Classic Lemon Tart

This has long been my ultimate go-to tart – simple perfection.

PASTRY

110 grams cold butter, chopped

11/3 cups plain flour

1/3 cup icing sugar

finely grated zest 1 lemon

1 egg yolk, size 7

1-2 teaspoons iced water

oil spray

FILLING

4 large eggs size 7

1 egg yolk, size 7

¾ cup caster sugar

250ml cream

250ml freshly squeezed lemon juice EQUIPMENT: 25cm removable-base tart tin.

Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake.

PASTRY: Put the butter in a food processor with the flour, sugar and zest. Pulse to combine then add the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of the iced water. Pulse until the mixture forms clumpy breadcrumbs and starts coming together, adding the remaining water only if necessary. Tip out onto a clean bench and squash together into a pastry disc. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove the pastry from the fridge, let it sit for 5 minutes then roll out on a lightly floured surface until it is 5cm bigger than the tart tin. Spray the tin very lightly with oil and use a kitchen towel to wipe off any excess. Use a fish slice (I use a thin metal pizza paddle) to slip it off the bench and into the tin. Press firmly into the base and sides and prick the base lightly with a fork. Pop in the freezer for 10 minutes.

FILLING: Whisk the eggs, yolk, sugar and cream together. Don’t whisk too hard or you will make it foamy and bubbly; gently does it.

Put a large circle of baking paper into the pastry base and fill with baking beans, weights or rice. Cook for 12 minutes, remove the paper and weights and cook for a further 10 minutes. Put the tart base on a baking tray and place back in the oven.

Stir the lemon juice into the filling, pour it through a sieve into a jug and carefully pour straight into the base in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C and bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is just set, but still with a bit of wobble in the middle. Cool in the tin before removing to serve to your very lucky guests! SERVES 8-10