Easy French Lemon Tart

Ingredients

• 3 Whole eggs
• 1 Egg yolk
• 150 g Caster/superfine sugar
• 150 ml Heavy cream
• 150 ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 300 g Sweet shortcrust pastry / pâte sucrée, chilled
• for dusting Plain flour, for dusting
• for glaze Clear syrup or maple syrup, for glaze (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F convection. Prepare a 20-cm / 8-inch loose-bottom tart pan.
2. Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled pâte sucrée between sheets of plastic wrap until approximately 24 cm across.
3. Transfer to a tray and freeze for 5 minutes.
4. Lightly butter and flour the tart pan. Line with pastry. Press gently into corners and sides. Patch cracks with scraps if necessary. Trim excess. Prick the base with a fork. Freeze for another 5 minutes.
5. Line with parchment and baking weights. Blind bake for approximately 12–15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Remove weights and parchment. Allow the shell to cool slightly.
6. Whisk the whole eggs, extra yolk, and sugar for approximately 1 minute until the sugar mostly dissolves.
7. Whisk in the cream, followed by the lemon juice. Skim foam if necessary. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
8. Change oven settings to 180°C conventional or 160°C convection. Put the tart shell on a baking tray. Pour filling almost to the brim.
9. Bake approximately 20–25 minutes until just set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Do NOT bake until puffed or bubbling.
10. Cool in the pan approximately 10–15 minutes. Unmold. Cool on a rack.
11. For neat slices, refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
12. If desired, lightly brush with clear syrup or maple syrup and garnish with citrus, mint, or powdered sugar.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

Keep pastry cold to limit shrinkage. Do not overbake the custard. The center should retain a slight wobble. The source recommends non-metal mixing tools where practical to reduce the possibility of metallic flavor from acidic citrus. If the filling appears to be cooking too aggressively, reduce the temperature.

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