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Recipe Detail Page
Lemon Cheese Tart
Spring 2014
If there is leftover filling, bake in ramekins with no crust for a quick dessert. The pastry is enough for two different tarts; Lemon Cheese Tarts and Rhubarb Custard Tarts (also online). If you just want to make one flavour alone, then double the filling.
Makes 12 tarts
PASTRY
2⅔ cups (650 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) cold butter, cubed
2 tsp (10 mL) white vinegar
½ cup (125 mL) ice cold water
FILLING
3 eggs
¾ cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) butter, melted
½ cup (125 mL) mascarpone cheese
½ cup (125 mL) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lemon zest
Icing sugar for dusting
1 Combine flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the butter is pea-sized. Transfer mixture into a bowl. Gradually stir in vinegar and water, mixing until dough holds together in a ball. You may need to add a little less or more water.
2 Flatten dough into a disc and divide in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
3 Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
4 Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Roll out pastry on a well-floured surface to ¼-inch (5-mm) thickness. Cut out twelve 4-inch (10-cm) rounds. Dough may need to be re-rolled. Press each dough round into muffin tin. Prick bottom of tarts with fork. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes.
5 Combine eggs, sugar, butter and mascarpone cheese using a stand or hand mixer. Add lemon juice and grated zest. Blend until incorporated. Reserve.
6 Once chilled, remove tarts from freezer and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove tarts from oven.
7 Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
8 Pour lemon custard into each tart shell, leaving ¼-inch (5-mm) space from the top.Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until tart is set. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Makes 12 tarts
