Rosemary adds a subtle savory note behind the sweetness of this tarte au citron, while the punch of Meyer lemon perfectly complements the mellow flavor of roasted pine nuts.
Tarte au Citron with Pine Nut Crust
Makes 1 (9-inch) tart
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup (113 grams) finely ground toasted pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg yolk
Filling
- 1¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (71 grams)
- all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 6 large eggs
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1½ cups fresh Meyer lemon juice
- Garnish: Candied Meyer Lemon Slices (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- For crust: In the work bowl of a food processor, place pine nuts, sugar, rosemary, and salt; pulse until combined. Add flour, and pulse until finely ground.
- In a medium bowl, beat nut mixture, butter, and egg yolk with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Shape dough into disk; wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
- Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan at least 3 inches deep. Top with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights.
- Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake until light golden brown and firm, about 10 minutes more. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
- For filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Add sugar mixture to egg mixture, whisking to combine. Add lemon juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
- Bake until filling is set but still jiggles slightly in center, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with Candied Meyer Lemon Slices, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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Candied Meyer Lemon Slices
Makes about 36
Ingredients
- 6 Meyer lemons
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Using a mandolin, slice lemons into paper-thin rounds; remove seeds and discard.
- In a medium bowl, combine lemon slices and sugar. Let stand until sugar is dissolved, about 30 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, bring lemon-sugar mixture and 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 30 minutes, being careful not to let mixture caramelize.
- Remove from heat, and let cool slightly. Strain mixture, reserving lemon slices. Place lemon slices on parchment paper; let dry at room temperature. (Lemons will be sticky.) Cover and freeze for up to 1 week.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Read the whole article in Bake From Scratch Spring 2016.
[…] Lemon Pie Filling recipe adapted from Bake from Scratch magazine’s tarte au citron recipe: Tarte au Citron with Pine Nut Crust. […]