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Recipe Detail Page
Lavender Lemon Curd Tarts
Summer 2016
Lavender adds another dimension of flavour to silky-smooth lemon curd. While the curd makes a dee-lish filling for these dainty tarts, it’s also wonderful slathered on breakfast toast. If you don’t want to make your own pastry, substitute ready-made frozen tart shells, following the baking instructions on the box.
Makes 12 tarts
LAVENDER LEMON CURD
2 tsp (10 mL) dried culinary lavender
¾ cup (175 mL) fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
6 egg yolks
1 egg
1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk
PASTRY
1¾ cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) table salt
½ cup (125 mL) cold unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup (60 mL) cold lard, cubed
⅓ cup (80 mL) ice water (approx.)
Candied lemon rind, fresh, organic lavender sprigs and/or fresh berries for garnish
1 For lavender lemon curd, pound lavender in a mortar and pestle to release its oils.
2 In a medium saucepan, combine lemon juice and pounded lavender. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove saucepan from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 1 hour.
3 In a small bowl, lightly beat together egg yolks and egg. Bring lemon juice back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk 2 tbsp (30 mL) hot lemon juice into eggs.
4 Remove saucepan from heat and whisk egg mixture into lemon juice. Return saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly,until mixture has thickened slightly and is smooth, about 2 minutes. Do not boil.
5 Rub lemon mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
6 Whisk condensed milk into chilled lemon mixture. Scrape curd into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Curd canbe refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
7 For pastry, pulse flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and lard. Pulse just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few large pieces.
8 With motor running, add water 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, just until dough clumps together.
9 Tip dough out onto a floured surface and pat out to a 1-inch-thick (2.5-cm) disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
10 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 12-well muffin pan.
11 On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a ¼-inch (5-mm) thickness. Cut out 12 rounds with a 3¾-inch (10-cm) cutter and use to line muffin pan.
12 Line tart shells with 2½-inch (6-cm) squares of parchment paper or foil and fill with dried beans or ceramic baking beans. Bake untiledges of tart shells are just starting to colour, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove paper and beans from each tart shell. Return muffinpan to oven and bake until tart shells are pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
13 Let tart shells cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully remove tart shells and let cool completely on wire rack.
14 When ready to serve, spoon lavender lemon curd into tart shells, dividing evenly. Garnish each tart with candied lemon rind, lavender sprigs and/or fresh berries.
Makes 12 tarts
