French Food Friday..Lemon Tart

Raymond Blanc's Lemon Tart

The perfect dinner party dessert.......just in time for Saint Valentin.

This recipe comes straight from the kitchen of Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons - Oxford’s finest French restaurant owned by my second favourite French chef - Raymond Blanc. Note French Boyfriend is my all time favourite - I have to say this or else he will go on strike and refuse to cook!


Serve it with fresh raspberries, a dollop of crème fraiche and a cold glass of Prosecco.

Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

For the sweet pastry:

120 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced

75 g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

3 egg yolks

250 g plain flour

2 tablespoons water

For the lemon cream:

5 medium organic or free-range eggs

150 g caster sugar

85 ml lemon juice

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

150 ml double cream

Method:

Step 1: Mix the butter and icing sugar to a cream; beat in 2 of the egg yolks. Add the flour and rub the butter mixture and flour together. Add the water and form a ball.

Step 2: Knead the pastry on a floured work surface until blended. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Whisk in the cream and chill.

Step 4: Evenly roll out the pastry into a circle 3 mm thick. Roll the pastry over the rolling pin and unroll it over a 24 cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Take a small ball of pastry and gently press it all around the base of the tart to ensure a snug fit. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F/Gas Mark 3.

Step 5: Line the pastry case with aluminium foil and fill with dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and lift out both foil and beans. Return the tart tin to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes. Brush the inside of the pastry with the remaining egg yolk and return to the oven for 1 minute. Turn the oven down to 140°C/ 275°F/Gas Mark 1.

Step 6: Pour the lemon cream mixture into a saucepan and warm gently. Pour into the pastry case and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

Bon appetit et bon vendredi à tous.....Leeann x