Lemon and Basil Tart
A gorgeous tangy lemon tart brightened with a hint of basil.
Servings 12
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
*If unwaxed lemons aren't available, simply run waxed lemons under very hot water in a colander, then scrub the wax off each lemon under cool, running water.
*For a really tangy tart, use a whole cup of lemon juice. For less tang, use 3/4 cup, or add additional sugar, from 2 tablespoons up to 1/4 cup.