This Recipe is part of the Breakfast Sunnyside Up Patio Brunch Menu
Elizabeth Baird is well known for seeking out the best of Canadian foods and sharing the knowledge with the rest of the country, especially in her position as food editor of Canadian Living magazine since 1987. When she helped me decide what should appear in A Taste of Canada, Elizabeth said I should include a lemon tart, a sophisticated version of the old-fashioned favourite, lemon meringue pie. This one is her choice, created in the Canadian Living Test Kitchen with Elizabeth sampling every step to make sure it was better than anything you could ever buy or order in a fancy restaurant. It is tangy and truly lemony. The pastry is my recipe.
Ingredients
Pastry:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, in bits
2 tbsp cold lard or shortening, in bits
3 tbsp ice water (approx)
Filling:
5 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp cold butter
Topping:
3 tbsp apple jelly
Assorted fruit (such as Cape gooseberries, blueberries and raspberries) or icing sugar
Directions
1. Pastry: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives cut in the butter and lard until it forms fine crumbs with a few larger pieces. Drizzle the ice water over the mixture, tossing with a fork until the dough clumps, adding up to 1 tbsp (15 mL) more water if the mixture is too crumbly.
2. Turn out onto a work surface and press into a smooth ball; flatten into a disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to an 11-inch (28 cm) circle. Fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim to 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang; fold the extra inside and press the pastry together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours, covered.
3. With a fork, prick the bottom at ½-inch (1 cm) intervals. Line with foil or parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the bottom third of a 400°F (200°C) oven until the edge starts to turn golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and prick the bottom again; bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
4. Filling: In the top of a double boiler or large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and thick enough to mound on a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl; stir in the butter until it melts. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cold, 2 hours. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead.)
6. Spoon the lemon filling into the pie shell, smoothing the top. Bake in a 325°F (160°C) oven until the filling loses some shine and forms a thin skin, about 12 minutes. Let cool on a rack; then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
7. Topping: In a small glass bowl microwave the apple jelly on High for 30 seconds, or heat in a saucepan on the stovetop until melted. Spoon evenly over the filling. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. (The tart can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, covered with a large inverted bowl.) Garnish the centre with fruit or dust the edge of the pastry and a narrow border of filling with icing sugar.
Serves 8 to 10
Thought that was sweet? You’ll enjoy:
Excerpted from A Taste of Canada by Rose Murray. Copyright © 2008 by Rose Murray. Excerpted by permission of White Cap. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book now.