Lemon Tart with Strawberries + Mint
This Lemon Tart with Strawberries + Mint is a phenomenal dessert option for any special occasion or any given day. Based with a sweet, crunchy crust and topped with a creamy lemon-y tart, this recipe is a french classic made from heaven.
Servings 1 large Lemon Tart
Ingredients
For the Sweet Crust:
- 1 cup organic all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup fine pastry flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold + cubed (That's 1 stick!)
- 1 large egg, room temp.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For Lemon Curd:
- 2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, at room temp.
- 3/4 cup pure cane sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- juice of 3 lemons
- 2 Tbsps organic heavy cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed (That's 1 stick!)
Instructions
For the Sweet Crust:
- In a large bowl, add all-purpose flour, pastry flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt, whisking until well combined. Add cubed butter and using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles "peas".
- Add egg and vanilla extract and using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined. At this point, the dough should resemble clumps and should be wet. **NOTE: dough should not at all be dry or crumbly. If so, add a Tbsp of water if needed.**
- Using your hands, form dough into a nice ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Once fully chilled, remove from the refrigerator and place on a flour surface, rolling the dough out forming a large circle (about 1 inches). Then gently lift dough unto a 9-inch tart pan and lightly press down until fully fitted. To remove excess dough on tops, slowly roll your rolling-pin atop pan (an easy trick!) or remove the pieces with your fingers.
- Before adding crust to oven, poke small holes into crust to ensure that it cooks through thoroughly and doesn't bubble up. Then add baking beads atop the crust (keeps things flat!) and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Be sure to remove baking beads.
For Lemon Curd:
- In a large heat-proof bowl, add eggs (and egg yolks!), sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and heavy cream, whisking until well combine.
- Place the same bowl over a saucepan with boiling water. Continue whisking mixture over heat until it begins to thicken. This takes about 8-10 minutes, depending on how hot the bowl gets. **NOTE: Using a metal bowl helped my curd to heat up more quickly.**
- Once thickened, remove from heat and immediately add butter, whisking until fully melted. **NOTE: Be sure to gently whisk to ensure that curd turns out light and airy.**
- Let curd mixture cool at temperature, about 15 minutes or so, then add curd to baked crust.
- Now, add the lemon curd atop the crust and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Once chilled, lemon curd should be set and ready to decorate. Add sliced strawberries and mint leaves in any fashion your please. Lemon curd should be easy to cut through and serve. Enjoy!
- Bon Appetite!
Notes
Crust Dough Storage: You can refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to a month and then thaw overnight in the fridge, if you choose not to use it right away!