French Lemon Tart

French Lemon Tart © Kevin Ashton 2003
French Lemon Tart © Kevin Ashton 2003

This recipe is an old one which I have published before in my newspaper column. Several friends of mine asked me if I could post it on my main blog, so here it is, including my original preamble…

When I used to live in Bermuda, I was lucky enough to be able to pad barefoot to the bottom of the garden overlooking the ocean and pick oranges, lemons and grapefruits for breakfast. The strong citrus fragrance hung in the air despite the gentle sea breeze.

That kind of fresh zestiness is what I seek to create when making a lemon tart. 

French Lemon Tart (serves 8-10) © Kevin Ashton 2003
Pastry: yield = (27cm)  flan dish* that is 4cm deep
12oz Plain Flour
6 oz Butter
3 oz Icing sugar
zest of 1 large lemon
1  egg beaten
1 tbsp of cold water

1.) Rub butter with flour, then add the icing sugar & lemon zest, until you achieve a sandy texture.
2.) Fold in beaten egg and lightly bring the pastry together, let the pastry rest for 30 minutes before using.
3.) Roll pastry evenly but as thin as possible. Don’t trim edges.
4.) Make a paper circle from baking parchment paper (slightly bigger than the flan dish/quiche dish)
5.) Place circle onto pastry then weigh the paper down with 4 oz (120 grams) uncooked rice, this is called “blind baking”.
6.) Blind bake the pastry for 15 minutes at 200 C (gas mark 6) until light straw colour.
7.) Remove paper circle & rice carefully not to spill rice onto pastry then put pastry back
into the oven for a further 5 minutes but turn the oven down to 175 C (gas mark 4).

Lemon custard:
5 whole free-range large eggs
5 fl oz double cream (lightly whipped)
juice of 3 large lemons
zest of 2 large lemons
5 oz castor sugar

1.) Whisk eggs, sugar & lemon zest (not juice) until very pale in colour.
2.) Gently stir in lemon juice ,then fold in the whipped cream lightly.
3.) Pour the custard mix carefully into the pastry case then bake in a lowest shelf in the oven for 45 min at 175 C (gas mark 4), until it is set and lightly browned. 
4.) When set & lightly brown remove from oven and lightly dust with icing sugar, standing dish on
a wire rack if you have one.
5.) Serve with creme fraiche & fresh raspberries.

Chef’s Tips
Letting the pastry rest before rolling it out to prevents it from shrinking.
Try rolling the pastry between two sheets of cling film so you can roll it thinner
(you may have to overlap several pieces of cling film to make it large enough to do this).
*I know lots of chefs recommend metal flan tins for lemon tarts but I prefer  to use a ceramic dish if the tart in question requires blind baking. This is because a ceramic dish heats up more slowly creating a perfect crust every time. The depth is also important

If you don’t currently own a flan dish here is a good one.

And if you really want to treat yourself and help your pastry making, consider buying a marble pastry board like this one if you are in the UK, or if you are in the US, maybe this one .  Granite or marble help to keep the pastry cold as you roll it. You’ll use less flour to dust your pastry  and it is less likely that your pastry will stick at the critical moment.

Don’t forget to visit my other blogs
Easy & Cheap Student Recipes-A great resource if you are a student or just learning how to cook.

Or check my Archive blog which has articles and recipes from my original blog.

All Recipes, articles and photos are the property of Kevin Ashton unless stated ©Kevin Ashton 

33 thoughts on “French Lemon Tart”

    1. Thanks Elvira, I haven’t had much chance to blog in the last couple of months between decorating my apartment and creating course work for my online cooking courses. Plus I recently took a 6 day trip to Cyprus., my first trip outside the UK since lockdown began. To make the trip we had to take a Covid test in Cyprus two days before we returned home and today we took another one in the UK. These tests were put in place to try stop people bringing Covid back from their travels. And my wife and I are both double vaccinated as well. I will be glad when we all get back to as close to normal, as we can. 🙂
      Best Wishes
      Kevin

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      1. Thank´s to you Kevin. I am sorry about, thank´s God you and your wife are getting better. You will see will be stronger every day.
        I will pray for you both.
        Take care, all blessings.
        Thank´s for your support.
        Elvira

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    1. Hi Teri and sorry to my readers in my slowness in replying to the wonderful comments and messages. For the last few months I have been busier than usual decorating my apartment before I sell it. For some time I’ve been wanting to buy a house so I have a garden to grow vegetables and herbs. So between that, and teaching cookery online my schedule has been hectic….but it keeps me out of mischief…or mostly..:)

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  8. Lemon tart is one of my favourite desserts! I especially like the look of the base of yours. The tart looks tangy, light and mouthwateringly delicious.

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    1. Thanks Kally for your kind words.
      Food photography is something I’m still working on to improve. Sometimes I’m really happy with the result and other times not so. When photographing food you have such a limited time to capture it at its best.
      Best Wishes

      Kevin

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  12. Hi Kevin! The last time I visited your blog, I averted my eyes from the delectable delights and only focused on teas and saffron….Tonight, I’ve had a scrumptious meal, yet my mouth waters. You better buy me a weighing scale.

    On a different note, I’m going to try your broccoli soup recipe this weekend. Fingers crossed

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