I am so awed and full of gratitude by nature’s bounty from my own and friends’ urban farms and gardens! Nothing compares to fruits and vegetables that have been organically grown and raised with love. So when life gives you lemons (or your very good friend, Virginie, brings you a huge bag full), it’s time to get cooking!
Who doesn’t like Meyer lemons!? The Meyer lemon is well loved by home gardeners because they have a sweeter and more floral taste than other lemons and can even have a slightly orange tint and flavor. Since they also have very thin skins, they are difficult to transport and store commercially, making them even more cherished by the home gardener.
So I’m coming at you with a duo of recipes for Meyer lemons! We're kicking things off with a beauty of a dessert that showcases the Meyer lemon’s sweet and subtle tartness.
Shall we? Let's!
What you will need:
Pate Brisee (half portion) find the recipe here
Juice from 5 Meyer lemons
3 large Eggs at room temperature
1 large Egg yolk at room temperature
2/3 cup Granulated sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 cup chilled Unsalted butter cut into 1/2” cubes
1 pint Ripe figs, sliced
9 inch Tart or pie pan
Let’s get baking!
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in the center position.
Take half of the Pâte Brisée dough from the recipe above and on a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit into a 8 or 9 inch tart or pie pan. To make sure it is the right size, take your tart or pie pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than your pan.
Lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto the top of your tart or pie pan. Gently press pastry into the bottom and sides of pan. If using a tart pan, roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. If using a pie pan, flute the edges of the pastry. The pastry is now ready to use.
To prebake the tart or pie shell: using a fork, prick the bottom of the dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.
Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart or pie pan with pie weights, rice, or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface.
Bake crust for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack.
For the filling:
Prepare a double boiler by pouring 2 inches of water into a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat, and bring the water to a simmer.
In a heat-safe bowl, combine lemon juice, whole eggs, egg, yolk, sugar, and salt.
Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk until the mixture becomes very thick, about 10-12 minutes, making sure you whisk constantly so that the sugar does not cook the yolks.
Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool on a wire rack, stirring gently from time to time to release the heat.
While the mixture is still warm, use an immersion blender to blend the chilled butter a few cubes at a time into the lemon curd. As you add more butter, the cream will start to turn into a pale yellow and become slightly thicker.
Once the butter has been fully incorporated, cover the surface of the lemon cream with a layer of plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving. It will continue to thicken as it chills.
When you are ready to serve, spread the chilled lemon cream evenly into the prepared crust and top with sliced figs. Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Tip: If you have any lemon cream leftover, you can save in the refrigerator for 3 weeks in a sealed container. Enjoy on toast, scones, with fresh fruit -- this would make an amazing cream layer for a berry or fresh fruit tart!
Comments