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Easy peasy silky lemon tart

There’s just something about a good lemon tart that can’t be topped. I love how it walks the fine line between lush and decadent and light and zingy.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sheets ready-rolled sweet short pastry
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup caster sugar
  • ¾ cup cream
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest finely grated

Candied lemon slices

  • 1 lemon 1 thinly sliced, pips removed
  • ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup mixed with ¼ cup water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C. Use the pastry sheets to line a medium-sized tart tin (no need to grease it) and trim neatly. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge then line with baking paper and fill with baking beans or pastry weights.
  • Bake pastry case for 15 minutes then remove paper and beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden. Brush pastry with the first measure of cream as soon as it is out of the oven; this seals the pastry. Allow to cool while you make the filling.
  • Whisk the eggs, caster sugar and second measure of cream together then stir in the lemon juice and zest. Pour into the pastry shell and bake for 25-30 minutes or until just set in the centre.
  • Simmer the lemon slices in the sugar-and-water mixture until liquid has reduced to a syrup and lemon slices have started to caramelise. Arrange slices over tart just before serving. (Alternatively, simply dust with icing sugar and serve.)

Notes

All you need is a few staple ingredients to throw together this easy peasy version. Nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned baking!
I love having simple, foolproof recipes like this one up my sleeve when I’ve got friends coming over or I’m heading out and need to bring a plate. I’m yet to find anyone who doesn’t love lemon tart so you can be pretty sure you’re bringing a crowd-pleaser!
Serve this tart topped with gorgeous candied lemon slices for a delicious flourish or simply dust with icing sugar. Easy at that!
If you’ve got a tree groaning with lemons, try some of my other great lemon treats like my Lemon, Golden Syrup and Coconut Loaf or Baked Lemon and Ricotta Cheesecake.
This recipe is from the August/September issue of NADIA magazine.
Photography by: Todd Eyre.