An extremely good Lemon Tart with Vanilla-Lemon Pâte Sablée

Ingredients

• Serves 6 to 8
• For the lemon custard filling:
• 125 ml/4.5 fl ounces (about ½ cup) cold heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• Zests from 2 lemons
• 200 mls, 7fl ounces fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons or 7/8 cups)
• Pâte Sucrée with Vanilla Beans and Lemon Zests
• 1 egg
• 250 g (9 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 85 g (3 1/2 tablespoons/3 ounces) confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped out
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 128 g (9 tablespoons/4 1/2 ounces) European-style butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
• 2 ounces (50 g) sieved confectioner’s (powdered) sugar for the top of the flan
• Equipment: A lightly buttered 9-inch (23 cm) tart tin with a removable base. Parchment paper and pie weights (ceramic or dried beans)

Instructions

1. Start with the custard: in a medium size bowl, whisk the cold cream until it forms a thick ribbon.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and smooth. Add the lemon zest to the eggs and sugar and whisk to combine. Pour the egg, sugar, lemon juice mixture onto the cream. Stir to combine then let the mixture stand in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2.
3. Make the pâte sablée: you can make this dough by hand but it’s easier in a standing mixer.
4. Put flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a standing mixer and whisk 1-2 seconds to blend. Add softened butter and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
5. Add egg, vanilla seeds and lemon zest and beat until mixture forms a single mass. The dough should be smooth and homogeneous. (Note: if the dough feels sticky, dust with flour, if it feels too dry, add a small amount of cold milk or cream)
6. Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Gently knead it into a ball then press and pat it into a large flat disk. This will make rolling it out into a circle easier. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days. (You can freeze the dough up to 2 months.)
7. To finish the crust remove the dough from the fridge and let it warm up on the counter for 15 minutes until softened and pliable. Line the base of the tart pan with parchment paper.
8. On lightly floured parchment paper, roll out the dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) round about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Transfer to lined tart pan and use light pressure to fit the dough into the bottom and edges. Cut the pastry flush with the rim of the pan. Press any tears back together or patch with scraps. Refrigerate 30 minutes or pop in the freezer for 15 (the lined tart shell can be wrap in plastic film and chilled up to 24 hours.)
9. Pre-bake (also called blind-bake) the tart shell. Heat the oven 350°and set the oven rack in the lower-middle position. Line the chilled tart with a large piece of parchment paper or foil pressing it into the dough and letting the excess hang over the sides . Fill the lined tart shell with pie weights or uncooked beans. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, then remove the weights and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes or until the tart shell has an evenly brown and baked through. (If you find the sides of the dough are collapsing during the baking, remove the weights and press the half-baked dough back into place. Return the weights and continue baking.)
10. To finish: reduce the oven temperature to 150° C. Give the flan mixture a good stir, pour into the baked crust and cook 30 minutes or until filling is set.
11. Remove from oven. Raise the rack to the highest position and turn on the oven broiler to its hottest setting. Dust the top of the warm tart with the remaining icing sugar and place briefly under the grill to caramelise the sugar to a golden brown – depending on your grill this could happen in a FLASH or take several minutes.
12. The tart can be served warm or at room temperature.