Lemon Tart with Flowers
A classic lemon tart on slate, finished simply with a fresh lemon wheel and edible flowers for a garden-party presentation.
Sometimes the plainest version of a recipe is the one worth mastering, and this tart keeps things simple with just a shortcrust shell and a tangy stovetop curd. Straining the curd before it goes into the shell is the one step that guarantees a silky texture with no flecks of cooked egg. Fresh flowers on top turn a simple dessert into something worth photographing.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneProcess the flour, sugar and cold butter into fine crumbs, add ice water just until the dough clumps, then flatten it into a disk and chill 1 hour.
Roll the dough into a tart pan, prick the bottom, and blind bake at 375F for 18 minutes with pie weights, then remove weights and bake 5 more minutes until golden.
Whisk the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs together in a saucepan, then cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until fully melted and glossy.
Strain the curd through a fine sieve into the cooled tart shell, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Chill the tart for at least 2 hours, until the curd is fully set and no longer jiggles in the center.
Arrange lemon slices and edible flowers over the top just before serving the tart on a slate board.
Kitchen note
Strain the curd no matter how careful you were with the eggs, since even a small amount of cooked egg can leave the filling grainy instead of silky.
