Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 9oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 3½oz cold butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1oz icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 free-range egg
• 14 free-range eggs, plus 1 beaten egg for glazing
• 1lb 4oz caster sugar
• 1¼ pint double cream
• 10 large lemons, zest and juice only
• 1lb 2oz crème fraîche, to serve

Method

1. Rub the plain flour, cold butter, icing sugar and pinch of salt together with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then mix in the single egg to form a dough and knead it lightly until smooth.
2. Flatten the pastry into a disc, wrap it, and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Whisk the 14 eggs with the caster sugar, double cream and the zest and juice of the lemons, then chill the lemon cream while the pastry case bakes.
4. Heat the oven to 340°F, butter a 10-inch tart ring set on a baking sheet, roll the pastry out to about 1/8 inch thick, and line the ring with it, letting the excess hang over the edge.
5. Line the case with cling film or foil, fill it with raw rice or baking beans, and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the lining and brush the inside with the beaten egg before baking 3 to 4 minutes more until just golden.
6. Lower the heat to 300°F, skim any bubbles from the lemon cream, pour half of it into the case, slide the tart into the oven, and top up with the rest of the filling so nothing spills.
7. Bake the filled tart for about 1 hour until the centre is set with only a slight wobble, cool it at room temperature, and trim away the excess pastry.
8. Dust wedges of the tart with icing sugar, glaze the tops under a hot grill or with a blow torch, and serve each slice with a quenelle of crème fraîche.

Prep: 1 h · Cook: 2 h

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data