The summer season makes my days busy and active which means I'm not online much at all. I'm also completely distracted, traveling and conjuring new projects. When Jenna asked, ever so politely, for my recipe for Almond Cookie Tart Crust, I happily posted it---and neglected to include the recipe for the filing.
Ah! The joy of summer inattention for me is probably a source of frustration to the people around me. Sorry about that Jenna. Here is the rest of the recipe so that you can make the entire dessert.
4 lemons, at room temperature
1 cup sugar (for sweeter custard add ½ cup more sugar)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
zest of 3 lemons
1 cup lemon juice
1 ½ sticks butter, cut into small pieces, softened
Pinch of salt (approx. 1/8 teaspoon)
Remove the zest from 3 of the lemons taking care to avoid the white pith. Set the zest into a bowl and add 1 cup of sugar. Rub the zest and sugar with your fingers to infuse the sugar with the lemon essence. Set aside.
Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of juice. Depending on the size of your lemons, you may not need to juice them all.
With a mixer or food processor, cream the butter with the sugar-zest mixture. When well mixed and light in color, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, mixing until thoroughly combined with the sugar mixture.
Pour your lemon crème custard mixture into a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, whisking or stirring constantly. The custard should take about 10 minutes to reach about 175°. Do NOT allow it to exceed 180°.
Cooking the custard this way will slowly bring the mixture to just below a simmer. If you see any bubbles, remove the custard from the heat immediately, lower the flame and hope you haven't overcooked it.
Your custard will thicken with patience and low heat. It is done when the whisk (or spoon) leaves ribbon-like "tracks" in the cream. Remove it from the heat immediately.
Pour the mixture into a storage container, cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble your tart.
(Use with Madame Donna's Almond Cookie Tart Crust for a delicious dessert.)
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Comments: 113
Sending you a big thank you :) this is more simple than I thought,I have just bought a bag of almonds for the crust..I forgot to get milk so I have to run back to the store and grab lemons I had one in my hand tonight and said ah I'll wait till the morning and hit the farmers market and get a bunch,see what other goodies they have there..
Thanks again for sharing :))
*Cooking,*Anything & Everything To Do With Cooking*
You're welcome, Alison. I hope you enjoy it.
Kate, thanks.
Margaret, thank you. It is delicious.
Sarina, yes it would! Thank you.
Vicky, Enjoy them! Thanks.
Dorine, I suspect they would be fine using a combination of sugar and splenda. I haven't tried it though. If you do, let me know.
Risa, you are welcome to make the trek to the Left Coast! Hah! Thanks.
Thank you, Lora.
Jim, I'm sure you'll find some way of working those pounds off. Haha.
Jennifer, the biggest mistakes cooks make with custard is impatience and/or using too high of a flame or temperature. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes to cook depending on the output of the stovetop and whether it's gas or electric. They aren't all the same. Your scrambled egg incident was probably from setting the heat too high. If you find that even your smallest burner is cooking to high, move the pot so it's half on and half off the flame---then rotate it every few minutes. Let me know how it goes if you try it again.
Jenna, you're welcome. This really is an easy dessert and I like it because it can be made ahead of time. See my comment to Jennifer, just above this one, for some guidelines. You can also Gathermail me if you have questions. I'll try to pay more attention to my mail this week.
Katrina! That cracked me up.
Richard, Thanks. Save this recipe. It's such an easy do ahead dessert and very pretty on both the table and the plate. I haven't tried this crust as a cookie, but I think it might work. If you are using it that way, make sure you roll it and use a cutter. Also, take small pieces of dough and leave the rest in the refrigerator. This wouldn't work as a drop cookie because it's a dense dough so I suspect it would cook faster on the outside and stay a bit raw on the inside if dropped. If you try it, I'd like to know the results!
hese are surprisingly simple and can be done in parts and ahead of time. I love them for that reason.
Jan, thanks! Come on down and I'll make a batch for you.
Melissa, this recipe certainly makes sense for people like me who have lemon trees, cook and love to eat! Haha.
I am wondering.....can you pipe this one out?
On the other hand, combining the curd with a whipped cream icing might be a flavorful way to go to retain the integrity of the custard. Ooooh, OR use the custard as a filling, decorate with a whipped cream/decorating icing of some sort and then dribble the curd...oh geez, now you've got my creative urges surging.
I am having a huge problem with the links in the article..I can make them work,I tried them so many ways..I'm not sure if they are working now..
Lou Anne, there is no other way but to surge with creativity.
Jenna, Oh I'm so glad to hear it worked. I saw your post and it looks delicious!
Perfect summer dessert.
Thanks for another great lemon recipe.
I have to try this!
in lemon cream custard?
who knew?
Mariana, Thank you. Please do pass this along so that you get to enjoy it one way or another---or perhaps when we meet it will be lemon season and I can cook this one up for y'all. Stay well!
Girly Comments & Graphics
Thank you, necee.
Shirley, thank you. I hope you enjoy them.
Amy, thanks! It was delicious!
Melinda, thanks, they are a delighful little bite of dessert.
Bob, there is nothing better than when a child turns the table and begins to nourish you!
Debbie, come and get 'em!
Lacey, thanks very much.
Deb, I would love to make these for you. They are a delightful spring treat.
not only does this recipe sound delicious, it looks gorgeous!!
Fran, thank you very much. It's a very popular dessert and I think it tastes great. I hope you give it a try!
mmm! I can almost smell the lemon coming off of the pictures! They look great!
Thanks very much, Christy
I think I could make this without breaking anything
Thanks, Nic! I bet you could!