Martha Stewart Lemon Tart Filling Recipes

LEMON TART

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar over low heat; whisk until incorporated. Add half the butter, and continue to whisk to prevent mixture from curdling. Once mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, add remaining butter and stir until very thick. (If mixture curdles, quickly remove from heat; strain into a bowl, and immediately cool over an ice bath.) Remove from heat, and continue stirring until lukewarm. (Speed up the cooling process by transferring the filling to a bowl resting in an ice bath.)
• Heat broiler, if using. Spoon lemon filling into tart shell. Prevent crust from burning by placing a tart ring upside down over top edges of tart. Place under broiler for 5 to 10 minutes, or until top is speckled with brown, caramelized spots; rotate tart, if necessary. Alternatively, you may also use a small kitchen torch. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

LEMON-CURD TART

Steps:

• In a small saucepan (off heat), whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth; add butter.
• Place pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof flexible spatula, until lemon curd is thickened to the consistency of a loose pudding, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pour curd through a fine-mesh sieve into cooled crust. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate tart until filling is firm, 2 to 3 hours. Unmold before serving.

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 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 TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Fill a medium saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a simmer. Put the zest and lemon juice in a medium bowl and whisk in the eggs. Add the sugar and butter and place the bowl over the simmering water; the water must not touch the bottom of the bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan of hot water and allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Place the pre - baked tart shell on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the shell and bake the tart for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the center is just set. Cool the tart completely on a wire rack. Make the garnish: Using a channel knife, cut 6 lengthwise grooves in the lemon, removing 6 strips of rind. Cut a crosswise slice from the center of the lemon and place it in the center of the tart. Slice the remaining lemon and place it in the center of the sections into half and then cut the sections into halfmoons. Arrange the slices around the edge of the tart with the cut sides out. If necessary, rewarm the apricot glaze over low heat or in the microwave. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of the tart with the warm apricot glaze. Garnish with a few mint leaves.
• Sift together the confectioners' sugar, flour, and salt into a bowl. Place the butter in a food processor and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg, and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not overmix. Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it into 2 pieces. Shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

LEMON FILLING

Steps:

• Sift sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Gradually blend in 1/2 cup cold water and lemon juice. Place saucepan over medium-low heat, and whisk until smooth. Add egg yolks and 2 tablespoons butter, and blend thoroughly. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened, and add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Continue stirring until mixture reaches desired thickness, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in lemon peel; rub surface lightly with 1 tablespoon butter to prevent a skin from forming. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

TARTEST LEMON TART

Steps:

• Crust: Put the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in. Stir the yolk, just to break it up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the yolk is in, process in long pulses-about 10 seconds each-until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing. This is done by smearing the butter pieces into the flour using the heel of your hand-a French technique called "fraisage."
• Flatten dough into a disc and place between two pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough, rotating it ⅛ of a turn at a time and rolling until it's just bigger than the tart pan.
• Butter the tart pan. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, using all but one little piece of dough, which you should save in the refrigerator to patch any cracks after the crust is baked. Using a fork, give the crust a few pricks and freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Parbake the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil tightly against the crust. Add pie weights on top of the foil to keep the crust flat as it bakes. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes.
• The filling: Cut the lemons into small pieces and remove the seeds. Put the lemons and sugar in a blender or food processor and pulse, blending and scraping down the sides until you have a smooth mix. Add the remaining filling ingredients and pulse and blend on low speed until the filling is homogeneous. Tap the bowl on the counter several times to "de-bubble" the filling as much as possible.
• Remove the tart shell from the oven and carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Place back in the oven for 8-10 minutes to lightly brown. Remove the tart and patch any cracks with the leftover dough. Cool and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Bake the tart: Stir the filling, then pour it into the tart shell. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. (Total baking time is 45-50 minutes.) When the tart is properly baked, it should be set, although perhaps still shaky in the center, and most of the top will have formed a light sugary crust. (Don't be alarmed if the tart has bubbled over the edge of the tart-that's okay.) After cooling the tart to room temperature, set the tart on top of a sturdy can so the ring can drop away. Place on a dish and serve.

MARTHA STEWART LEMON TART FILLING

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar over low heat; whisk until incorporated. Add half the butter, and continue to whisk to prevent mixture from curdling. Once mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, add remaining butter and stir until very thick. (If mixture curdles, quickly remove from heat; strain into a bowl, and immediately cool over an ice bath.) Remove from heat, and continue stirring until lukewarm. (Speed up the cooling process by transferring the filling to a bowl resting in an ice bath.) Heat broiler, if using. Spoon lemon filling into tart shell. Prevent crust from burning by placing a tart ring upside down over top edges of tart. Place under broiler for 5 to 10 minutes, or until top is speckled with brown, caramelized spots; rotate tart, if necessary. Alternatively, you may also use a small kitchen torch. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.