Lemon tart

Something a little bit special

It’s been a while since I’ve had a go at some proper pastry, so I thought it was about time to dust off my tart tin and make something special. Lemon tart is one of the most iconic tarts as far as I’m concerned (although my 6-Ingredient Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart is pretty decadent). I know it looks scary and like a whole lotta hard work, but stay with me here people – it’s not as hard as you think!

Tips for the perfect tart

There is a few things that are really important to remember when making any tarts like this;

• Rest your pastry – I’m usually a bit skeptical of chilling times when it comes to recipes, but with pastry it’s really important to chill the pastry for a few hours before cooking. I like to try and leave it overnight when I remember to make it in advance, as it gives the gluten in the pastry a chance to really chill out. This will stop any major shrinkage, so you have more room for lemony goodness! Here’s my pastry recipe for the perfect tart.
• Blind baking is key – Make sure you blind bake your pastry for long enough. You want a very light golden colour before removing your baking beans. Between blind baking and pricking the base with a fork, that should mean you have no pastry bubbles.
• Seal the pastry well – Use a little extra egg yolk to seal up the inside of the pastry before you add in the lemon cream mixture. This will fill up all of the little holes from pricking the pastry and make sure there’s no soggy bottom!
• Warm your lemony cream – Don’t forget to warm your lemony mixture before you pour it into the blind baked tart case. I know it’s annoying to have another pan to wash up, but it’s worth it in the long run as it’ll stop any curdling from the eggs.
• Allow to cool completely – Give your finished tart plenty of time to cool. I like to crack the oven door open when I’ve turned it off and leave the tart in there for around 30 minutes. Then you can remove it from the oven and pop on the side to go completely cold before removing from the tin.

If you’re a pastry perfectionist, make sure to let me know what other bakes you’d like to see…

I have a whole section dedicated to desserts, and another to baking – so go and get stuck in. Grab a cup of tea and let your inner Mary Berry out for an afternoon. Have a go at my favourite Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake from my first book, or a Chocolate orange bread & butter pudding in the slow cooker for a super simple pud.