TARTE AU CITRON: LEMON TART

It's hard to believe in Arizona we will be experiencing our first 90 degree day this weekend, (Yes, this is our spring!) Aaah, spring ... a time for sunny days, budding flowers, humming birds and, in our house, all things lemons. 

While I do make savory dishes with lemons, I do prefer baking lemon bundt cakes, and especially lemon tarts. I always bake at least one this time of year.

This tart by David Lebovitz is one of my favorites. A smooth, lemony filling in a sweet, buttery tart shell ... perfection. 

TARTE AU CITRON: LEMON TART adapted from David Lebovitz.

Make in a 9-inch or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom

Ingredients

A pre-baked tart shell, cooled

Filling

1/2 to 2/3 cup superfine granulated sugar (adjust sugar if using meyer lemon)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

4 large eggs

4 large egg yolks

1 cup fresh lemon juice 

grated zest of one lemon

Optional topping

1 cup sweetened whipped cream or creme fraiche.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the lower third of the oven.

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, and sugar. Have a mesh strainer nearby.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and the yolks.

When the butter is melted, whisk some of the warm lemon mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly, to warm them. Scrape the warmed eggs back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and almost begins to bubble around the edges and coats a heat proof spatula.

Pour the lemon curd though a strainer directly into the pre-baked tart shell, scraping with a rubber spatula to press it through. Smooth the top of the tart and pop it in the oven for five minutes, just to set the curd.(jiggle the pan; the lemon mixture should barely move)

Remove to a rack to cool completely, then refrigerate, until well chilled or overnight.

Serve it with whipped cream, creme fraiche, or fresh berries. You'll wish you had made two!