Epiphany Lemon Tart

Name: Epiphany Lemon Tart
Yield: makes 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour; 5 tablespoons sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 7 tablespoons butter, chilled and diced; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 5 eggs; 1 cup sugar minus 2 tablespoons; 6 tablespoons butter, melted but not hot; Juice of 3 lemons and 1 orange (about 3/4 cup); Zest of 2 lemons; Fresh berries, for garnish, optional

December 14, 2011

I never thought I liked lemon desserts. Then one summer, while visiting friends in the little French village of Hyères, I experienced the most sublime marriage of lemon and butter, in the form of a humble lemon tart. It came from a pastry shop called Le Pâtisserie des Artisans, and I was too shy to ask them for the recipe. So I vowed to myself that I would research every lemon tart recipe I could get my hands on until I found one that came close. Finally, I found this version in an old cookbook called (roughly translated) Secrets of the Best Restaurants of France. It is different from any other I’ve tried, and captures the sunny flavors I can still taste in my memory. I’ve since returned to Hyères and tried to find that pastry shop (I remember it was near the outdoor market), but I think it closed. Too bad—I would have liked to tell them about my epiphany.

Cooks' Note

This recipe is a little trickier than most lemon tarts that use a precooked curd, but to me the taste is brighter and fresher and the texture smoother than most.

Recipe notes

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