Classic lemon tart

Serves 8

Ingredients

Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 150g cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 25g sugar
• Salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp water
• Raspberries for garnish (optional)

Lemon filling

• 5 large eggs
• 150ml double cream
• 150g caster sugar
• finely grated zest and juice of 4 large lemons

Method

Pastry

1. Sift flour into a large food processor and add the butter cubes and sugar. Process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Whisk egg and 1 tbsp chilled water in a bowl until combined, then with food processor motor running, add to flour mixture. Process until mixture begins to form large clumps and stop just when mixture form a ball.
3. Turn pastry out on to a work surface and bring together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least ½ hour but ideally for a couple of hours.
4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift into a 23cm tart tin. Don’t worry if the pastry breaks and fall apart just use pieces and patch it all together. Press down gently on the bottom and sides, then trim off any excess pastry. Stab a few holes in the bottom with a fork and put back in the fridge for 30 mins.
5. Heat oven to 160C. Line the tart with foil and fill with baking beans (dried beans which are used over and over again solely for this purpose).  
6. Bake for 10 mins, then remove the tart tin from the oven, discard the foil, and bake for another 20 mins until lightly golden. If the pastry has risen slightly poke gently once more with a fork to release the air. 
7. To make the filling whisk the eggs and sugar then add the cream, lemon rind and lemon juice.  Whisk until well amalgamated.  
8. Carefully pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 30 – 35 mins until set.
9. Leave to cool and serve and room temperature or chilled. 

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today, May, 2016.