The Perfect Lemon Tart

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemons, zest of
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 pinches salt
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping)
• confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Recipe

• 1 position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
• 2 have ready an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• 3 melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the zest, and let stand for 5 minutes.
• 4 whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
• 5 pour in the butter mixture in a fine stream, stirring with a fork, and continue stirring until the dough begins to come together when a small bit is pressed between your fingers.
• 6 transfer the mixture to the tart pan and press it with your fingertips evenly up the side and into the bottom.
• 7 bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown.
• 8 let cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
• 9 process the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon of zest in a food processor until the zest is finely ground.
• 10 whisk together the eggs, the sugar and zest mixture, the lemon juice, and another pinchy of salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
• 11 beat the cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a medium bowl just until it forms soft peaks.
• 12 whisk the cream into the egg mixture until just blended.
• 13 place a baking sheet in the oven, place the crust on the baking sheet, and pour the filling into the still-warm crust.
• 14 bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is just set in the center.
• 15 let the pie cool on a wire rack.
• 16 just before service, generously sift confectioners' sugar over the tart.
• 17 cut into wedges and serve.
• 18 note: you may wish to use slightly less zest than called for, and taste the batter.
• 19 my lemons were extremely powerful, and i only needed 1 1/2 tablespoons total of zest.