Lemon Custard Tarts Recipes

LEMON CUSTARD TARTS

Steps:

• Pate Sucree Extra:Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. In a liquid-measuring cup, whisk together ice water and egg yolks. With machine running, add egg-yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky, about 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together; if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Divide one disk into 6 equal pieces (reserve remaining disk for another use). On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a 6-inch round with a rolling pin. Using your fingers, press rounds into bottom and up sides of six 4-inch round tart pans. Trim edges and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line each tart shell with parchment, pressing it into corners and edges, then fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until sides are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove parchment and beans. Continue baking until bottoms are cooked through and lightly golden, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Filling:Whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice. Divide filling among tart shells. Bake until filling is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled.
• Italian Meringue:In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until a candy thermometer registers 238 to 240 degrees (soft-ball stage). Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form (do not overbeat). Increase speed to high and add sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream, beating until mixture stops steaming, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip; pipe as desired. Using a small kitchen torch held at a 90-degree angle, move flame back and forth 3 inches from surface of meringue until it starts to brown (or broil 6 to 8 inches from heat source, about 1 minute). Serve immediately.

LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the chilled tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lemon curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.
• Fill the tart shell with warm lemon curd and allow to set at room temperature.

LEMON CUSTARD FILLING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or double boiler combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix well. Beat the egg yolks and water together, then whisk into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter. Cover with plastic wrap until completely cooled.

LEMON CURD TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch tart pan with 1-inch rim and removable bottom with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened butter and 1/4 cup sugar with spoon until well mixed. Stir in flour until blended (dough will be crumbly but can be pressed together). Pat and press dough very firmly on bottom and up sides of tart pan. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until crust is set in center but still pale. Cool 15 minutes.
• In 2-quart saucepan, mix 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Gradually stir in water, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat. Heat to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat.
• In small bowl, beat egg yolks with whisk. Gradually beat about 1/2 cup hot mixture into egg yolks. Gradually stir yolk mixture into hot mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to gently boil. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over cooled baked crust. Cool at room temperature 15 minutes; refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle fresh berries on top. Serve with whipped cream. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.

LEMON CURD TARTS

Steps:

• Spoon about 1 teaspoon lemon curd into the bottom of each phyllo shell; top with whipped topping. Sprinkle a light dusting of cinnamon over the top.

LEMON CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Combine sugar, butter, lemon juice and lemon zest in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts.
• Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in sugar mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes; do not boil.
• Pour into bowl. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead.).
• Pastry:.
• Mix flour and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water and blend until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim edges. Pierce pastry all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Line pastry with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until sides are set, about 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and beans and bake until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cooll completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.).
• Spread lemon filling in crust. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe whipped cream rosettes around top edge of tart.

LEMON TART

Steps:

• For the crust:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and refrigerate it while the oven preheats.
• Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator. Use your fingertips to press the chilled pine nut dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim off any excess dough.
• Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, then rotate it and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool while you make the filling. (There may be some cracks in the crust; they will not affect the finished tart.)
• For the sabayon:
• Bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a pot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl you will be using for the sabayon. Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth.
• Set the bowl over the pot and, using a large whisk, whip the mixture while you turn the bowl (for even heating). After about 2 minutes, when the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add one-third of the lemon juice. Continue to whisk vigorously and, when the mixture thickens again, add another one-third of the lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture thickens again, then add the remaining lemon juice. Continue whisking vigorously, still turning the bowl, until the mixture is thickened and light in color and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl. The total cooking time should be 8 to 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the water. Whisk in the butter a piece at a time. The sabayon may loosen slightly, but it will thicken and set as it cools. Pour the warm sabayon into the tart crust and place the pan on a baking sheet.
• Preheat the broiler. While the sabayon is still warm, place the tart under the broiler. Leaving the door open, brown the top of the sabayon, rotating the tart if necessary for even color; this will take only a few seconds, so do not leave the oven. Remove the tart from the broiler and let it sit for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve at room temperature or cold.

THE BEST LEMON TART EVER

Steps:

• Combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer; mix ingredients thoroughly with a paddle attachment. Mix flour into butter mixture to make a smooth dough. Press dough into a 9-inch tart pan; refrigerate crust for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake crust until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whisk sugar, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Pour lemon filling into crust. Cover edges of crust with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 20 minutes. Cool completely and dust with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Melt butter or margarine in a saucepan. Add rind, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat eggs and egg yolks until thick, and add to lemon butter mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Chill.
• Beat 3 egg whites until stiff. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Fill baked tart shells with lemon custard, and top with meringue.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) just until tarts are a delicate brown color.