For the crust:
- 1 cup (4 1/2 oz/ 140 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
- 1/3 cup (2 1/3 oz/ 70 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (4 oz/ 125 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus extra for greasing
- 3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz/ 160 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/ 125 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons heavy (double) cream
Other:
- 2 lemons for the lemon zest and lemon juice
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting.
Directions:
Gather ingredients.
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350F (800C). Lightly grease an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish, preferably glass.
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pulse briefly until blended. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched, about 1 minute. There should be no trace of dryness.
Press dough into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared baking dish, lightly flouring your fingertips if necessary to prevent them from sticking.
Bake the crust until pale golden, 20-22 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F (165C)
To make the filling, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, and zest (if using). Add the eggs, lemon juice, and cream and whisk until just blended. Carefully pour the mixture over the baked crust.
Bake until the filling is set but still jiggles slightly in the middle when the dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes, or longer if using a metal pan. Let cool on rack for about 30 minutes. Run the tip of a small knife along the inside of the to loosen the crust from the sides, then let cool completely.
Cut into 12 small rectangles and carefully remove from the dish with a spatula. Sift a disgusting of confectioners' sugar over the rectangles just before serving.
My experience:
I had a lot of fun making these, and it was easy! I thought I was going to have some difficulty with the crust because I haven't worked with pie crusts and tart crusts that much, but it was actually really simple. It also wasn't that time consuming, which was nice. It did take me a little bit longer than 20 minutes to bake the filling but other than that it followed the recipe very nicely!
Helpful Tips:
Zesting & Juicing:
When zesting and juicing a lemon, always zest first. Use a zester and make short strokes, rotating the lemon after every 1 or 2 swipes. Avoid removing the white pith because that is the bitter part of the lemon's peel. To extract the mos juice press and roll the lemon on a counter top to slightly crush it, then cut it in half cross wise. Use a juicer, your hands, or an electric juicer. Be careful with an electric juicer because it may over squeeze the lemon and extract bitter pith.
Enjoy! xx
