Lemon tart

Butter, for the tart tin

Plain flour, for dusting

Ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry

1 egg, lightly beaten

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the lemon filling

9 eggs

350g caster sugar

300g double cream

350ml lemon juice, strained

You’ll also need a 26cm fluted, loose-based tart tin, about 4cm deep

● The day before you plan to bake the tart, make the lemon filling. Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk by hand until light and frothy. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until well incorporated. While stirring gently, pour in the cream, followed by the lemon juice, and keep stirring until well blended. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

● Lightly butter and flour your tart tin. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Cut out a circle that is

about 5cm wider all around than the base of the tin, then carefully roll it over the rolling pin and ease it into the tin, gently pressing it into the fluted sides. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

● Preheat the oven to

180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.

● Trim off any excess pastry and prick the base a few times with a fork to prevent it blistering and rising in the oven. Line the tart case with foil, weigh it down with baking beans or raw rice and bake for 20 minutes. Lift out the beans or rice and foil from the tart case and brush it with beaten egg, then return it to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes.

● Take the tart out of the oven and turn the temperature down to

140°C/120°C fan/gas mark 1. Put the tart tin on a baking tray, return it to the oven and carefully pour in the lemon filling – use a small jug to fill the tart right to the top. Bake for 40 minutes, then start checking – you want the tart to be halfway set but still quite wobbly in the middle.

● Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool and firm slightly.

● Transfer the tart to a wire rack and, with a palette knife, gently slide it off the base of the tin – this will allow the tart to cool and the pastry to crisp up. Invert the rest of the tin back over the tart to help hold in the sides as it cools and sets.

● Leave for one hour, then carefully cut into slices with a serrated knife and place on plates. Dust with icing sugar and serve with Chantilly cream (optional).