Bakar livet sötare: Tarte Au Citron

The tart of all tarts. That is the only way of describing this lemon flan. It is definitely the most delicate, perfect combination of thin, crumbly pastry and sweet zesty filling.

The recipe is one of Mary Berry's and I got it here.

Tarte au Citron (8 servings)

for the pastry:

175grams plain flour
100grams butter, cold and cubed
25grams icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1tbsp cold water

for the filling:

5 eggs
125ml double cream
225grams caster sugar
4 lemons, juice and zest
icing sugar for dusting

1. Start with the pastry. Add the cold butter, flour and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse until it has a textures that resembles breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and cold water, then mix briefly until it forms a ball. Knead the pastry two or three times, wrap it in cling film and chill for 30minutes.
2. Prepare a 24cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin.
3. Roll out the pastry on a piece of parchment paper, to about 4cm larger than the diameter of the tin. Transfer it into the tin, gently pressing down the pastry into the corners and up the sides into the flutes. Lightly fold the pastry over the sides of the tin. Prick the base with a fork, but not all the way through. Cover it loosely with cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200degrees.
4. Once chilled, replace the cling film with foil and fill with baking beans or as I did, with uncooked rice. Bake blind for 12-15mins until set. Remove the foil and beans/rice and trim the excess pastry that is overlapping the tart tin using a sharp knife.
5. Return the empty pastry case to the oven and bake a further 10-12mins until golden and completely dry.
6. Set aside to cool, while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 170degrees.

Blind baked pastry case.

7. Make the filling next. Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together with a wire whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a good whisk until well combined.
8. Pour the mixture into a jug and fill the pastry case half way. To prevent spilling, place the half-filled tart onto the oven shelf and carefully pour the rest of the filling into the tart tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes until just set and so that it still has a slight wobble to it.
9. Leave the tart to cool and when the pastry seems firm enough, remove the tart from the tin. Place on a serving dish and dust with icing sugar.