250 g Old Vic shortcrust pastry;
-(see recipe index)
1 Egg white for brushing
FILLING
6 Free range eggs
340 g Caster sugar
6 Lemons
320 ml Double cream
Icing sugar; for dredging
Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line an 18cm
deep fluted flan tin. Bake blind. Reduce oven temperature to
140C/275F/gas 1.
Brush inside of pastry case with beaten egg white whilst it is still
warm. Allow to cool completely. This will seal pastry and keep it
crisp when filled.
Prepare filling. Whisk together eggs and sugar in a bowl until
blended. Grate zests from lemons and squeeze juice. Add both to egg
mixture, straining lemon juice through a fine sieve. Lightly whisk
cream and fold into lemon mixture. Chill for 30 minutes.
Pour lemon mixture into pastry case, filling right to top of crust.
Bake in centre of preheated oven for 60-75 minutes, until custard is
just about set. It will still be slightly wobbly and will continue to
set as it cools.
Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Transfer lemon tart to a flat serving platter and dredge thickly with
icing sugar. Using a blow torch apply direct heat to sugar until it
melts and caramelises to a dark golden crust.
When cold, this will be a crispy caramel. The same effect may be
achieved by caramelising under a preheated grill, but protect pastry
from burning with foil as the heat is not so concentrated and direct.
Yields
1 servings