A beautiful summer dessert, this Strawberry Lemon Tart has the perfect combination of crisp crust and a sweet-tart lemon curd to compliment the gorgeous juicy berries. Any berry can be substituted here, although none slice well like sturdy strawberries.
In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse flour, sugar and salt until blended. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some big butter pieces. Add heavy cream and egg yolk and pulse to incorporate. Mixture should look sandy, but hold together when squeezed between two fingers. Add more heavy cream by the teaspoonful, if needed. Line a bowl with two pieces of plastic wrap laid perpendicular on top of each other. Pour the crust mixture into the bowl, then use the plastic wrap to gather into a ball. Press into a flat disk, wrap tightly in the plastic wrap, then refrigerate for an hour (or up to overnight).
To make the curd, whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add butter, then stir over medium heat until butter melts and curd is as thick as pudding. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a heatproof bowl, then push curd through sieve. Stir zest into hot curd, cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until completely cooled.
To assemble, spread the curd in the crust.
Place berries in curd, cut side down. Heat jam in the microwave in a heatproof bowl until warm and liquidy. Use a pastry brush to brush jam all over the exposed parts of the strawberries.
Pipe whipped cream between strawberries, or serve with whipped cream. Refrigerate for an hour or up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.
Strawberry Lemon Tart
Serves 8
Crust:
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
3 tablespoons cold heavy cream
1 egg yolk
Lemon Curd:
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)
¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed
2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
18 – 20 strawberries, stem end sliced off flat
¼ cup strawberry jam
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse flour, sugar and salt until blended. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some big butter pieces. Add heavy cream and egg yolk and pulse to incorporate. Mixture should look sandy, but hold together when squeezed between two fingers. Add more heavy cream by the teaspoonful, if needed. Line a bowl with two pieces of plastic wrap laid perpendicular on top of each other. Pour the crust mixture into the bowl, then use the plastic wrap to gather into a ball. Press into a flat disk, wrap tightly in the plastic wrap, then refrigerate for an hour (or up to overnight).
To make the curd, whisk together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add butter, then stir over medium heat until butter melts and curd is as thick as pudding. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a heatproof bowl, then push curd through sieve. Stir zest into hot curd, cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until completely cooled.
Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press any overhanging dough down to make a thicker crust on the sides, then use a sharp knife to trim the top so it is flat. Poke all over with a fork. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. If dough puffs up, poke with a fork again to deflate. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To assemble, spread the curd in the crust. Place berries in curd, cut side down. Heat jam in the microwave in a heatproof bowl until warm and liquidy. Use a pastry brush to brush jam all over the exposed parts of the strawberries. Pipe whipped cream between strawberries, or serve with whipped cream. Refrigerate for an hour or up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.
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