Lemon Basil Tart
– George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons.
“Sweetness cloys. Tart fruit and tart women give life its savor.”
Amen, Mr. Martin. By the way, that quote is from book 5 in the Game of Thrones series (technically A Song of Ice and Fire series), and I have to wonder if there will ever be a book 6 or 7. The HBO show had already outpaced the books by last season and once the TV series ends in a couple of weeks we’ll all be having withdrawals. Or at least I will. Can I say hurrah for all the strong, badass women characters in both books and show? That’s not always the case with fantasy (J.R.R. Tolkein, Patrick Rothfuss, etc., etc.). Even if the women in Game of Thrones are villainous, they’re interesting and three-dimensional. And Arya. I have no words. Tart women, indeed.
Well, this tart lady has come up with the tartest of lemon tarts. And I’m going to give you the recipe. How ’bout that? As you know if you’ve been following me, I have a serious love affair with anything lemon, but I promise, there are some non-lemon bakes coming up.
This tart is really quite easy to put together and the taste…oh my. It’s a fragrant, zingy, silky flavor sensation you won’t soon forget. And it’s so gosh-darn pretty.
Lemon Custard or Lemon Curd?
So, what’s the difference between lemon custard and lemon curd? Read up on the subject and you’ll find conflicting information. Technically, lemon curd is a custard, being stirred on the stove and thickened by coagulating proteins, in this case the protein strands of the eggs. Where it differs from traditional custards is in its use of lemon juice instead of milk or cream (though original lemon curd probably started out as actual acidulated cream curds), and its high sugar content.
Substitutions
Running short on time and need a quicker tart? Or have more of a sweet tooth and less of a pucker mouth like yours truly? Try these substitutions.
- Short on time? Use a store-bought pie crust if you must – just be sure to fully bake it before filling.
- Want a stiffer, richer lemon basil filling? Substitute all yolks instead of a mix of whole eggs and yolks.
- Want a lighter, fruitier, softer lemon basil filling? Use all whole eggs instead of a mix of whole eggs and yolks.
- Filling too tart? Taste the lemon filling after it’s made and if too tart, add 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup more sugar.
Tips
- When making the pâte sucrée crust, chilling the dough is essential. You want to keep that butter cold. My pâte sucrée recipe isn’t as sweet as some – if you want it sweeter, add another 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar.
- If you need to dewax your lemons, run them under really hot water in a colander then scrub off the wax under cool running water.
- Finely grate the lemons – too much pith will give a bitter taste.
- Continuously whisking the lemon filling while it’s in the double boiler will help prevent any clumps of cooked egg.
Reality Bakes
I love making this lemon tart. You’ll see a tiny bit of patchwork in the picture of my crust. Just a teensy-tiny tear, no big thing.
I had experimented with changing up my pâte sucrée crust to include some almond flour, which I thought would complement the lemon nicely, but it didn’t work out. I’m still on it, though, so stay tuned.
This bake is dedicated to all tart, sassy women everywhere.
Lemon and Basil Tart
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the Lemon Basil Filling:
- 5 lemons (preferably unwaxed), zested and juiced*
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup basil, coarsely chopped
- 12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter, salted or unsalted, softened and cut into small pieces
Instructions
Crust:
- Whisk together the yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and process briefly to combine. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized lumps, about 8 brief pulses.
- With the processor still running, add the liquid egg mixture and process until the dough just comes together around the blade.
- Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a 6-inch disk. Wrap the dough in the plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to soften slightly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until crust is slightly larger than your tart pan, about a 13-inch round. (If too sticky, try rolling between 2 lightly floured large sheets of parchment or plastic wrap.)
- Carefully transfer the dough to a 9- to 9½-inch tart pan. (It helps to use the rolling pin for this.) Ease the dough into the pan corners and press the dough against the fluted sides of the pan. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to remove the excess dough. Patch any thin spots or tears with the excess dough and trim away the edge again, if necessary.
- Freeze the tart crust in the pan for 30 minutes.
- When ready to blind bake the crust, preheat oven to 375°F. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet and line the crust (bottom and sides) with foil or parchment. Fill with pie weights (rice, beans, ceramic, whatever you use) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until foil/paper no longer sticks to the dough. Remove shell from the oven, carefully remove the foil and weights, dock the crust (prick with the tines of a fork), then continue to bake until a golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes longer. Cool completely before filling.
Lemon Basil Filling:
- Finely zest all the lemons into a bowl that’s heatproof, avoiding the white pith as much as possible. Add the sugar and rub the mixture together with your fingers.
- Beat the eggs and egg yolks together well then add to the zest and sugar mixture.
- Add 1 cup fresh lemon juice* and the chopped basil and put the bowl over a pot of simmering water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Whisk over medium-low heat continuously, until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the basil and any lumps or bits of cooked egg, then add the soft butter pieces while the lemon filling is still hot. Stir gently until butter is completely melted.
- Pour the filling into the tart shell, smooth the top, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Share! Tag @realitybakes1 on Instagram.
This looks so good! Let me know if you ever come up with a gluten-free version. I love the look of your site as well!
You got it. I’ve been thinking of doing some gluten-free and vegan versions.
This looks equally delicious and refreshing. Lemon anything is always a good thing
Agreed on the lemon anything! 😁
I recently made lemon curd for the first time and am in LOVE. Key lime pie is also my favorite dessert. I also like basil. Soooo … I think this sounds so interesting! Adding to my “try” list. Thanks so much!
Thanks. Isn’t lemon curd the best?
I’d also love a gluten-free version of the crust … if you ever have time! But I so appreciate the details in the process and photos and the many suggestions for substitutions. I subscribed, too, and am looking forward to your drool-worth recipes.
Thank you, Beth! I have a number of recipes where a gluten-free crust would work great so I’m on it. Thanks so much for subscribing.
Oh my goodness, this looks so amazing! My husband loves any and all lemon desserts so I may end up making this for him in the near future. I never would have thought to pair lemon with basil but the combination sounds delicious. Your blog is adorable, by the way! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Thanks so much, Laura. If you do make it, I hope you both enjoy it. It’s a great dessert for lemon-lovers. 🍋
Thank you! Yep, my husband is definitely in the lemon-lovers club. You’re either in that club or your out. Most people are not really in between, I’ve noticed!
Ain’t that the truth – no half-measures when it comes to lemons. I’m definitely in the club myself.
[…] I was thrilled to receive a message from Jen over at Reality Bakes that she was nominating Simply Low Cal for the Sunshine Blogger Award. She has a lovely food blog of her own where she shares some delicious recipes. My favorite is her Lemon Basil Tart. […]
Thank you! I was delighted to nominate you.
[…] Lemon, Basil Tart: I make this recipe (and ignore the Game of Thrones preamble) but with an easy graham cracker crust and add some […]