First attempt at a Lemon Tart + blind baking

I’ve always wanted to make a lemon tart. But have never tried because in all honesty it just looked too hard and making pastry is a scary prospect. If you have similar fears or just want to have a good recipe for making a lemon tart this is the blog post for you.

Some useful things to note for this recipe is that is uses a surprisingly small amount of ingredients. Something that is crucial for anyone in lockdown at the minute. The recipe mentioned to use a spring form container as it’s easier to display/eat it afterwards. Sadly, I don’t own any of these so improvised and used a flan dish and just greased it A LOT so that it would be easy to take out after and luckily, I had no issues! Another top tip to get the optimum amount of juice out of your lemon roll and press it on a surface. When it comes to zesting your lemon use a fine grater and if it gets caught between the gaps a good way to get it out is by using a cake tester! My last tip for making a lemon tart is definitely fill the pastry case when it’s on the tray in the oven. This helps to prevent any spilling. Which is very likely with the amount of filling you put in.

BUT we still haven’t addressed one of my fears yet. Blind baking. It’s something I’ve never done before doing this recipe and I’ve been putting it off for too long thinking it’s too much effort. Well surprise it isn’t. All you need to do is get a layer of baking paper on your pasty then fill it with baking beans (or if you don’t have them dried pulses). Then take it out and put the contents of the tart in. Simple.

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 200 g plain flour, sifted

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

• 100 g butter, chilled and cubed

• 1 egg, beaten

For the filling

• 3 eggs

• 2 lemons, grated zest

• 125 g caster sugar

• 150 ml double cream

• 2 lemons, juice only

• icing sugar, for dusting

1. To make the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together (start with ½ egg and work up).

2. Bring the dough into a ball roughly 2cm thick. Wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

3. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 4.

4. Grease a 23cm tart tin. Then line with the pastry.

5. Cover the base with baking paper. Fill the base with baking beans and bake blind for 12-15 mins. Remove beans and parchment after taking it out of the oven.

5. For the filling: Place the eggs, lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric whisk, whisk work the mixture until it is a pale yellow in colour.

6. Add the lemon juice and whisk for 5 minutes.

7. Add the cream and whisk for a further 5 minutes.

8. Carefully pour the filling into the cooked pastry case.

9. Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes or until the filling has just set in the centre.

10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before removing the tart. For decoration you can dust some icing sugar over it.

Charlotte.