Tangy Lemon Tart

A mouth-watering dessert that my Mum makes to perfection, with perfect pastry and the smoothest lemon filling.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• for the pastry dough

• 175  g plain flour
• 1  pinch salt
• 75  g icing sugar
• 90  g  very cold butter, cubed
• 1  egg yolk
• 2  tablespoons cold water

• for the pie filling

• 4  free range eggs
• 175  g  golden caster sugar
• 2  lemons, zest of, finely grated
• 100  ml lemon juice, approx 3 juicy lemons
• 100  ml heavy cream

Directions

1. Mix the egg yolk with the cold water.
2. Preheat a baking sheet in the oven at 190C, 375°F.
3. Rub the flour, salt, sugar and butter between your fingers until it resembles very fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add egg yolk mixture and stir into the pastry mixture with a fork, stop when the pastry begins to come together.
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a few seconds.
6. Roll the pastry out to 0.5cm thick and fit into a loose-bottomed 24cm fluted tart tin.
7. Trim excess pastry, leaving a 1cm border.
8. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes, then line with baking paper and fill with baking beans.
9. Cook the heated baking sheet for 10 minutes, remove paper and beans, trim edges again and cook for a further 8-10 minutes.
10. then remove from the oven.
11. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C, 325°F.
12. Make the filling by whisking the eggs and sugar together, stir in the zest, lemon juice and double cream.
13. Transfer the mixture to a jug and carefully pour it into the pastry case. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
14. The tart is ready when the lemon cream filling is almost set, but still wobbles very slightly.
15. Cool completely on a wire rack and then remove it from the tin. As the tart cools, the filling will set perfectly.
16. Dust with icing sugar and serve with crème fraiche and fresh berries.