Best lemon tart ever by the River Cafe

Recipe

Based on the recipe by the fabulous ladies from the River Cafe in London – this is definitely the best lemon tart you will ever have – slow cooking the smooth lemony curd is a labour of love, with fresh homemade burnished pastry – yum!

A group of ten friends, down the NSW South Coast of Australia, gathered for a long weekend and this was the foodie highlight of the trip - all the men took turns stirring the custard base as this amazing tart came together. We chipped away at this intensely rich and decadent tart over the whole 3 days, bit by bit after almost every meal - it was just so amazing!

Serves a large crowd! (Sometimes for a few days!). V.

Pictured: Best lemon tart ever – the one from the NSW south coast

Pastry

350g plain flour

Pinch salt

225g cold unsalted butter, cubed

100g icing sugar

3 organic egg yolks

Using hands or a food processor bring all ingredients together into a ball and knead until smooth and combined - start with the flour, salt and butter till resembles crumbs, then add sugar then yolks.

Refrigerate for 1 hour minimum

Filling

Finely grated zest and juice 7 lemons

350g caster sugar

6 whole eggs

9 yolks

300g unsalted butter, softened

Heat oven 180°C.

Grate cold pastry into a 30cm (12 in) loose-bottomed pie tin and press down with fingers. Prick the pastry with a fork at regular intervals.

Bake pastry blind for about 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool.

Meanwhile make the filling -

Tip all ingredients except butter into large saucepan pan low heat and whisk until till eggs broken and sugar dissolved

Add half butter and continue to whisk

At this point the eggs will start to cook and coat the back of spoon

Add remaining butter until it gets thick

It’s very important to whisk continuously throughout the process until the curd is really thick. This takes some time – 1-1.5 hours but it vital to give a plump but smooth finish to the tart.

Remove to cold surface and continue to whisk until lukewarm

Boot up oven to 230°C.

Spoon filling into case and cook till it has browned on top, around 5-8 minutes

Serve warm with crème fraîche, or full fat sour cream.