Michel Roux Snr's Lemon Tart
Serves : 8
Prep: 1 hour Cook: 1 hour – 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
280 g Pate Sucrée (see separate recipe)
Egg wash (1 yolk mixed with 1 tbsp. milk)
5 unwaxed lemons, washed
9 eggs
375g caster sugar
300ml double cream, lightly whipped
30g icing sugar, to glaze
Roll out the pastry to around, 3 mm thick and use to line a lightly greased 20 cm diameter (4 cm deep) flan ring. Chill for at least 20 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Prick the pastry base lightly. Bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and cook the pastry case for another 15 minutes.
Lower the oven setting to 170° C. Let the pastry case cool slightly, then brush the inside with egg wash and return to the oven for five minutes.
Pâte Sucrée (Michel Roux)
250 grams plain flour
100 grams butter (cubed and slightly softened)
100 grams icing sugar
Pinch salt
2 eggs (room temperature)
By Hand: Rub in method
or follow the method for sweet shortcrust pastry on Cookidoo.
For the filling
Finely grate zest from the lemons and set aside, then squeeze the juice and strain.
Combine the eggs and sugar together in a bowl, stir in with a whisk until thoroughly amalgamated. Pour on the lemon juice and add the zest, stirring as you go.
Finally, delicately fold in the whipped cream; do not overwork the mixture.
Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.
To cook the lemon tart
Heat the oven to 150° C. Lightly beat the cold lemon cream with a spatula, pour into the pastry case and bake immediately for 1hour 20 minutes.
Leave to cool and firm up for a while before removing the ring (but do so while the tart is slightly warm).
Set aside until cold. (You can prepare the tart up to 24 hours ahead.)
Just before serving, dust the surface with half of the icing sugar and caramelise it with a blowtorch.
Repeat with the remaining icing sugar and serve immediately.
Cut the tart carefully using a sharp knife as the caramelise surface is very delicate.
