Did you know National Pie Day was this past Thursday? I didn't. I only learned of it that morning while I was driving to work. Darn. A missed opportunity to bake and share a pie. So, I decided to browse the internet for other "National" days for this month. What I found was really quite interesting, bizarre, and amusing all at the same time. Apparently, there was a National Static Electricity Day on January 9th. I'm kinda bummed that I didn't know about that one beforehand. I'm really good at shuffling my feet on carpet and shocking people with the static. The best is when you hear the loud SNAP of the electricity, which sometimes is even more startling than the shock itself. That would have made for a really fun day. I'm definitely putting that on my calendar for next year.
There was also a National Fruitcake Toss Day on January 3rd. I guess if anyone still had a fruitcake laying around from the holidays, it would probably have something fuzzy growing on it by then, so having such a day to toss it would be practical. Or do they mean toss, as in toss the ball? Eww. Yuck.
Anyway, today happens to be National Spouse's Day. By definition, it's a day to "enjoy and appreciate your better half." It is a non-gift giving day, so it says. So, in honor of my loving and hard-working spouse, who makes me laugh and smile everyday, as well as provides me with a very happy life, I made one of his favorite pastries. Yes, this is for you, MAC. Lucky for me, it happens to be one of my favorites, too. Yeah, I kinda planned it that way. Hey, I'm a spouse, too.
Oh, and don't forget to celebrate National Have Fun at Work Day! It's coming up on January 28th. Maybe you can bake a few of these tarts and have a tart eating contest at work. Or even a food fight...
Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)
Yields one 9" Tart
For the tart shell:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (2 2/3 ounces) confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-ince pieces and chilled
1. Whisk egg yolk, cream, and vanilla together in bowl. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Scatter butter over top and use a pastry blender to combine until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add egg mixture and continue to blend together until dough just comes together.
3. Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 6-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling out dough, let it sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. (Dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw completely on counter before rolling it out.)
4. Roll dough into 11-once circle on lightly floured counter (if dough becomes too soft and sticky at any point, place onto baking sheet and refrigerate until workable). Place dough round on baking sheet, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Remove dough from refrigerator. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into corners with your other hand.
6. Press dough into fluted sides of pan. (if some sections of edge are too thin, reinforce them by folding excess dough back on itself.) Roll the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to cut and remove excess dough. Wrap dough-lined tart pan loosely in plastic wrap, place on large plate, and freeze until dough is fully chilled and firm, about 30 minutes. (Dough-lined tart pan can be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month.)
7. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat over to 375 degrees F. Press parchment paper or double layer of aluminum foil into frozen tart shell, covering edges to prevent burning, and fill with pie weights.
8. Bake tart shell until golden brown and set, about 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Carefully remove weights and foil and continue to bake tart shell until it is fully backed and golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer baking pan with tart shell to wire rack and allow to cool until just warm.
For the lemon curd:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (2 2/3 ounces) confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-ince pieces and chilled
1. Whisk egg yolk, cream, and vanilla together in bowl. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Scatter butter over top and use a pastry blender to combine until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add egg mixture and continue to blend together until dough just comes together.
3. Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 6-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling out dough, let it sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. (Dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw completely on counter before rolling it out.)
4. Roll dough into 11-once circle on lightly floured counter (if dough becomes too soft and sticky at any point, place onto baking sheet and refrigerate until workable). Place dough round on baking sheet, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Remove dough from refrigerator. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into corners with your other hand.
6. Press dough into fluted sides of pan. (if some sections of edge are too thin, reinforce them by folding excess dough back on itself.) Roll the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to cut and remove excess dough. Wrap dough-lined tart pan loosely in plastic wrap, place on large plate, and freeze until dough is fully chilled and firm, about 30 minutes. (Dough-lined tart pan can be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month.)
7. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat over to 375 degrees F. Press parchment paper or double layer of aluminum foil into frozen tart shell, covering edges to prevent burning, and fill with pie weights.
8. Bake tart shell until golden brown and set, about 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Carefully remove weights and foil and continue to bake tart shell until it is fully backed and golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer baking pan with tart shell to wire rack and allow to cool until just warm.
For the lemon curd:
2 large eggs plus 7 large yolks
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup grated lemon zest plus 2/3 cup juice (4 lemons)
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk eggs and yolks together in medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar until combined, then whisk in lemon zest and juice and salt. Add butter and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour mixture through fine mesh strainer into bowl and stir in cream.
2. Pour warm lemon filling into warm pre-baked tart shell. Bake tart on baking sheet until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer tart with baking sheet to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup grated lemon zest plus 2/3 cup juice (4 lemons)
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk eggs and yolks together in medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar until combined, then whisk in lemon zest and juice and salt. Add butter and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour mixture through fine mesh strainer into bowl and stir in cream.
2. Pour warm lemon filling into warm pre-baked tart shell. Bake tart on baking sheet until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer tart with baking sheet to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Hey Christi, you gotta find a way to pack one of those so you can sent one to me! :). Please.
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