Honey lemon tarts for my honey
By esther on Wednesday, February 7 2007, 16:46 - Something sweet - Permalink
Once again Meeta has chosen another great Monthly Mingle. She is bringing us Sweet Love to the table: an homage to our valentines and sweets that say I love you and nothing screams sweet love like sour lemons, at least in my house anyways.
I didn't have to think very hard to find the perfect treat for the hub. Lemon tarts and pain au chocolat are pretty high on his list of favorites and yet I never make either of them. By the time you tally up all the bakeries in Paris that make exquisite bread and pastries, making certain things yourself starts to seem useless. But the fact that we were very recently deceived by some no good very bad tartelette au citron, I started to think that maybe I could do better. Then, not only could I please the hub but I could also finally break in my new tartelette pans!
I got the honey idea from this month's issue of Food and Wine. One of the featured desserts is a honey lemon custard served with crème fraîche. Although I don't usually use honey in my baking, I was intrigued by the idea and decided to give it a whirl. I actually changed the recipe quite a bit by cutting yolks, adding whites, more zest, less honey and the results are phenomenal. The honey doesn't just add sweetness. It brings out this whole other mellow warm flavor that is the perfect foil to the zip of the zest.
I think that this curd is by far the most unique and sophisticated that I have ever tasted and I had a bit of inspiration as I was filling up the last crust. This lemon curd is so good that I think it is worthy of an attempt at recreating Keyser's feuilleté au citron that has now become famous among my family and friends.
Honey Lemon Tarts
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
3/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/8 cup mountain honey
2 Tbsp salted butter
1 sheet puff pastry
Start by making the shells. Place tartelette pans on the rolled out puff pastry. Trace a circle of dough about 1/4 inch larger than the tin around each one. Turn over and mold pastry dough to the tin. Using a fork, perforate the bottom of each individual crust and weigh down the bottom with beans.
Place unbaked crusts on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 175°C or until golden brown. Once the crusts are removed from the oven, get rid of the beans, remove the crusts from their tins and let cool.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, yolk, lemon juice, zest and honey. Cook the lemon mixture for about 6 minutes over a bain marie being sure to whisk the entire time. Once the lemon mixture has thickened to a nice custard, remove from heat and whisk in butter.
Let the curd cool a few minutes and then spoon into individual crusts. Don't let the curd cool too much otherwise it will lose its silky consistency and will be harder to spread. Chill tarts for at least 2 hours.
Decorate with fresh figs or berries and serve.
Makes 8 tartelettes.
Comments
Esther as always you leave me in awe and open mouthed (to say the least). This is a great contribution and I thank you!
These look simply wonderful. I love lemon....... lemon ANYTHING!. There is a restaurant in NYC that always has a lemon dessert on the menu... it's billed as "lemon something" leaving the pastry chef room to move. I'd hope for one of these beauties to be served up anytime. love, m
Divine! I'm sure he's drooling-if he hasn't eaten them all already.
What a tease! I cannot wait until I can taste the tartness. Great picture too!!!!
The lemon tartlettes look scrumptious . . . but to find fresh figs in Fort Plain!!! Great site and wonderful pictures. Thanks Ester!
Thank you everyone! These were really just as delicious as they look. But, there was barely anytime for drooling since they were gobbled up in a flash!
The fig on top is an excellent touch!
Je découvre ton blog, par l'intermédiaire du Meme de Tartelette... bravo, il est très joli, tes photos sont superbes et c'est très agréable d'y naviguer. Direct dans mon Netvibes !
Amazing Pictures!