A beautiful lemon tart with a rich, buttery pine nut crust and a light, silky lemon sabayon filling. A few seconds under the broiler caramelizes the surface and gives the tart its distinctive golden finish.
Servings: About 8
Prep Time: About 30 minutes, plus chilling and cooling
Cook Time: About 35 minutes
Pine Nut Crust
This recipe makes enough dough for three 9-inch tart crusts. Because the recipe uses only one egg, it is difficult to divide accurately for a single crust. Freeze the extra dough for future tarts.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (10 ounces) unroasted pine nuts
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Place the pine nuts in a food processor and pulse about 5–6 times. Do not over-process at this stage, as this can begin to release the oil from the nuts.
- Add the sugar and flour and continue pulsing until the pine nuts are finely ground.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the softened butter, egg and vanilla. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated and a dough forms.
- Divide the dough into three equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before using. Freeze the two unused portions for future use.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Generously butter and flour a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate the prepared pan while the oven preheats.
- Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator. Using your fingertips, press one portion of chilled dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim away any excess dough.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes. Rotate the tart shell and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool while preparing the lemon sabayon.
Cook's Note: I bake the crust for 12 minutes, rotate the pan, then bake for another 12 minutes.
Lemon Sabayon
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 2 large egg yolks, cold
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
Instructions:
- Bring about 1½ inches of water to a boil in a saucepan slightly smaller in diameter than the metal mixing bowl you will use for the sabayon. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.
- In the mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Whisk for about 1 minute, or until smooth.
- Set the bowl over the simmering water. Using a large whisk, vigorously whisk the mixture while continuously rotating the bowl to promote even heating.
- After about 2 minutes, when the eggs have become foamy and thickened, add one-third of the lemon juice. Continue whisking vigorously.
- When the mixture thickens again, add another one-third of the lemon juice. Continue whisking until thickened, then add the remaining lemon juice.
- Continue whisking vigorously and rotating the bowl until the sabayon is thick, light in color and the whisk leaves a visible trail across the bottom of the bowl. Total cooking time should be approximately 8–10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the hot water. Add the cold butter one piece at a time, whisking until each piece is incorporated before adding the next. The sabayon may loosen slightly but will thicken and set as it cools.
- Pour the warm lemon sabayon into the cooled pine nut tart shell. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
- Preheat the broiler. While the sabayon is still warm, place the tart under the broiler with the oven door open. Watch it continuously and rotate the tart as necessary until the surface is evenly browned. This will take only a few seconds.
- Remove the tart from the broiler and allow it to stand for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Tip: The pine nut crust recipe makes enough dough for three tarts. Wrap the two unused portions well and freeze them for future use. When broiling the finished tart, do not walk away—the sabayon can go from beautifully browned to burned within seconds.
Source: Tom Keller French Laundry Cookbook