whole lemon tart

This is a last hurrah.

A last hurrah to gusts of freezing winds and blasting flurries of sudden hail.

A last hurrah to thick socks and boots and leggings.

A last hurrah to snuggles with fluffies (blankets) and warming hot chocolate.

A last hurrah to winter in all its glory.

It is no secret that I love winter (it was cold today and I was quite happy). It is also no secret that it is past wintertime. It’s spring, people. Spring is in the air! There are flowers! and vegetable sproutlings! and anger at snails for eating the vegetable sproutlings!

Lemon is a winter fruit (although I still see trees full of lemons around here in Melbourne, so perhaps all is not lost) and so we’re saying goodbye to lemon as a superstar. We’re saying hello to strawberries (watch out for the next post!) and peaches and cherries and many many other summer fruit. Because we love the fruit.

I made this tart for my tea party and it got rave reviews. I used Meyer lemons from my housemate’s parents’ lemon tree and they were amazing! I’d never used Meyers before although now I want a Meyer lemon tree. They are delicious on their own and especially with organic honey in French Earl Grey from T2. (oh, the T2 love.)

Whole Lemon Tart

I barely adapted this recipe at all so I’m just going to link straight to Smitten Kitchen. I did, however, use my tart shell recipe of choice which was the shortcrust pastry from The Cook’s Companion because I’m using any excuse possible to pick that thing up (it’s heavy. Yep.) and it was a good choice. I love that book so much.

Shortcrust pastry:

180 g unsalted butter, cool but not cold

240 g plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup iced water

Sift together the flour and the salt into a medium sized bowl. Quickly rub in the butter with your fingertips.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the cold water. Stir in, using a flat-bladed knife, until shaggy and rough. Dump out on a lightly floured countertop and gather together in a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about twenty minutes before blind baking and proceeding with the lemon tart recipe.