This simple dessert covers all the bases. Sweet, tangy, crisp, and creamy, not to mention the eye appeal. The lemon curd is cooked on your stovetop with fresh ingredients.
Pastry Shell
Makes: one tart shell
Time: 15 minutes plus resting time in the refrigerator
Start making your pastry dough as it must rest for at least 20 minutes in the fridge before rolling it out and fitting it in the tart pan. I combine all elements in a food processor for the quickest, easiest dough. First, combine the dry ingredients with a short pulse, then add the cold butter, pulsing until broken into the size of lima beans. Then when you add the egg yolk mixed with the cold water and pulse some more, it will bind all elements to the proper consistency. Finally, form the dough into the shape of a hockey puck, seal it in cling wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to rest while you prepare the other ingredients needed for this dessert.
Set the oven to preheat 400 f. Take the refrigerated dough puck out and flatten it by hand on a floured board until it responds to the rolling pin. Roll out to 2 inches larger on all sides than that of the tart pan. Center in the pan and crimp in the sides so that they are uniform. Keep in mind that the more you handle the dough, the tougher the crust will be. Prick the floor of the uncooked crust to keep it from puffing up in the oven.
Bake for ~10 minutes or until golden. Allow cooling completely before filling the shell.
Pastry
1 c. AP flour
6 Tbsp. cold hard butter
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 egg yolk
Ice water
Note: You can also use store-bought pastry dough or a pre-made graham cracker crust to cut your preparation time in half.
Lemon Curd
This pie filling is simple to make. Just dump all the ingredients into a heavy bottom pan/double-boiler and stir while cooking over medium heat until thickened.
Makes: one pie
Time: 15 min. plus chill time
¼ lb. Butter
6 eggs
1/3 to ½ cup lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
1 ¼ cups sugar
Strawberries for decoration
1 Tbsp. Apricot or strawberry preserves
After the lemon base is evenly spread in the tart shell, add sliced strawberries to decorate. Heat the preserves in a microwave for 10-15 seconds to melt. Add 1 Tbsp water to thin/cool the preserves; dab the sliced strawberries to coat thoroughly. This will make the strawberries shine and keep them from browning.
Refrigerate until serving.
Enjoy,
Mr. Fred
*** Please check out the video on Pinterest @brazemshop! ***
