bake for 5 minutes longer. The pastry should be a light golden color.
Lower the oven temperature to 140°C/175°F.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until well blended, then add the cream and the lemon juice and stir to mix well. Strain the mixture into a container with a spout. Place the tart on a baking tray and place halfway into the oven. Carefully pour the filling into the tart shell and slowly move the baking tray to the center of the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. The filling should have set but still wobbly. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Carefully remove the cooled tart from the pan. If you prefer, sprinkle icing sugar over the whole tart, otherwise leave it as is.
When cutting the tart, dip the knife into hot water and use soft pressure.
Whip the cream with the Limoncello and put a blob on each plate.
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