Glazed lemon tart A perennial favourite in the restaurant

THIS is a firm favourite with my customers and is often on the lunch menu at One Devonshire Gardens. I love the heavenly bitter-sweet combination of butter, sugar and lemons. A perfect dessert for rain or shine.

Serves 8 -12

Pastry ring or flan case 9”/ 23cm – greased

Ingredients

Pastry case

120g unsalted butter, soft, diced and extra to grease the flan case

75g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

3 x egg yolks

250g plain flour

2 tbsp water

Tart filling

380g caster sugar 1 x lemon zest

3 x lemons juiced 5 x whole eggs 250g double cream 1 x vanilla pod

Glaze

Sprinkle of caster sugar Blow torch/ grill

Method

Pre heat oven 170c/gas mark 3/fan 150c

In a large bowl, mix the butter and the icing sugar. Next, add the eggs followed by the flour. As soon as the mixture comes together stop. Roll into a small ball, flatten slightly, wrap in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for around 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until around a pound coin thickness. Gently lift the pastry into the ring or flan case pushing in the sides with spare pastry trim.

Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the fridge and trim the edges. Line with greaseproof or double layered cling film and fill with baking beans.

Place in the oven and blind bake for around 15 minutes – once the edges are golden brown remove the beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes. Once the pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Set oven temperature to 160c/ gas mark 3/fan 140c

Take a large mixing bowl and whisk together the sugar and eggs. Next, add the lemon juice and zest followed by the cream and extract from the vanilla pod.

Combine together then pass through a fine sieve, removing foam from the mix with a ladle or large spoon. Pour the mix into the tart case (it’s easier to do this by putting the tart in the oven first – rather than carrying or lowering the tart to the oven). Bake for 30-35 minutes until the mixture is just set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove from the tin.

When it comes to glazing the tart, cut into desired size, sprinkle with a small amount of sugar and caramelise with a blow torch or under a hot grill. Serve with ice cream, sorbet or crème fraiche.

Gary Townsend is head chef at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, Glasgow. See www.hotelduvin.com or phone 0141 378 0385 to book. Twitter @Chefgtownsend

Instagram- @chef.g.townsend

PHOTOGRAPH: ALAN DONALDSON