Anyone who samples this sunny lemon tart can tell you that appearances don’t deceive: The dessert tastes every bit as bright and springlike as it looks. Egg yolks, sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice create a velvety curd that is poured into a crunchy cornmeal shell flecked with lemon zest and fresh sage. Before it is chilled to set, crème fraîche is dolloped over the curd filling and teased into a swirling pattern with a wooden skewer.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 9-inch tart
Ingredients
For the Crust
For the Filling
Preparation
Step 1
Make the crust: Pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, sage, salt, and zest in a food processor until combined. Add butter; pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together egg yolks and ice water in a small bowl. Drizzle egg mixture evenly over flour mixture, and pulse just until dough holds together. Divide dough in half, and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Step 2
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to an 11-inch round. Gently press into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; trim excess dough flush with rim. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Reserve remaining dough for another use (it can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before using).
Step 3
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool.
Step 4
Make the filling: In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the water, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Prepare an ice-water bath.
Step 5
Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in lemon juice. Place bowl over (not in) a pan of simmering water, and whisk constantly until mixture has thickened. Whisk in softened gelatin. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until smooth. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Place bowl with yolk mixture over ice bath, and stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Pour curd into crust; smooth top. Dollop small spoonfuls of crème fraîche all over top. Using a wooden skewer or the tip of a knife, swirl crème fraîche into curd to create a marbleized pattern. Refrigerate until set, 2 hours, or, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day.
