Lemon Tart

This has been a really rich meal (especially if you started with the
Chicken Terrine) and my favorite dessert at the end of a big meal always
features citrus. I love the way the tangy flavor fills my mouth and almost
makes me feel hungry again! I hope you.ll like this dessert.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

1 recipe Pate Sucre (recipe follows)
1 cup superfine cane sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
grated zest of 2 lemons
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, well scrubbed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring the dough to room temperature and
roll it into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick.
Fit the dough into a 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted ring. Prick
the bottom all over with a fork.
Put the tart shell on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or
until the shell is golden brown. Remove from the oven and take the tart
pan off the baking sheet.
Allow the baked tart shell to cool completely on a rack.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, add the lemon zest and
juice, and mix. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan.
Add the egg mixture to the just-melted butter, and cook over low heat,
whisking constantly, just until the mixture begins to thicken. Let the
lemon mixture cool completely.
With a rubber spatula, transfer the filling into the tart shell, spreading
evenly. Slice the lemon very thinly. (I rely on a Cuisinart fitted with a
2mm slicing blade to get uniform, very-thin slices.)
Remove any seeds, and arrange the slices atop the filling. Chill the
completed tart well, covered with plastic wrap, before serving.

Pate Sucre
(Sweet Pastry for Fruit Tarts)

This is a great basic recipe to make for any and all sweet tarts and pies.
I have included both the By Hand method and the food processor method
for the dough. Try them both and see which suits you best.

Makes one pastry shell enough for a 12-inch tart or a single-crust
10-inch pie

1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold
pinch of Rumfords baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

By hand: Stir dry ingredients together with a fork. Drop in cut-up fat,
and cut into flour with a pastry blender, fork, 2 knives, or with cool
fingertips until fat particles are very small and thoroughly coated with
flour.
Gradually stir in liquid with a fork until dough holds together when
squeezed with your fingertips. [It is better to add a little too much
liquid than not enough since slightly wet dough is easily rectified by the
addition of more flour. A dough that is too dry will crack and crumble
when it is rolled out.]
Gather into a ball, flatten into a disc about 3/4-inch thick, and
refrigerate after wrapping well. Resting is necessary to allow the
gluten to settle so your dough will roll out evenly and easily.
By food processor: Using metal blade, add all dry ingredients to work
bowl. Process for 2 seconds to blend. Add VERY COLD cut up fat.

Process with about 8 short bursts, until fat is in small pieces, evenly
distributed and well coated with flour.
Position liquid over feed tube, turn machine on, and gradually pour liquid
in until dough begins to come together, but before it forms a ball.
Prepare for refrigeration as before.
Roll out dough to even thickness. Shape in desired pan(s), and prick with
a fork. Chill in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line shell with parchment paper or foil,
and pie weights (dried beans, rice, and/or metal purchased pie weights are
good.)
After baking 15 minutes, carefully lift out paper and weights. Either fill
the tart shell and bake as directed in tart recipe, or re-prick shell and
return to oven an additional 10 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Bake the crust completely if you re using a cream or chiffon filling.

Baking Blind: (partial baking) Follow above procedure, except bake for
only 12 minutes before removing weights. Return to oven for only 5 more
minutes.

Teacher s Tip: Double the recipe for a two-crust pie, or to make a batch
for freezing.



Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net
ARCHIVE: at: http://chef2chef.net/news/club/

--
Rec.food.recipes is moderated by Patricia Hill at .
Only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting.
Please allow several days for your submission to appear.
Archives: http://www.cdkitchen.com/rfr/ http://recipes.alastra.com/