Ingredients
- For the pastry:
- 150g plain flour
- 85g butter
- 30g caster sugar
- 15g icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk (save the white for egg washing)
- For the filling:
- 3 lemons
- 230ml double cream
- 230g white caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2tbs caster sugar (to brûlée)
- To make the pastry, place the flour and both sugars in a large mixing bowl, and then grate in the butter using a box grater. Use your hands to rub the butter into the dry ingredients, until it resembles breadcrumbs, with no visible lumps of butter. Add the egg yolk, and bring together into a smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour.
- Remove from the fridge, and knead slightly until it is pliable. Dust a worktop with flour, and roll out the dough until it is about 2mm thick. Place into a nine-inch tart tin, gently pushing into the corners and all around the fluted edge, leaving some overhang around the rim. Refrigerate again for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Use a sharp knife to trim any overhang. Place a large square of tinfoil or baking paper in the tart shell, and fill it with baking beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans, egg-wash with the egg white to seal, and bake for another 6-8 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool fully.
- Place the cream and the peel of the lemons (using a vegetable peeler) in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to just about a simmer, and then leave, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Strain the cream into a bowl with the sugar, lemon juice (you should get about 200ml), eggs and yolks, and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture starts to steam and is too hot to put your finger in for longer than one second. Remove from the heat. Strain into a jug. Place the tart shell in the oven, pull out the shelf slightly and pour in the filling. Carefully slide the tart back in, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until just set. Allow to cool fully at room temperature.
- To brûlée, sprinkle the caster sugar on top of the tart, and then use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar until golden brown and bubbling.
