Lemon Tart

Ingredients for lemon curd:
Eggs-3,
Sugar-3/4 cup or 150 gms- ( I have used 100 gms ),
Fresh lemon juice- 5 small or 80 ml,
Butter- 56 gms or 4 tbsp - room temperature- cut into small cubes,
Lemon zest- 1tbsp.

Ingredients for sweet pastry crust:
All purpose flour- 1 and 1/2 cup or 195 gms,
Butter - 100 gms- room temperature,
Granulated white sugar-1/4 cup or 50 gms,
Egg-1-lightly beaten.

Make the lemon curd a day before in advance to let it set overnight.

Method:
In a stainless steel bowl whisk together the eggs ,lemon juice,sugar until blended.

 Place the stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.The heat has to be low.

Cook stirring constantly with a a wire whisk or rubber spatulla until the mixture becomes thick.

This will take 7 to 8 minutes.
If there are lumps strain immediately through a strainer.

Add the cut butter and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted.

Add the lemon zest and cover with a cling film to prevent skin formation.

Leave it to cool.

The lemon curd will thicken as it cools.
Keep the lemon curd in the fridge to set overnight.

Sweet pastry crust:
Place butter in a bowl and beat until soften.

Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the beaten egg ,beating until just incorporated.

Add the flour all at once and mix until it comes together and then make a ball.

Flatten the pastry into a disk.

Cover with a plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 10 minutes ( to firm up the dough).
Lightly butter and flour an 8 inch or 9 inch tart pan.
Once the pastry has chilled evenly pat onto the bottom and up sides of the pan.

Cover with a wrap and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Pre heat oven to 400 F or 205 C
Lightly prick with fork the bottom of the pastry crust ( it prevents puffing).

Place the tart pan on a larger baking tray and bake crust for 5 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180 or 350 F.
Continue baking for about 20 minutes or until the crust is dry and golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove the tray and the sides of the tart pan and leave it to cool completely.

Take out the lemon curd from the fridge and with a wire whisk lightly beat it before filling it in the pastry crust.

Once the pastry is at room temperature,evenly fill with the lemon curd.

The tart can be served immediately or can be kept in the fridge until serving time.

The taste of  the sweet crust and the tartness of the  sweet lemony filling goes very well together.

Best the day it is made,but can be kept in the fridge for few days.
You can decorate the tart with whipping cream.
This can be made in small muffin cups or  mini tart pans.
Lemon curd can be used in the filling of cupcakes too.

You can enjoy the lemon tart with any fruit of your liking!