Brighten up dark, wintry nights with a beautifully vivid yellow pastry sprinkled with icing sugar.
Perfect for a New Year’s treat after dinner, this lemon tart freezes well so can be made up to two days ahead.
Mary Berry described her creation as a “delicious crisp pastry with a smooth lemon filling”.
And with her recipe to hand, you can make Mary Berry’s lemon tart within the hour.
While one bite is ever so moreish, there are enough slices to serve eight people (if eaten modesty).
Classic lemon tart recipe
Serves: eight
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 225g plain flour
- 150g cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 25g icing sugar
- One large egg, beaten
- Two tbsp water
Lemon filling:
- Nine large eggs
- 300ml double cream
- 350g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest and juice of six large lemons
Equipment
28cm deep loose-bottomed tart tin
Method
1. To make the pastry, measure the flour, butter and sugar into a processor. Whiz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then add egg and water. Whiz again until it forms a ball.
2. Roll out the pastry thinly on a floured work surface until it is just a little bigger than the size of the tin.
3. Line the tart tin with the pastry, letting the extra pastry hang over the sides of the tin. Place on a baking sheet and then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan, 180C/gas six. Line the tin with nonstick paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven until pale golden brown.
5. Take out of the oven and remove the baking beans and paper. Carefully trim the excess pastry from the sides using a sharp knife. Return the empty pastry shell to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until it is completely dry. Set aside to cool.
6. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160C/fan, 140/gas three.
7. Measure all the lemon filling ingredients into a bowl and whisk until smooth. Carefully pour the filling mixture into the cold-baked pastry case.
8. Transfer the tart and tray carefully to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until just set but still with a slight wobble in the middle. The filling will sink down a bit when it has cooled.
9. Leave to cool a little, or completely, and then remove it from the tin. Transfer to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar to serve.
