Lemon Tart

I don't want to brag or anything, but I made this tart while dilating from 1 centimeter to 9 1/2 centimeters.  I told you I would, and I totally did.  Let me also tell you that coming home from the hospital to a nice lemony tart to snack on = HEAVEN.



So basically the last 9 days or so have consisted of me ravenously working my way through this tart and the pantry...and let me tell you, we stocked that thing full of healthy foods. Yes my nose is growing...along with my butt.

Speaking of butts, Indigo...no I'm not calling her a butt ....but Indigo cannot sit down for 5 seconds at this point and I think that the reason could weigh in at a lofty 8 1/2 pounds, been born 9 days ago, and call himself Desmond aka Mr. Squeak.

 

Yes I am the mom that thought my kid would be different and behave perfectly. Yes I am the mom who has to eat her words.

Wait - forget about eating my words, I'm going for another slice of tart. 



INGREDIENTS
Delightfully borrowed from Simply Recipes

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, or 1/4 pound) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Lemon curd:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cream
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS Crust:

Combine flour, salt, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Use a potato masher to cut the butter into the flour until the dough forms flaky crumbs and lumps or just mix with your fingers. With a wooden spoon, mix in the egg, almond extract, and lemon juice. Continue to mix until the dough clumps. Shape into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, refrigerate at least an hour.

Pre-Heat oven to 350. Let the dough sit at temperature for at least 10-15 minutes.  Roll out the disk between two sheets of parchment paper (or wax paper), to a circle 2 inches larger in diameter than your tart pan.

Press the dough into the tart pan. Use your rolling pin to level the dough along the edges of the pan. Place aluminum foil over the foil and gently mold it to the dough in the pan. Add pie weights or dried beans into foil lined tart pan  Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

DIRECTIONS Lemon curd:

Melt butter and cream together over a double boiler, stirring to combine. Remove top pan from heat and set aside.

In a bowl over a double boiler, whisk the eggs and egg yolks just long enough to warm them. Remove from heat and beat in the butter mixture, then the lemon juice. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl and place over the simmering water. Add the sugar and zest and whisk until warm.

Pour the lemon curd into the crust and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until set in the middle. Let cool on a rack. Chill in the refrigerator.