Tarte au Citron Nézard

Breezy Sunday: Time to put something in the oven, open some windows and turn up some 1940s jams.

Johnny Mercer and a lemon tart sound about right.

 

Because if ever there were a day to accentuate the positive, this Sunday was it. Any day, really. But Sundays always have that bittersweet hue to them, so why not make it tangy and refreshing instead?

Hello, springtime. You should make this.

Tarte au Citron Nézard

(a.k.a. The World's Best Lemon Tart, adapted from Classic Home Desserts)

Rich tart dough

(makes one 9-inch shell)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

pinch salt

1/2 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 T. ice water (or more as needed)

I used the food processor: pulse dry ingredients with the butter for 5-6 long pulses, until crumbly, then pour water through feed tube, until it just begins to clump together. Turn out onto wax paper, press it into a ball, wrap it and chill it in the fridge for an hour or more.

Lemon curd filling

2 smallish lemons, juiced

6 large eggs

1 scant c. sugar

10 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

zest of 3 small lemons

3 T. apricot preserves

1 paper-thin lemon slice

Roll out tart dough on lightly floured surface or wax paper until 1/4" thick and lay it across lightly buttered tart pan with removable base. Leave 3/4" overhang and tuck back into the edges to make a thick outer crust. Trim the top and chill in the fridge while the oven heats to 400 degrees F with a rack in the center.

Line the tart shell with a lightly buttered sheet of foil and place pie weights on top. Place on a baking sheet and bake 9 minutes until the edges are set, then remove weights and foil, prick shell all over with a fork, and place back in the oven for another 9 or so minutes until the crust is just lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack while you're making the curd.

In a double boiler, whisk the lemon juice and sugar together over gently simmering water. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and then incorporate into the lemon mixture. Add the butter and whisk mixture constantly until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom to avoid overcooking. Remove from heat, strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, whisk in the lemon zest and pour into the tart shell. 

Bake about 30 minutes or less, until the filling is set and a bit golden. Cool for an hour or two on a wire rack.

Warm up the preserves and brush gently over the top of the tart. Brush a little on the lemon slice and place on the tart. Remove tart from the pan and serve at room temperature.