Lemon Curd Tart

It's tart time again. I did a chocolate tart with a digestive biscuit base the last time. This lemon curd tart uses the vanilla butter cookies recipe as its base. 

You may use store bought lemon curd or orange curd as filling but I filled mine with a homemade lemon curd (recipe is below). The curd have to be made beforehand and chilled.

I used a 7.5cm diameter tart base and weigh out 30g of dough to press into each of the tart base. 

Homemade Lemon Curd 

Adapted from Alton Brown lemon curd recipe

Ingredients

5 egg yolks

170g sugar

4 lemons (180ml), zested and juiced

100g butter, room temperature

Directions

• Add all the ingredients into a saucepan. 
• Place the pan on the stove and set it over medium heat.
• Stir the mixture constantly with a heatproof spatula. Do not miss the corner of the pot. This can take up to 5 - 8 min but constantly stir the mixture.
• The mixture will start to thicken and coats the back of the spoon. 
• Remove the pan promptly from heat.
• Pour the curd into a clean, airtight container and cover the top of the curd with a layer of plastic wrap. The curd can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

A video on how to make a one pot lemon curd. I followed this method and it makes curd making a lot easier. Just do not be distracted for that period of lemon curd making and you will be rewarded :)

Vanilla Butter Cookies (makes 28 tarts)
Ingredients

426g organic unbleached flour (any all purpose flour will do)

1/2 tsp salt

227g butter, room temperature

198g sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla paste

Directions

• Sift flour into a bowl and set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy using a mixer.
• Add egg and beat till incorporated. Add vanilla till mixed in.
• Lower speed of mixer and add flour. Mix until there is no streak of flour on the side and bottom of the mixing bowl.
• Wrap the dough in cling wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour. At this step, you can freeze the dough for up to 2 weeks, if you decide to make the tart on a later date.
• Measure out 30g of dough and press into a 7.5 cm diameter tart mould.
• After completely pressing in the dough into 28 moulds, place them in the refrigerator for 30 min.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• Bake the tart base for 10 - 15 min, or until golden brown. Keep a close eye when baking the tart shells as performance of different ovens differ. Use an oven thermometer if in doubt.

Assembling of the tarts (10 tarts)

• Melt 100g of bitter sweet chocolate (I used 80% cocao).
• Coat the bottom for the tarts with some melted chocolate.
• Fill the tart with 2 tablespoons of the lemon curd.
• Top the tarts with some melted chocolate. 
• Chill them for an hour.

The tart is best eaten cold with a cup of tea. Like what my friend, K, did. :)

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