Tag: lemon

This may seem like restating the obvious, but if you’re using the same lemon (or orange or lime) for zest as for juice, and why wouldn’t you since money doesn’t grow on trees, make sure to get the zest first, and then juice the fruit. A flat fruit is no longer interested in being zesty.

Don’t try to cater a party for 500 with these, but as a big finish to a romantic dinner for two (or three depending on how weird you are), they’re unbeatable. And memorable. You’ll be hearing, “Honey, remember when you made those great little lemon tarts?” And you’ll say, “Remember when you used to pay attention to me.” Tart Pastry For eighteen 3 inch tartlets (use all different shapes)

Lemon Curd

1. 8 large egg yolks
2. zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
3. 1 large egg
4. ½ cup plus 2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
5. 1 cup sugar
6. ⅛ tsp salt
7. 1¼ sticks unsalted butter, cut in bits

Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan, whisk to combine

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the spoon, 8-10 minutes

Remove from heat

Add salt and butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth

Strain through a sieve into a medium bowl

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming

Chill to set, at least 1 hour, or overnight

Whipped Cream

1. 1 cup whipping cream
2. 1 tbs confectioner’s sugar

Let tartlets shells cool completely after baking

Place lemon curd in a pastry bag fitted with a ½ inch plain tip

Pipe into the cooled tartlet shells to fill, leaving some room at the top

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar

Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form

Spoon the whipped cream over the lemon curd, or pipe in various designs with a pastry bag and different tips

Lemon curd is great for tarts. A thin layer between a pastry crust and just about any kind of berries is magic. But some people think lemon curd can be too heavy or too rich. If you’re one of them, but you still want to use it for, say a Strawberry and Lemon Curd Tart, you can lighten up the lemon curd by folding in whipped cream or egg whites, thereby transforming a curd into a cloud. Tart Pastry for a 9 inch tart shell

Lemon Curd

Buy it in any grocery store. But if you must make it…

1. 5 egg yolks
2. ½ cup sugar
3. ½ cup fresh lemon juice
4. freshly grated zest of 2 lemons
5. 6 tbs unsalted butter

The Red Currant Glaze

1. 1 cup red currant jelly
2. 1 tbs fresh lemon juice

In a small saucepan, bring the jelly and lemon juice to a boil

Remove from heat, let cool, and use immediately (if it cools too much it will thicken, and you’ll have to reheat it)

The Filling

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the egg yolks and sugar

Whisk for 1 minute

Add the lemon juiced and zest

Whisk 1 minute more

Place over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (Don’t let the egg yolks get too hot or they’ll scramble)

Remove from heat and add the butter

Stir until smooth

Let cool, stirring occasionally

Transfer to a tightly capped jar and chill before assembling the tart (Or just take the jar of lemon curd you bought and chilled, out of the fridge)

Spread the lemon curd in the cooled tart shell

Slice each strawberry lengthwise into two or three pieces

Arrange the strawberries on top of the lemon curd

Brush with the warm currant glaze

Serve ASAP

Penelope was all set to meet Bubby at his Bubby’s Pie Co. restaurant down on Hudson Street in Manhattan, and was so looking forward to it, not only because she was a big fan of his cookbook, “Bubby’s Homemade Pies”, and because the food at Bubby’s is delicious but also because, if anyone hasn’t noticed yet, Penelope could use a signature pie to offer. So after getting there early, and with something like “bells on” (except that Penelope never over-accessorizes), Bubby was a no-show. Um, okay. Javier was very nice about it. So was Vinny. And the fair trade organic coffee they gave her was good, too. Also, after 20 minutes of studying the place mat, which identifies every American president, Penelope was happy to learn that Franklin Pierce was the 14th president, and not just a university in New Hampshire. Still, no Bubby is no Bubby. So now what? Reschedule. And use guilt. But since this meeting turned out to be a lemon, Penelope decided to make something good out of it.

Sweet Pastry Crust

1. 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
2. large pinch of salt
3. ¼ cup unsalted butter
4. ⅓ cup sugar
5. 1 egg, lightly beaten
6. 1-2 drops vanilla extract

(Makes 1 lb., enough for 2 8-9 inch tart shells. If you are only making one tart, freeze half the pastry to use later)

Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl

Cut the butter into ½ inch cubes and work into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture is the texture of fine bread crumbs

Stir in the sugar, and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients

Pour the combined egg and vanilla in the well and slowly work the mixture using a fork or flexible metal spatula. (If the dough is too dry, sprinkle it with a few drops of water until it just holds together)

On a lightly floured surface, using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you several times until smooth

Make the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly

Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes before using

Brush a 1 ½-inch-deep 8-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom with melted butter

On a floured surface roll out the pastry into about a ¼ inch thick round and line the tart pan

Chill the pastry for 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 375°

Bake blind (see Helpful Hint #9) for 10 minutes until the pastry is firm

Remove the pie weights and paper

If the bottom of the pastry looks wet, bake for another 3-4 minutes

Reduce the heat to 275°

The Filling

1. ⅔ cup whipping cream
2. 4 eggs
3. ⅔ cup sugar
4. juice of 4 lemons, about ¾ cup (see Helpful Hint #8)
5. finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Warm the cream in a small saucepan over low heat

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl

Stir in the warmed cream

Pour the mixture through a fine strainer, then stir in the grated lemon zest

Pour into the pastry shell

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the filling is just firm to the touch

When you take the tart out of the oven it will look quite soft in the middle

Let it cool completely, then remove it from the pan and chill for several hours or overnight, until the filling is firm enough to cut

Dust with sifted confectioner’s sugar just before serving

Keeps for 3 days refrigerated – that is if there are no actual people in the house. Otherwise, more like 3 minutes.

Same as with your boss when you ask for a raise, a lemon will release its juice a lot more easily if it’s been warmed up a little first. Pop it into the microwave for a couple of seconds before squeezing it. If your supervisor is too tall to fit in the microwave in the break room, try heating up the atmosphere with some good old fashioned flattery.