Good Recipes

La Best Lemon Tart with rice flour crust*

La Best Lemon Tart

Like most recipes, this one is a variation on a variation. It makes a 9-inch tart crust. A 9″ flan pan is great, but I like to use an 8-inch cake pan and have enough left over for a small tart. It can be(and often is) made with wheat flour, but here is the rice flour and ground oat version.

Crust

1  1/4 cup rice flour
3/4 cup ground oats(food processed for 25 seconds)
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar(or super fine sugar)
1/4 pound(4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 egg yolks
1 tsp water

1. Grind oats in food processor. Add rice flour and sugar. Mix.
2. Cube butter into small pieces, add to flour and mix for 10-15 seconds.
3. Stir 2 yolks and water together, add to food processor and combine.
4. Remove from processor, place in plastic bag, flatten slightly and refrigerate for an hour. If in a hurry, put in freezer for 30 minutes. But don’t forget, otherwise you’ll have to roll out a frozen rock.
5. Roll out dough on a rice-floured surface, making the round big enough to raise 3/4 inch up the side of the pan. If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a flat sided, empty, wine bottle. The wine should be consumed long prior to using the bottle. Dust dough with rice-flour to ensure no sticking.
6. Transfer crust dough into pan. I like to use a flattened, breakfast cereal box to slide under the dough and then place over the pan and carefully slide the dough into the pan. If you have extra dough you can make a small tart in a muffin tin, or other small vessel.
7. Poke dough thoroughly with a fork then place into a pre-heated 325 degree oven until the edge is well-browned(25-30 minutes.)

Lemon Filling

1 & 1/2 organic lemons(Peel the 1/2 lemon, but leave the peel on the full lemon. I prefer organic lemons because the peel should be free of pesticides. The zest gives the tang.)

1 & 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 & 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 lb.(4 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Cut lemon into thin slivers and remove seeds. Place into food processor.
2. Add cornstarch to sugar and stir. Add to lemons in food processor. Blend for 30 seconds
3. Add egg yolks and blend for about 10 seconds.
4. Remove from processor, place into bowl and add melted butter. Stir well with a food whip/whisk.
5. Pour into cooled pastry shell/crust. Be sure to save some filling for your tester tart. Place into oven at 325 degrees until the top is slightly browned. The small tart may bake quicker – about 25-30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, cool, and then place into fridge until serving.

* Recipe comes via Maison Rollet Pradier, Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets, Smitten Kitchen, etc.