Lemon Tart with Basil Cream

SERVES 12 

A lemon tart is a beautifully delicate dessert. It’s not too in-your-face but can certainly hold its own. A good lemon tart should have a well-pronounced lemon flavour but it shouldn’t be so tart that it makes you wince (as did my first few attempts of this tart). The silky, buttery filling is zingy and fresh and would be perfect for a springtime evening dessert. A lightly infused basil cream brings some fragrance and playfulness that keeps people going back in for a second or third slice. For a bit of extra frill, I like to blitz some leftover basil leaves in a food processor with caster sugar and sprinkle it on top. 

Make Ahead 

Make the lemon filling up to 2 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. If you’re really pressed for time, you can use a pre-made pastry shell.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Filling

• Grated zest of 3 lemons

  I'll Bring Dessert: Simple, Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion Benjamina Ebuehi

• 175ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) lemon juice

• 220g (7¾ oz/generous 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

• 3 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

• 250g (9 oz/1 cup plus 2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, very soft 

For the Basil Cream

• 200g (8 oz/scant 1 cup) double (heavy) cream

• ½ Tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar

• 6 basil leaves 

For the Pastry

• 200g (7 oz/1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting

• 110g (3¾ oz/scant ½ cup) cold unsalted butter, diced

• 40g (1½ oz/4½ Tbsp) icing (confectioners’) sugar

• Pinch of fine sea salt

• 2 egg yolks

PREPARATION: 

The filling will need plenty of time to chill, so make this first. Add the lemon zest and juice, the sugar, whole eggs, and extra yolks to a heatproof bowl and give it a quick mix to combine. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook, stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This can take up to 10–12 minutes, so be patient! If you’re using a cooking thermometer, it will be done at about 77°C (170°F).

Let cool for 15 minutes before pouring it through a sieve (strainer) and into a blender. With the blender running, add chunks of the softened butter a little at a time, letting it incorporate before adding more. Once all the butter has been added, pour the mixture into a bowl or container and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight until it’s well chilled and thickened.

To make the basil whip, add the cream, icing sugar, and basil to a pan and heat gently until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the basil infuse for at least 30 minutes. Remove the basil leaves and put the cream in the fridge until well chilled.

To make the pastry, add the flour, butter, icing sugar, and salt to a food processor. Blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add in the yolks and pulse again until the mixture starts to clump together. Add a tablespoon of water if it still looks really dry.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to bring it together. Pat it into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours or until firm. Once chilled, roll out the pastry about 3–4mm (1/8 in) thick. Roll it into a 23-cm (9-in) tart pan, making sure the pastry is pressed into all the crevices and there’s a little overhang of pastry. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan/375°F/gas mark 5). Use a fork to dock the base of the pastry and then line it with a sheet of baking paper. Fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and bake for 15–18 minutes until the edges have started to brown. Carefully remove the baking paper and beans and put the tart back in the oven for 10–12 minutes until the base looks dry and lightly browned.

Let it cool for a few minutes before using a sharp knife to trim off the excess pastry. Fill the tart shell with the lemon filling mixture, smoothing the top with a palette knife. Place it back in the fridge for 30–60 minutes to set again.

To serve, lightly whip the chilled basil cream to get soft peaks, and dollop on the tart. Top with basil sugar (see introduction), if using.

Excerpted with permission from I'll Bring Dessert by: Benjamina Ebuehi published by ‎Quadrille, April 2024, RRP $35.00 Hardcover.

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