Meyer Lemon Tart with Lemon Creme

Last week we went to our favorite whole foods (also known as Harry's, and the same whole foods that Alton Brown films Good Eats) and I saw some meyer lemons, and since I have not yet made anything with them before I picked up a few. As we were checking out Dan saw the lemon tart on the front cover of a magazine and told me that I should make one some time. Since I had not yet picked a dessert for Easter, I decided that this tart would be perfect. This is my first time making a tart as well as the first recipe from David Lebovitz, I will doing both again soon. The tart has a strong lemon flavor and is a bit tart if you only use 3/4 c of sugar. I noted to increase the sugar or you could use all Meyer lemons. Meyer lemons are less tart than traditional lemons. Top the tart with lemon creme, it provides a nice balance and reduces some of the tartness.

Lemon Tart: www.davidlebovitz.com
Ingredients:
1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (I used 4 Meyer lemons and 3 regular lemons)
grated zest of two lemon (one Meyer the other regular)
3/4c to 1 cup sugar (use more if you want it to be less tart)
12 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted, cut into bits
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 baked French Tart crust (11")

Top with Lemon Creme:
1 c heavy cream
1/3 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
a pinch of lemon zest

Directions: 1. Whip all of the ingredients together until stiff peaks form.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Directions:
1. In a medium-sized non-reactive saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter. Have a mesh strainer nearby.
2. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and the yolks.
3. When the butter is melted, whisk some of the warm lemon mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly, to warm them. Scrape the warmed eggs back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and almost begins to bubble around the edges.
4. Pour the lemon curd though a strainer directly into the pre-baked tart shell, scraping with a rubber spatula to press it through.
5. Smooth the top of the tart and pop it in the oven for eight minutes, just to set the curd.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing and serving.

Caramel Sauce

Caramel Sauce:

Source: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book

Ingredients:

1 c heavy cream warmed

1 c sugar

½ c water

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Place the cream in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cover and keep warm while making the caramel.

2. Combine the sugar and water in a large, heavy saucepan and place over medium heat.
3. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear.

4. As the syrup boils, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan.

5. Continue to cook without stirring until the syrup is golden brown.

6. Immediately remove from the heat and slowly add the warm cream, stirring constantly.

7. The caramel will split and rise up, so do this carefully.

8. The sugar may also form a clump on the bottom of the pan. If this occurs, return the pan to low heat and stir until the caramel dissolves into the cream completely.

9. Let simmer for 2 minutes.

10. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yields: 1 1/3 c.